Once Human is a New Open-World Lovecraftian Game Coming Next Year
Once Human is a fresh open-world survival game that takes place during the aftermath of an alien contamination warping Earth’s landscape. This diety is known as “Stardust” and humankind was almost been decimated into oblivion. Players will take control of a customized “Metahuman” who will venture out into the landscape and try to rebuild civilization piece by piece. One edge that this protagonist will have, is that they can use the very nature of Stardust to their advantage. Through the powering of weapons and enhancing survival skills, Stardust is very much a friend as well as a foe. Players can go out there via co-op, or just be a lone wolf. It will be entirely up to them how they want to experience this adventure. Additionally, this game also comes with a little bit of crafting-survival elements. Players will be able to establish territory and make their own bases to suit their needs.
There is a story campaign to complete in Once Human. An epic yarn that will span various landscapes and factions. Yes, there will indeed be factions in this game. Some will assist players while others will try to destroy them. Players will need to carefully trek across this world because corruption from the Stardust is rampant. It will be everywhere, including in the sustenance that players must gather up and consume. Hunger and hydration play a factor in this game. This will be a constant occurrence and scavenging for supplies will be neverending. Every feature in this game is dense. Everything holds importance regarding the victory of the player. Even though this title appears to be just another open-world survival game, it comes with its own rules. This genre may be crowded, but at least this title is trying something innovative with its gameplay mechanics. Which, by the way, will provide a depth rarely seen in open-world games.
A Human Story
There are a lot of features to dig into with Once Human. One, in particular, is the building mechanics. Players can erect camps anyway they best see it. Entire warehouses that hold supplies and weaponry can be put together. Alternatively, a house with patios, swimming pools, and gazebos can also be constructed. There is a myriad of ways players can go about this. The kicker is that players won’t need to commit to just one place. They can actually relocate their camp elsewhere if they so choose. Starting out in the field and moving everything into the mountains is just one example. Players will be encouraged to explore the map to see what they can find. Monsters in various forms will dwell out in the wilderness. Humans that were manipulated by the Stardust will linger in certain areas.
Thus, there will also be bosses called “The Great Ones” nesting in special spots on the map that will hold higher-tier loot. With every area cleared, Stardust’s pollution will dissipate and people will return. As mentioned before, players will need to eat and drink to stay alive. However, if anything is corrupted by the Stardust, their sanity will start to slip. Therefore, they will get weaker and won’t be as effective in combat. There are hundreds of different kinds of resources in Once Human. Some will be the natural variety like wood and ores. Others will be artificial like metal, sheetrock, and its ilk. These are only found in “Strongholds” which are peppered throughout the map. Players will need to sneak into these places and clear them out. Of course, the victor will hold the spoils. Thus, players will need to compete with one another to take each other’s resources. Kind of like a “tug of war” type of dynamic.
Tinkering Delight
One of the most alluring features of Once Human is the fact that guns can be made from scratch. Vaguely similar to what was found in Dead Space 3. Players will find pieces strewn about around the map. Which, in turn, can be crafted into firearms. There will be several hundred customizable blueprints to collect. Players can make their very own gun configurations at their whim. Thus, there are also customization pieces that can be found to help out with tinkering on pre-set layouts. Players can make their own weapons and even establish their own classes. There will be perks and upgrades, galore with this game. Thusly, combat will also consist of jumping, sliding and even special melee moves. The battles in this game will be slick, fast-paced, and teeming with animations. The Metas in this game will have a nimble move set to where players will feel like super-powered ninjas with rifles.
There is a lot to do in Once Human. The map is rather gigantic in size and it will be an ever-evolving landscape. Given that this game can be a co-op experience certainly gives it an edge. Much like any other crafting survival game, this title is aiming to be a community experience. With that said, it appears that this IP will offer a little bit of everything in terms of open-world survival games. However, Once Human is still a long way out before gamers will get their hands on it. This title is offering a living and breathing PVP experience that very few IPs have managed to reach. It is aiming to be a truly immersive sandbox experience, all while providing rich lore for players to digest. There is definitely some potential for this game to garner a rather healthy player base to keep it alive for years to come.
Infinity and Beyonders
The development for Once Human is going full steam ahead. Even though there are quite a few features established, the product still looks a little rough around the edges. However, given the fact that this game is scheduled to be released around the fourth quarter of next year, there’s plenty of time to polish it. Once Human will be available for PC once it drops. Also, let us not forget that there will be a Beta coming this November to introduce to gamers what this game is all about.
