There’s a sure detachment that arises from staring loss of life within the face. Watching a automotive lose management, the occupant fumbling with the brakes as they try and cope with a 2-tonne slab of metallic designed for ease of journey, aiming instantly to your fleshy vessel. The one factor stopping it? A lamppost made from the identical materials as a Nissan wraps round it, a reminder of how simple it’s to lose time to sleep; an anecdote that repeatedly sprang to thoughts whereas dwelling by way of No, I’m Not a Human.
That is the debut business title from Jap European builders Trioskaz: A psychological horror idea which has been making sheer waves since its preliminary launch as part of the Violent Horror Tales anthology in 2024. A yr later, with some larger and bolder tweaks to the story development, in addition to a writer pick-up within the type of Vital Reflex, No, I’m Not a Human is ready to consolation you in these prying occasions.
You play as a self-imposed hermit, one who has been closed off from lots of the surface world, and in some methods, a lot to their chagrin. This all adjustments when the solar explodes, bringing with it deathly heatwaves, cataclysmic world struggling, and entities rising from the bottom calling themselves “Guests”. Posing as human beings with historical past, character, and opinions, they and others will search refuge within the type of your house, with you having to decide on who to let in, whereas coping with the top of the world, collectively or by your self.
At night time, the door will pound incessantly, a testomony to the wooden’s energy that it doesn’t simply fall off the hinges. Look by way of the peephole, and also you’ll see individuals begging for shelter, explaining why they’re there, and who to look out for. By way of the tough night-vision filter, it’s laborious to discern who’s a Customer or not, so you must make the judgment name then and there. Saying no can’t be the choice each time.
Within the daytime, the warmth is just too harsh to enterprise outdoors, so that you make your self snug along with your new tenants. Learn how they really feel, watch TV, and discover out that the brand new company FEMA has discovered “sure-fire” methods to identify Guests. Bloodshot eyes and soiled fingernails may very well be your monsters in disguise, or they may very well be an indication of lack of sleep and poor hygiene. It’s as much as you to resolve whether or not they keep or exit with a bang, your trusty shotgun proving to be the decide, jury, and executioner.
It’s mechanically sound, and regardless of a special path being executed, it’s possible to attract lots of comparisons to the irritating administration of video games like This Battle of Mine or Influence Winter. You’re accountable for lives right here, and whereas most will disappear into the night time, it’s who you let in and what they create in with them that may hang-out you. Your new finest pal for the top of the world may have his time minimize quick due to your errors, and that brings with it new scrutiny.
Certainly, the listing of comparisons may stretch for miles if you happen to actually looked for it, in what’s one among No, I’m Not a Human’s extra egregious misgivings. From The Mandela Catalogue to Hauntology, the sport will give a sly little reference right here or there, which, inside its bite-sized framing of characterization, feels off-putting in precisely how a lot it may very well be authentic. I imply, they actually rip a line from Twin Peaks: Hearth Stroll With Me, and tie it to a central storyline.
It sounds nitpicky, and that’s right, nevertheless it’s the sort of execution that may make the participant second-guess themselves, and take into consideration how a lot of the sport isn’t paying its personal dues. With that in thoughts, No, I’m Not a Human must work fairly bloody laborious to carve out its personal essence – not solely that, however do it with such nuance that its potential to be accused of cribbing is straight away dwindled.
Not solely do Trioskaz work wonders to evade such criticisms, however they do it with a ardour and fireplace that makes No, I’m Not a Human an unbelievably horrific narrative to dissect in microcosms. Make no mistake, this isn’t a horror recreation, however a horror recreation, a sick little perception into the whole disintegration of a supposedly restrained individuals. Guidelines could also be what separate us from animals, however the clock performs greater than only a bit half.
Numerous the burden comes from the visible design. It’s simple to take a look at the surreal and crude compositions of the flavorful solid you’ll meet and assume they create with them jokes and screenshot-worthy out-of-context strains. Take time to learn what they’re saying, nevertheless, and discover that almost every line is filled with a lot emotion, distress, and splendor that it’s laborious to say no.
The encounters are randomized, so your mileage could range in how a lot zaniness you come throughout with every playthrough, however of the 4 playthroughs I trawled by way of, each had at the least one gut-punch. That one character who wasn’t laughing wasn’t painted with a joke in thoughts, however was human, and therein lies the important thing. It appears apparent, however the charisma of sympathy that No, I’m Not a Human showcases, even when it’s seeking to rip your throat out, is, frankly, miraculous.
There’s so much to unpack in its writing, which is why this overview would possibly really feel so scanty. Structurally talking, lots of the teething issues from Violent Horror Tales are nonetheless right here, like lacking story beats relating to faith and normal politicism. It positively seems like No, I’m Not a Human desires to seize a loudspeaker and make their case for these topics, nevertheless it’s suffocated by what’s already current and prescient.
What’s current is a legit quantity of effort put into the administration facet, despite its light-footedness. Of the 4 playthroughs, 2 of them have been experiments, wherein I performed the sure man and the dissident, respectively. Each playthroughs ended with extreme punishments in thoughts, so it’s good to see Trioskaz isn’t permitting an autopilot sense of thoughts to contaminate the way you work together with No, I’m Not a Human.
One other subject is that this recreation is unhappy. Actually unhappy, like, an unfathomably heartbreaking expertise that makes Vital Reflex’s different darling Mouthwashing appear to be an SNL skit, which is why I discover a few of its twee quirkiness fairly bothersome. It doesn’t occur typically, however No, I’m Not a Human isn’t pretty much as good at tying the room up with a quip as it’s at pulling the rug from beneath you, however this may be thought of a mutation of traits that folks deliver with them.
No, I am Not a Human Assessment | Closing Verdict
No, I’m Not a Human is a recreation of ironies. Utterly faraway from pretension, it’s a relay of affirmations and luxury, regardless of its harrowing presentation of the way it appears to be like when the gloves are off. Whereas it might be disappointing to state that this isn’t a horror recreation in its most blase definition, what lies in retailer is an unbelievably good depiction of paranoia, disgust, and what it’s wish to lose management. Put together for the worst, and count on one of the best.
No, I am Not a Human was reviewed on PC with a replica supplied by the writer over the course of 9 hours of gameplay. All screenshots have been taken through the means of overview.
