MetaHuman Inc.
- December 18, 2015
- Choice of Games
MetaHuman Inc. is a simulation game where you manage a company that creates and customizes meta-humans. Your goal is to balance pleasing clients, growing your business, and dealing with various challenges. With a variety of options for customization and storylines, this game offers a unique blend of strategy and creativity.
Reviews
- The game features a compelling and well-written story that keeps players engaged and encourages multiple playthroughs to explore different outcomes.
- Players appreciate the depth of choices available, which significantly impact the narrative and character development, making each decision feel meaningful.
- The interactive novel format is praised for its immersive experience, combining elements of strategy and storytelling in a unique way.
- Many players feel that the game is too linear, with limited choices that ultimately lead to similar endings, reducing the sense of player agency.
- Some reviews mention that character development is lacking, with characters feeling one-dimensional and not fully fleshed out.
- The absence of a save function is a common complaint, as it forces players to restart the game entirely if they wish to explore different choices.
- story232 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The story is generally well-received, praised for its engaging writing and imaginative plot, particularly within a cyberpunk and magical context. However, many reviewers noted issues with character development, feeling that characters lacked depth and that certain story sections felt rushed or unnecessary. While choices do impact the narrative, some players expressed disappointment in the limited number of significant decisions and the overall linearity of the story, leading to a sense of reduced player agency.
“Interesting story, well written and captivating.”
“The story is interesting, has nice twists, and even after two full playthroughs, I still feel like I might do a third just to see how I can change the story through my decision making.”
“Great plot and compelling choices with tangible endgame results.”
“The characters feel like cardboard cutouts, not really doing much to make them stand out, and the story feels like it's trying to rush past certain sections of the game that ends up making you wonder why they even bothered including them instead of trimming the fat and extending the better parts of the story (the mall, a ton of the office encounters, the vacation section that's awkwardly used to push the plot along).”
“Ultimately, there are really only two big choices that impact the story, and they're at the very end, so you won't really get to see the consequences of your choices other than a few lines of text in the epilogue.”
“And for me this game just felt incredibly short and I really feel no inclination to replay it because I just don't feel invested in any of the story or characters to try and do things differently.”
- replayability18 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The game offers substantial replayability due to its rich narrative and diverse choices, encouraging players to explore different outcomes and endings. While the initial chapters may feel tedious on subsequent playthroughs, the depth of the story and the variety of decisions available enhance the overall experience, making it worthwhile to revisit. Overall, players appreciate the balance between the initial magic of discovery and the value of repeated exploration.
“Great choose-your-own-adventure type book, and with replay value as well!”
“Though I have only played it once, the specificity of the ending and the huge variety of choices leads me to believe that there is great replayability to this game.”
“Furthermore, there is significant replay value and I look forward to unlocking all endings.”
“Replayability is there though it might feel a bit tedious, although you now have knowledge of what kind of enhancements can play certain roles at different areas of the game.”
“Definitely replayable, but replays can get a little tedious in the beginning chapters.”
“So, although the magic of this game is mostly in the first experience, it does have some replay value as well.”
- gameplay18 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by meaningful choices and resource management mechanics that allow players to guide their company and experience the consequences of their decisions. While some elements, like romance options, feel tacked on and may not significantly impact gameplay, the overall design offers a compelling blend of storytelling and player agency. Players who enjoy choose-your-own-adventure styles will likely appreciate the depth and replayability of the game.
“The 'you decide what you want to do' side is really well made, and when I finished my first gameplay, I started a new one to discover a new ending.”
“I love that you get to play a little allocation of resources game month on month as a method of establishing focus and showing the player the consequences of their actions. I hope to see more of this kind of mechanic in future games.”
“This is a pretty fantastic entry, which combines compelling storytelling with interesting mechanics and choices that seem to actually matter.”
“Also, a lot of threads like the romance options seem shoehorned in so they can say 'has x romances!' on the promo blurb and have no bearing on gameplay in a significant way.”
“This game reminds me of a term from Dungeons and Dragons called 'railroading', used to describe gameplay sessions where you only think that you have some agency in deciding your fate as a player but really you're just riding along on a straight line so the dungeon master can show off all the pretty scenery and plot he wrote up.”
“Mechanically, I never felt once like my choices were just tossed off and without meaning, just a number that ultimately turns out the same.”
- graphics10 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The game's graphics are a point of contention among users, with some praising the excellent visuals while others criticize the complete lack of graphics, describing it as more of a reading experience than a traditional game. Players who prioritize graphics may find this title unsatisfactory, as it focuses heavily on narrative and player choices instead.
“Excellent graphics and plot line!”
“Worst graphics ever!”
“Don't be mistaken, you won't see any graphics since you will have to provide those yourself.”
“If you value graphics over story or player decisions, this probably isn't the type of game for you.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised, with players finding it genuinely hilarious and well-integrated into a compelling storyline that elicits real laughter. Overall, the comedic elements significantly enhance the gaming experience.
“Hilarious game.”
“I thoroughly enjoyed this game, with a compelling storyline that had me legitimately laughing at times.”
- music4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's lack of music and visual elements can lead to a monotonous experience over extended play sessions, prompting players to seek external music to enhance their enjoyment. Despite this, the game is still highly regarded and enjoyable for long-term play.
“Conclusion: really, really good game! I will play for a long time, but play with music. ;)”
“However, there is a little problem: it's a book (no music or pictures or anything), so after one hour or two of playing the game, I needed to play an FPS or do something to avoid falling asleep.”
“Conclusion: really, really good game; I will play for a long time, but play with music.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players acknowledge that while the game offers good replayability, the grinding involved can become tedious, especially during the early chapters. Familiarity with enhancements can alleviate some of the monotony, but the initial stages still feel repetitive.
“Replayability is there, though it might feel a bit tedious, especially since you now have knowledge of what kind of enhancements can play certain roles in different areas of the game.”
“Definitely replayable, but replays can get a little tedious in the beginning chapters.”
“Replayability is there, though it might feel a bit tedious, especially since you now have knowledge of what kind of enhancements can play certain roles in different areas of the game.”
- character development2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that the character development in this choose-your-own-adventure game is lacking, especially when compared to older titles from the same publisher, which are praised for their depth and player agency. Despite its high rating, many players feel that the limited choices hinder meaningful character growth and storytelling.
“I'm surprised a choose-your-own-adventure game with such little choice has such a high rating when other, even older, games from this publisher blow it out of the water in every department, including character development, player agency, and overall writing.”