The light and dark sides: symbols of a nonexistent dilemma

When I originally set out to tackle Too Human, I figured I’d discuss the game within the framework of a traditional review. But it didn’t take long before I realized there wasn’t a whole lot that could be said in Too Human’s defense; instead, I ended up with a litany of grievances that painted the game as a catastrophe.

But that’s not how I think of Too Human. After all, would a game so ostensibly terrible be fun enough to warrant a subsequent replay immediately after I reached the end?

So I began to piece together what it was that made the game so compelling to me. Was it the frantic combat? The uninspired weapon customization and almost fetishistic loot-acquiring? The broken, haphazard script with half-baked characters? No. Everything Too Human tried to accomplish had been done much better by many games before it.

But I couldn’t ignore the fact that I loved suspending my disbelief way up in the rafters, pretending I was some fugly man-god and mowing down thousands of enemies in a display of raw destruction. That simplistic joy shines through the mess to make Too Human an essential case study in gaming and — somewhat ironically — a perfect example of why games have value as a medium.

It’s stunning proof that, even when absolutely nothing comes together right, games can still be a joy to experience.

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