Once Human Review
The world of Once Human is a post-apocalyptic landscape unlike any other, blending elements of survival, crafting, and alien horror into a unique free-to-play experience. Despite its amalgamation of genres, Once Human manages to stand out with its peculiar and compelling take on the end of the world. After spending dozens of hours exploring this strange new world, it’s clear that Once Human is as captivating as it is bizarre.
A Unique Post-Apocalyptic Setting
In a sea of survival games dominated by zombies and nuclear fallout, Once Human takes a fresh approach by introducing an alien infestation as the catalyst for its apocalyptic scenario. This twist injects a new level of creativity and unpredictability into the genre. The alien organism in Once Human has the ability to transform anything into grotesque monsters, making for an ever-changing and surprising world. Whether it’s a light bulb turned into a giant spider or a creature with a traffic cone for a head, the game’s bizarre enemies keep you on your toes.
Engaging and Varied Combat
Combat in Once Human is a mix of conventional and unconventional elements. While the weaponry is straightforward—ranging from melee weapons like blades and bats to firearms such as pistols and rifles—the enemies you face are anything but ordinary. Each encounter feels fresh and challenging, especially when facing the game’s larger bosses which require strategic planning and teamwork. The inclusion of instanced dungeons reminiscent of World of Warcraft allows for group battles against the biggest threats, making the combat experience both social and exhilarating.
Deviations: Your Alien Companions
Not all creatures in Once Human are hostile. The game introduces “deviations,” alien creatures that you can capture and use in various ways. These creatures, akin to Pokémon, can aid you in battle or assist with chores around your base. For instance, the festering gel can reshape itself into a makeshift cover, while the Digby boy can help collect resources. These companions add another layer of strategy and charm to the game, making the world feel more alive and interactive.
Building and Crafting
The crafting system in Once Human is designed to be accessible yet rewarding. You start with basic crafting recipes, but you unlock nodes on four upgrade trees using mimetic ciphers as you level up and gather more resources.
This progression system keeps the crafting from becoming tedious and allows you to focus on exploring and battling. Gathering materials follows the traditional method of mining and foraging, but resources regenerate quickly, preventing the grind from becoming too laborious.
Building a home in Once Human is straightforward, thanks to a user-friendly menu. Even those without a knack for construction can create impressive structures. The ability to save blueprints and move your entire home to a new location is a fantastic feature that adds flexibility and convenience to the building process.
Exploration and Quests
The map of Once Human is vast and varied, with different regions separated by enemy levels and terrain types. The game encourages exploration, offering a mix of main quests and side missions. While the main quest primarily serves to guide you to new areas, it does feature some intriguingly strange missions, such as hunting a monster that turns pregnant people into trees. Side missions and exploration often lead to new and exciting encounters, keeping the gameplay fresh and engaging.
Leveling and Progression
One area where Once Human could use improvement is its leveling curve. The game starts off balanced, but the difficulty spikes significantly in the later stages. This sudden increase in challenge can be daunting, requiring either extensive grinding or accepting frequent defeats. Smoothing out this curve would make the game more enjoyable and less frustrating for players as they progress.
Live Service Model and Future Content
As a live service game, Once Human promises regular updates and new content. Each season, lasting six weeks ends with a server wipe similar to Escape From Tarkov. While this might sound intimidating, your blueprints and quest progress remain intact, offering a fresh start without losing everything. Additionally, the Eternal Land mode provides a wipe-free environment for those who prefer a more permanent home-building experience.
Final Thoughts
Once Human delivers a refreshing take on the survival crafting genre with its alien-infested world, unique enemies, and engaging gameplay. The crafting and building systems are accessible yet rewarding, and the combat, while basic at times, is elevated by the game’s creative monster designs. With some adjustments to the leveling curve and more varied quests, Once Human has the potential to become a standout title in the genre. As it stands, it’s a weird and wonderful world that beckons players to dive in and explore.
FURTHER READING
