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Once Human is a smorgasbord of some of the best and not-so-great gameplay systems from a diverse range of MMO genres, packaged in a flimsy box, wrapped in tattered paper, with a bow on top. The result is 'Jank Galore - The Game,' which transforms into an extremely fun amusement park at times. The world oozes creativity, clearly demonstrating that Starry Studio is not afraid to experiment.
However, the abysmal performance, the ambitious Seasonal Scenario system heading towards potential pitfalls, and the looming threat of NetEase injecting predatory monetization schemes don't bode well. But for what it's worth, Once Human has definitely become my flavor of the month. Whether it will stay or join the pile of failing live-service games remains to be seen once this season is over.
Disclaimer: It is hard to accurately review a live-service game with a static verdict. This is a review-in-progress for Season 1 and doesn't account for the current uncertainty regarding seasonal changes in Once Human.
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Once Human is like an unpredictable genetic mutation: Either too powerful to die or too complex to maintain
Once Human is an amalgamation of systems and visuals from survival-craft, looter-shooter, cosmic horror, ARPG, and even gacha titles. It's the ManBearPig of video games, resulting in a highly mutated DNA that creates a somewhat unstable mess. This isn't to say that the mess is unsalvagable, but the developer doesn't have much time before the proverbial Judgement Day arrives.
The first Seasonal Scenario ends in a little over a month (which is also when the Judgment Day will arrive)
Among all the issues the game unintentionally faces, like the unpredictable surge of players at launch overloading the servers, the Seasonal Scenario system is self-imposed. It's an attempt by the developer to improve upon the season mechanic seen in ARPGs such as Path of Exile, Diablo 4, and Last Epoch.
Once Human is planned to operate on a Seasonal Scenario system, where after the first one ends in a little more than four weeks from now (six weeks in total), your World Map exploration and character progression will be reset. Although, you will carry over some of your resources, along with all your currency, gear blueprints, cosmetics, house blueprints, main and side story progress, friend list, and furniture formulas to the next season.
The current Seasonal Scenario and the one after will each last six weeks. However, future scenarios might be permanent or significantly longer in duration, according to the developer.
This system promises new story quests, a different map for exploration, unique mechanics, and content in every new scenario. However, six weeks is not enough time for many players to complete the existing content, especially for those who will start playing halfway through the season.
The plan to reset progress after each Seasonal Scenario is causing an uproar in the community, with many players already quitting and others considering leaving after the first one.
Furthermore, the content for the first and possibly the second scenario took years to develop, and the game is still plagued with bugs, poor optimization, and many other issues. So, is it viable to have such short Seasonal Scenarios and introduce new content so frequently? Unfortunately, we don't have an answer to that question yet.
Personally, I have mixed feelings about the direction the game is heading in. On one hand, I'm curious to see where it leads because the developer is trying something new and experimental. On the other hand, I worry it will fail, turning the world that so many players are enjoying right now into a barren land.
Once Human story and world setting: A refreshing twist to the post-apocalyptic trope
The plot of Once Human is unremarkable and filled with bland characters. Most NPCs, and even the main character, lack voice acting. Meanwhile, those who are voice-acted often suffer from mismatched subtitles and comically poor lip sync. This is unfortunate because other aspects of the world setting are truly immersive and memorable.
The quests follow the typical post-apocalyptic, fight-the-big-bad evil trope seen in many MMOs today. But the cosmic horror theme of this world truly elevates them, transforming mundane moments into intriguing experiences. It kept me engaged with the events and lore, particularly through some marvelous cutscenes and refreshing quest presentations.
Whether it's being kidnapped by a clown and forced to play Russian roulette, entering a dilapidated house just to be greeted by a nightmarish lullaby, or experiencing a terrifying dream ushering me to a dreadful otherworldly being, the game is quite exhilarating.
Once Human has enough moments like these to carry the entire playthrough, and I absolutely adore this, perhaps due to my bias from a love for Lovecraftian horror and Bloodborne. But it attempts something uncommon in MMOs, and I'm all here for it.
Once Human performance: The true Bethesda experience
The ongoing Seasonal Scenario in Once Human is currently in Phase 2, with four more phases to go. Each unlocks new content, including bosses, activities, story quests, and harder variants of existing dungeons and bosses. So, I haven't experienced everything the game has to offer yet.
That said, the performance is currently in a very unstable state. While the gameplay is quite fun, the character movement, combat, hitboxes, and the endless amount of bugs often feel reminiscent of Bethesda games — known for their janky gameplay — despite it not being one.
However, this isn't the biggest issue. The real problem is the server instability. When the servers are stable, the game is playable with minor hiccups, but when they are not, the lag and constant rubberbanding issues are unbearable. This significantly affects PvP and large-scale PvE activities like the Prime Wars.
The developer is constantly updating and fixing these issues with patches. So, while this has been my experience so far, the game has improved a lot since its launch, and most of these issues will likely be ironed out soon. What will remain in the end is a game that may still have janky gameplay, but will otherwise offer an overall enjoyable and engaging experience.
Once Human gameplay systems: A little bit of everything
Once Human boasts a multitude of gameplay systems, borrowing mechanics from various genres to offer something for every type of player. While it's impossible to cover everything, some of the systems I enjoy include the survival-crafting elements, the looter shooter-style progression, the "gotta catch 'em all" Deviants chase, and the unique gacha system that doesn't cost any real money.
In Once Human, your character has Health, Stamina, Sanity, Hydration, and Energy meters. Stamina is used for basic actions and regenerates quickly. Health and Sanity deplete when encountering Deviants or entering areas with Stardust Pollution and can be restored by sleeping or consuming certain items. Lastly, you can maintain your Hydration and Energy by frequently consuming beverages and food items, respectively.
While these are the basics of survival, you also need to build a base and craft essential facilities for various aspects of gameplay. These survival-crafting elements seamlessly integrate with the looter shooter-style character progression, creating an enjoyable gameplay loop. It's like experiencing multiple games at once.
The looter shooter gameplay is alright—not great, but not terrible either. It definitely has room for improvement. The janky combat could have been tolerable if not for the numerous bugs, which often create a frustrating experience.
Nonetheless, Once Human features a variety of unique activities, each dropping different resources, items, and currencies. This constant pursuit of new rewards at each stage of character progression breaks the monotony of the grind and keeps me consistently engaged.
The Deviant system in Once Human is somewhat similar to Pals in Palworld or Dinos in ARK. They can aid you at your base by maintaining crops, gathering resources, and defending your territory or in combat against other players and monsters. This adds a flavorful twist to the looter-shooter gameplay, and the implementation is as satisfying as it is in Palworld.
Finally, the gacha system. Yes, there are gacha elements in this game, allowing you to pull for Legendary weapon and armor blueprints from the Wish Machine using a specific currency that can be earned through various activities. The rewards are completely random, appealing to those who enjoy gambling mechanics.
However, unlike typical gacha games, the currency used to pull your desired blueprint can't be purchased with real money. Additionally, if you prefer not to gamble at all, then you can purchase them outright with a larger sum of the same currency.
Once Human masterfully introduces all these systems in a way that has worked well so far. I admire the developer's willingness to experiment with new ideas instead of taking a safe approach.
Once Human monetization: Gotta make the corporate overlords happy, but not yet
Once Human is a free-to-play title published by NetEase Games, a company often associated with 'greedy monetization.' So, it was surprising when Starry Studio announced that there wouldn't be any pay-to-win or pay-to-convenience 'features' in the game.
To their credit, they have largely upheld this promise. The game's monetization is remarkably clean; everything available for purchase in the Shop is cosmetic, and this also applies to the Premium Battle Pass.
However, there are some minor exceptions. The Meta Pass includes a tent upgrade and certain benefits for Enterland, which could be considered pay-to-convenience. But these features are so minor that, throughout my entire playthrough, I never felt the need for an upgraded tent—in fact, I barely used one at all.
Nonetheless, it's a small blemish on an otherwise excellent record that doesn't significantly detract from the game's overall fairness.
That said, while the developer insists that the game will maintain its fair status with clean monetization, it's still wise to be cautious about their corporate overseers. After all, Once Human wouldn't be the first game to perform a bait-and-switch, introducing predatory monetization practices after initially promising otherwise.
The Verdict
Once Human is far from perfect, but it offers a refreshing experience that stands out among its contemporaries. The cosmic horror setting, combined with a variety of inspired game mechanics that are seamlessly integrated, creates a unique atmosphere. These elements work together masterfully, making the game feel cohesive rather than disjointed.
However, the performance and optimization are horrendous. While it's not as bad as Cyberpunk 2077 or Fallout 76 at launch, it's definitely the worst among its peers released this year. The developer has promised that the integration of DirectX 12 next month will resolve many of these issues, so that is something to look forward to.
In terms of monetization, this game is the best it has ever been, which is one of the reasons I would recommend everyone to at least try it out. Perhaps if it is successful enough, other developers will take note and spare consumers from their endless greed.
In closing, I should also address my concerns about the Once Human seasonal wipes. At the time of writing, there hasn't been enough transparency from the developer on how much of a 'wipe' it will be. Likewise, how the game gets re-processed in the seasonal oven may affect how the product turns out in Season 2.
Notwithstanding all that, I look at my experience of Season 1 thus far in isolation as a representation of what the game can achieve. By these parameters, I find it to be a 7.5/10 - at least until Judgment Day.
Once Human
Reviewed On: PC
Platforms: Android, IOS, Windows
Release Date: 9 July, 2024
Developer: Starry Studio
Publisher: NetEase Games
