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I Want To Be Human

It's hard to muster anything more than apathy towards a game which doesn't seem to care too much about itself. With basic mechanics and unfair challenges, I Want To Be Human requires some serious polish before it's worth a purchase.
I Want To Be Human Game Cover
43%Game Brain Score
music, graphics
gameplay, story
47% User Score Based on 55 reviews
Critic Score 35%Based on 4 reviews

Platforms

Xbox Series X|SPCPlaystation 5Playstation 4Xbox OneXboxWindowsPlayStation
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I Want To Be Human Game Cover

About

I Want To Be Human is a single player arcade platformer game. It was developed by Sinclair Strange and was released on April 15, 2016. It received negative reviews from critics and neutral reviews from players.

A vampire girl, a hat boy and an adventure packed with tonnes of exploding body parts – go on a bloodthirsty rampage of death and destruction in a quest to become human again!

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I Want To Be Human screenshot
I Want To Be Human screenshot
I Want To Be Human screenshot
I Want To Be Human screenshot
I Want To Be Human screenshot
I Want To Be Human screenshot
I Want To Be Human screenshot
Skip User Reviews

47%
Audience ScoreBased on 55 reviews
music12 positive mentions
gameplay4 negative mentions
  • The game features a unique and visually appealing art style reminiscent of early 2000s aesthetics, drawing inspiration from creators like Jhonen Vasquez.
  • The soundtrack, composed by Jimmy Urine, is highly praised and adds a distinct character to the game.
  • The humor and quirky narrative elements provide a fun and engaging experience, appealing to those who enjoy dark comedy.
  • The game suffers from severe technical issues, including poor frame rates, unresponsive controls, and glitches that hinder gameplay.
  • The level design can be frustrating, with repetitive gameplay and unclear objectives, making it difficult for players to progress.
  • Control customization is problematic, as players often cannot change key bindings effectively, leading to a frustrating experience, especially for keyboard users.
  • music
    22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game has received largely positive feedback, with many players praising the energetic soundtrack created by Jimmy Urine, which adds significant character to the experience. While some users noted issues with gameplay and controls that detracted from their enjoyment, the soundtrack remains a standout feature, with its punk rock and synth influences resonating well with fans. Overall, the music is considered one of the game's strongest aspects, enhancing the overall atmosphere despite some technical shortcomings.

    • “First off the good sides: the soundtrack was made by Jimmy Urine, which is just awesome and gives the game a whole character to it.”
    • “The music is pretty great if you're into punk rock (the title screen is just that) and synth music.”
    • “The soundtrack of the game is excellent, providing a thumping indie soundtrack including original tracks from Jimmy Urine of Mindless Self Indulgence.”
    • “There are so many problems that the music doesn't even play.”
    • “The music is terrible, and the one time I sat through enough horrible sluggishness to see what the game actually contained, it was a Super Meat Boy ripoff.”
    • “Sound effects and music are also uncontrollable; adjusting your own headphones, speakers, etc. is the only way to change the volume.”
  • graphics
    18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's graphics receive mixed reviews, with many praising its unique art style reminiscent of Jhonen Vasquez's work, which adds a distinct charm to the visuals. However, technical issues such as frame rate drops and busy foreground elements detract from the overall experience, leading to a perception of poor implementation despite the appealing aesthetic. Overall, while the graphics and music stand out positively, they are overshadowed by gameplay and control concerns.

    • “The game's visuals and art style are amazing; I can tell that the artist was inspired by Jhonen Vasquez, creator of Invader Zim. Gameplay could use some work.”
    • “The Vasquez-style graphics are well-appreciated, and I get a huge Invader Zim vibe from this.”
    • “My favorite things about this game are the graphics and the soundtrack.”
    • “Bugs aside, the only thing this game really has going for it is the art style, but the actual implementation leaves much to be desired.”
    • “Complete ripoff of Jhonen Vasquez's art style coupled with a completely abysmal technical implementation.”
    • “It’s aesthetically unpleasing, coming off incredibly busy as things in the foreground shake all over the place or at times completely obscure the camera.”
  • gameplay
    18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players noting that it suffers from significant issues such as frame rate drops, lack of variety in level design, and poorly explained mechanics. While some appreciate the fast-paced action and artistic style, others criticize the gameplay for being overly challenging and tedious, lacking memorable elements, and requiring more polish and variety to enhance the overall experience.

    • “The gameplay relies on style points, so you get the point.”
    • “Mechanically, the game plays generally well with a Contra-style control system mixed with Super Meat Boy-style wall jumping platforming.”
    • “The gameplay seems solid; the backgrounds on one level I noticed moved with you, similar to the original Rayman.”
    • “The visuals and music are the only good qualities, but the game gets way too challenging off the get-go and that's with the fact that when you play on controller, the game's frame rate drops exponentially and everything is in slow motion, making the gameplay... well, slow.”
    • “However, unlike Mega Man X, rather than jumping more vertically than outwardly, which would better suit the 'run-and-gun' gameplay, I Want to Be Human does the latter, making platforming annoying and destroying any chance the player could have at gaining a tactical advantage.”
    • “With basic mechanics and unfair challenges, I Want to Be Human requires some serious polish before it's worth a purchase.”
  • humor
    10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is described as a mix of immature and bizarre elements, often relying on crude jokes and blood-soaked antics that some players find amusing while others deem lazy and unoriginal. While it aims for a quirky, off-the-wall style, many reviewers feel it falls short, with humor that can be cringeworthy and fails to resonate beyond a juvenile level. Overall, the comedic aspects are divisive, appealing to those who enjoy dark humor but leaving others frustrated by its execution.

    • “But all in all, this game shines through with a nice sense of humor and a cool style!”
    • “The story and humor, while immature and bizarre, are still a nice touch, and I did get an occasional chuckle.”
    • “Firstly, it's an action platformer shooter with quite a bit of black humor and a surrealistic setting.”
    • “It's unfunny, it's fiddly, it's aggravating, and most of all it's an assault on your senses – if there's anything that I want to be human is rebelling against, it's your health.”
  • story
    9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story in "I Want to Be Human" is criticized for being generic and lacking direction, featuring a clichéd plot about a boy who falls in love with a vampire girl in a world where love is outlawed. While some players appreciate the humor and bizarre elements, others find the narrative immature and reminiscent of typical teenage angst, ultimately feeling it fails to deliver on its promise of uniqueness.

    • “I want to be human tells the story of a boy who falls in love with a vampire girl in a world where love has been outlawed.”
    • “There is only one thing a vampire girl can do: go on a bloodthirsty rampage of death and destruction in a quest to get her boyfriend back!... ok”
    • “The story is pretty much nonexistent in the portion of the game that I played.”
    • “Not only that, but the story itself has no direction.”
    • “The story of 'I Want to Be Human' describes itself as boy meets vampire girl, boy falls in love with vampire girl, boy gets turned into a weaponized hat by evil forces trying to take over the world… wait, what?”
  • optimization
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization on PC has received mixed reviews; while some players report a flawless experience without bugs or frame rate issues, others experience significant technical problems, including stuttering and low frame rates, exacerbated by intense visual effects.

    • “And the main characters don't even have names, there's little to no voice acting, and the game is poorly optimized on PC.”
    • “The technical issues cause stuttering and low frame rates; combine that with sirens, flashing lights, and monochrome black and white with red blasted into your retinas, and you'll have a firm understanding of what a brain aneurysm feels like.”
  • atmosphere
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere is likened to a nostalgic yet cringeworthy middle school experience, evoking feelings of awkwardness and a lack of originality. This comparison suggests that the game's ambiance may feel forced or unrefined, reminiscent of a time when creativity was overshadowed by cliché behaviors.

    • “The overall atmosphere feels like it was crafted with a unique vision, reminiscent of those quirky moments from middle school that stick with you.”
    • “The game's atmosphere immerses you in a world that feels both familiar and otherworldly, drawing you in with its rich details and emotional depth.”
    • “Every element of the environment contributes to a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere that lingers long after you've put the game down.”
    • “The overall atmosphere feels like it was created by someone who never quite grew out of middle school, reminiscent of that one kid who would 'rawr x3' for no reason and never said anything original.”
    • “The game lacks a cohesive atmosphere, making it feel disjointed and uninspired.”
    • “The environment feels empty and lifeless, failing to immerse players in the world.”
  • stability
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability is marred by glitches, particularly when changing controls, and it suffers from outdated gameplay that detracts from the overall experience. Users find the lack of engaging content further diminishes its appeal.

    • “My only real complaint is the glitches when changing controls and the fact that you only seem to get a shotgun for fighting.”
    • “Outside of the game’s buggy and outdated gameplay, it lacks anything memorable or interesting enough to keep anyone's attention for very long.”
  • grinding
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious and repetitive, with slow reload speeds contributing to a frustrating experience. Despite the developer's attempt at a unique artistic style, the monotonous gameplay detracts from overall enjoyment.

    • “I'm hoping they give you more than a shotgun to work with, because the reload speed is slow and it gets tedious after a bit.”
    • “While developer Sinclair Strange has tried to carve out its own artistic style, it doesn't work at all, and the menial, tedious gameplay doesn't help either.”
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35%Critics’ scoreBased on 4 critic reviews
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Frequently Asked Questions

I Want To Be Human is a arcade platformer game.

I Want To Be Human is available on Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4 and others.

I Want To Be Human was released on April 15, 2016.

I Want To Be Human was developed by Sinclair Strange.

I Want To Be Human has received negative reviews from players and negative reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its music but disliked it for its gameplay.

I Want To Be Human is a single player game.

Similar games include Akane the Kunoichi, MindSeize, BloodRayne: Betrayal, Dark Void, Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet and others.