Unraveling the Cosmic Chaos: A Survival Game with a Twist

In a world where reality has been shattered, a new game emerges that challenges players to navigate the surreal and the sinister. "Once Human" is a survival game that blends elements of cosmic horror, scientific experimentation, and the struggle to rebuild in the face of a cataclysmic event. With its unique creature design, reality-warping mechanics, and a constantly evolving narrative, this game promises to take players on a journey that is equal parts thrilling and unsettling.

Uncover the Mysteries of a Fractured World

Confronting the Cosmic Calamity

In the post-apocalyptic future of "Once Human," the world has been ravaged by a mysterious phenomenon known as Stardust. This reality-warping substance has corrupted the environment, animals, and even people, unleashing a horde of bizarre and terrifying creatures upon the land. As a newly awakened meta-human, the player is tasked with unraveling the mysteries behind this cosmic calamity and restoring order to the fractured world.The game's narrative draws heavily from the themes and aesthetics of Remedy's acclaimed title, "Control," blending science, horror, and cosmic superpowers in a captivating and unsettling way. The scale of the crisis, however, is far more expansive, with the player's actions having the potential to impact the fate of the entire planet.

Navigating the Surreal Landscape

One of the standout features of "Once Human" is its striking creature design. The monstrosities that roam the game's world are truly bizarre and unsettling, defying conventional expectations and challenging the player's perception of reality. From the part-man, part-briefcase abomination to the gun-wielding llama toy, these creatures imbue the game with a surreal and dreamlike quality that is both captivating and unnerving.The player's interactions with these creatures are not limited to combat, as they can also capture and control certain anomalies, known as Deviations, to aid them in their quest. These Deviations, which range from a frosty jellyfish to the skull of a dog, offer unique abilities and can be nurtured and cared for in the player's base, adding an unexpected layer of depth to the game's survival mechanics.

Navigating the Shifting Realities

The world of "Once Human" is in a constant state of flux, with new scenarios and threats emerging every six weeks as the game's seasons change. This cyclical structure creates a sense of momentum and urgency, as players must adapt to the ever-changing landscape and work together to confront the latest cosmic threat.The game's servers are at different stages of this conflict, with players able to join in at any point and contribute to the ongoing battle. As the scenario progresses, new areas, events, and modes are unlocked, allowing players to explore the game's rich and evolving world. Critically, the six-week lifecycle helps to prevent the servers from becoming stagnant, ensuring a fresh and dynamic experience for all players.

Balancing Survival and Creativity

While "Once Human" offers a compelling and unsettling premise, the game's survival mechanics have proven to be a point of contention for some players. The need to gather resources, craft equipment, and build a base can feel at odds with the game's surreal and horror-tinged atmosphere, creating a sense of friction that some may find jarring.The base-building system, in particular, has been a source of criticism, with players lamenting the disconnect between the game's cosmic horror themes and the more mundane aspects of constructing a functional homestead. The abundance of resources and the ease with which players can acquire them further exacerbates this issue, diminishing the sense of scarcity and challenge that is often associated with survival games.However, the game's Deviation system offers a unique twist on the traditional survival loop, allowing players to harness the power of these bizarre creatures to automate certain tasks and streamline their progress. From a friendly dinosaur that speeds up cooking to a cute little bee that handles farming, these Deviations provide a creative and engaging way for players to approach the game's survival mechanics.

Navigating the Multiplayer Landscape

One of the key challenges in "Once Human" is balancing the survival elements with the game's multiplayer nature. As an MMO-style experience, the game is designed to accommodate a large number of players, each with their own bases and creations. This can lead to a sense of disconnect, as the player's carefully crafted homestead may be surrounded by a sea of generic-looking camps and structures, disrupting the game's immersive atmosphere.In contrast to more focused survival experiences like "Fallout 76," where resource scarcity and the need for strategic planning are central to the gameplay, "Once Human" often feels like a free-for-all, with an abundance of resources and a lack of meaningful player interaction. This can make the survival aspects feel more like a chore than a compelling challenge, as players are able to easily acquire the necessary materials without having to engage in the kind of high-stakes decision-making that defines the genre.Despite these criticisms, "Once Human" still manages to offer moments of genuine excitement and exploration. The game's open-ended questing and the ability to uncover the mysteries of the decaying world can be genuinely engaging, providing a sense of discovery and wonder that helps to offset the more tedious aspects of the survival grind.

Embracing the Cosmic Chaos

Ultimately, "Once Human" is a game that struggles to reconcile its ambitious narrative and conceptual elements with the more traditional survival mechanics that have become a staple of the genre. While the game's creature design, reality-warping mechanics, and constantly evolving narrative are undoubtedly compelling, the survival aspects can feel like a distraction from the core experience.However, for players willing to embrace the game's cosmic chaos and focus on the more exploratory and narrative-driven aspects, "Once Human" can still offer a unique and engaging experience. By approaching the game as a surreal adventure rather than a traditional survival sim, players may find themselves drawn into the game's unsettling world and captivated by the mysteries that lie within.As the game continues to evolve and introduce new content, it will be interesting to see how the developers balance the survival elements with the game's more ambitious narrative and conceptual aspirations. In the meantime, those seeking a survival experience with a twist would do well to give "Once Human" a chance, even if they may find themselves occasionally frustrated by the game's more mundane survival mechanics.