It was a human.

63%
Game Brain Score Based on 30 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • atmosphere
It was a human. Game Cover
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In "It was a human," players step into the role of a military lieutenant colonel interrogating a woman, Okoze Isana, suspected of a dismemberment murder. Through dialogue choices, players must uncover the truth behind the crime while navigating Isana's manipulative and flirtatious tactics. The game features a psychedelic SF setting and a short, immersive adventure.

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Reviews

63%
Audience ScoreBased on 30 reviews
story6 positive mentions
gameplay2 negative mentions
  • The game features a touching story that explores heavy themes such as self-punishment and loneliness, resonating deeply with players.
  • The choices in the game matter, offering different routes and endings to explore, which adds replayability.
  • The writing is praised for its depth and philosophical undertones, creating an engaging narrative experience.
  • The game suffers from numerous typos, bugs, and visual inconsistencies due to the heavy reliance on AI-generated art, which detracts from the overall experience.
  • Quality of life features are lacking, such as manual saves and text skipping, making the gameplay tedious at times.
  • The story can feel incoherent and misleading, with some players finding it not aligned with their expectations based on the game's description.
  • story18 mentions

    The game's story has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it touching and profound, particularly in its exploration of heavy themes like self-punishment and loneliness. While the narrative is described as short and at times incohesive, many appreciate its emotional depth and the execution of plot twists that encourage replayability. However, technical issues such as typos and bugs detract from the overall experience, leaving some players hoping for a remaster that could enhance the storytelling.

    • “Okay, this game has some problems, but this is such a touching story.”
    • “The themes of self-punishment and loneliness really hit close to home, and the surreal storytelling is executed perfectly.”
    • “All in all, a beautiful story.”
    • “Too many typos and bugs made it not worth the effort to get through the incohesive story.”
    • “While I love when a story subverts my expectations, this game did not do that.”
    • “I don't know how else to put it, it kinda becomes a shonen story and is very blatant and not at all subtle with its themes.”
  • graphics7 mentions

    The game's graphics feature a dark and gory aesthetic that effectively complements its themes, with some users praising the visuals as surprisingly good for the price. However, the reliance on AI-generated artwork has led to inconsistencies in quality, with mixed opinions on its overall impact on the game's atmosphere. Despite these flaws, certain artistic elements are still appreciated for their creativity.

    • “It attempts to get into some deep topics, using dark, strange, and gory aesthetics, which I enjoy.”
    • “I liked the visuals, and it really is better than it looks. You should buy it right now; it's pretty good for $5 and not too short or unfinished like a lot of these games.”
    • “However, it does fit the atmosphere of the game, and the art-style shift parts are very cool in my opinion, so credit where credit is due.”
    • “I also do not like how a lot of the artwork is AI-generated.”
    • “The graphics are generated by AI and then fixed by humans.”
    • “I will definitely say that the use of generative AI for visuals is the biggest flaw - it makes visuals inconsistent (some images, though, are great).”
  • atmosphere5 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is generally well-received, with its unique AI art contributing to a surreal and thematic experience. While some players may not appreciate the art style, it effectively supports the game's philosophical undertones and enhances the overall ambiance. The deliberate writing style further complements the atmosphere, making it a notable aspect of the game.

    • “Some people dislike the AI art, but personally it doesn't bother me; it accomplishes the purpose of giving the game its own atmosphere and supports the theme of the game well enough.”
    • “It can make the atmosphere quite surreal (together with the art), and the writing style chosen is also very deliberate.”
    • “I also liked the main characters, general atmosphere, and some philosophical takes on what it means to be a human being.”
    • “It can make the atmosphere quite surreal (together with the art) and the writing style chosen is also very deliberate (it goes to spoiler territory, so I won't elaborate).”
    • “However, it does fit the atmosphere of the game and the art-style shift parts are very cool in my opinion, so credit where credit is due.”
    • “The atmosphere is sometimes very well done.”
  • emotional3 mentions

    The game features a touching story that can evoke a strong emotional response, described as an "emotional rollercoaster" for those who immerse themselves in it. However, some players noted that technical issues and repetitive dialogue can detract from the experience, making it feel tedious at times.

    • “Okay, this game has some problems, but this is such a touching story.”
    • “Emotional rollercoaster if you let yourself get immersed.”
    • “Some of the lines were quite touching.”
  • gameplay3 mentions

    The gameplay is highly anticipated, with users expressing confidence that the developers will create a standout game, though some sections may require familiarity with their previous titles, "usamimi boukentan" and "mechanica," for full understanding. There are concerns about translation quality, as past experiences with the developers' translations have been subpar.

    • “Ever since I read Mechanica two years ago, I've been convinced that Loser/s will one day write one of the best games of all time.”
    • “Some sections may not make sense without having played Usamimi Boukentan and Mechanica, two previous games by the circle.”
    • “I haven't checked the translation quality for it was a human, but the Mechanica one was pretty bad, so hopefully it's better here.”
  • character development2 mentions

    Reviews indicate a mixed reception regarding character development, with some users expressing dissatisfaction with the use of AI-generated art for character designs, finding them unappealing and inconsistent. However, there is appreciation for specific characters, such as Okoze, highlighting that while some designs may falter, others resonate well with players.

    • “I also just don't think AI art should have been used for any of the character designs; they look really bad and out of place.”
  • music1 mentions

    The music in the game is generally well-received, but some users feel that the ending song is incongruous and detracts from the overall experience.

    • “Additionally, a minor detail, but the ending song just feels so out of place.”
    • “The soundtrack lacks variety and quickly becomes repetitive.”
    • “The music doesn't match the game's tone, making it hard to stay immersed.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    The game is reported to require further optimization, indicating performance issues that may affect the overall gameplay experience.

    • “The game needs more optimization.”
    • “The performance issues are frustrating and really detract from the overall experience.”
    • “I often experience lag and stuttering, which makes gameplay nearly unplayable.”
  • grinding1 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the visual novel frustrating due to the absence of manual save options and dialogue skipping, which can make repetitive sections feel tedious. Utilizing quick restart and auto-save features can alleviate some of this annoyance.

    • “For a visual novel game, the lack of manual save and dialogue skipping can be a bit tedious at times. Using F5 to quick restart and then loading an auto-save saved me some time.”
    • “The grinding in this game feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged.”
    • “I found myself spending hours on grinding without any real sense of progress, which made the experience frustrating.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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