Too Human is finally rolling to a close and I find myself fairly excited, but at the same time, ready for complete disappointment. Recently on the IGN Developer blog for Silicon Knights, Denis Dyack commented on the near completion of Too Human and cited that the title was “just days away” from sending in for approval. Furthermore, he added that reviewers would be able to get their hands on the title well before release and hinted that review builds would be without the restrictive measures that Konami railed up for MGS 4.

The part of me that is excited about the title takes the form of a cheery little devil on my left shoulder. His miniature hands stroke the side of my neck while he quietly whispers, “It’s okay to be enthusiastic.” I have wanted a Diablo-esque grinder on my console for a long time now. Ever since the days of the Baldur’s Gate releases on the original Xbox I have been yearning for that awesome co-op experience that combines finding loot and smashing buttons in an effort to save the world. Perhaps I’m being a bit idealistic, but I really think Too Human has an excellent chance at becoming a memorable game. Despite the niggling over 4 player co-op, console gamers have not had a chance to explore many sci-fi fantasy worlds with a buddy, nor had much of an opportunity to see what games like Diablo provide in terms of customization and action.




But the other, less cheerful devil says, “You know this game will blow, Brad.” The first issue I have merely consists of conjecture. A few months ago Dyack was blowing the horn that the story was retroactive, that is to say, based in some odd “past-future.” While I don’t mind the story aspect, I wonder how preachy it will become. One of the development videos from earlier on in the cycle attempted to explain this cyclic effect in history and sucked a good deal of excitement from me, much like an excessively dry cookie does to one’s mouth. Talking about history (as fact nonetheless) in these terms hurts my ears after all of these years in the history program at my university.

More importantly, I am worried that Too Human will lack substance. How are side-missions handled? Are the worlds rich with interactivity? NPCs? Will there be exploration? Or will Too Human just be a screen-by-screen dungeon crawl where players just mindlessly crash on buttons and argue over who picked up what armor? Where is the substance?

In the end, I want Too Human to be too big for its pants, and I’m doing my best to reign in both my expectations and disillusionment. I wish the best for the title obviously, and I can’t wait to get my hands on it. I just don’t want to be left on the street corner alone and crying.