8.8

Review: Once Human A unique survival MMO you can't miss

Survival games are abundant these days. From Rust and DayZ to ARK and Palworld, almost every developer now has his own view on the genre. Nevertheless Once Human to distinguish themselves remarkably well. Instead of choosing a classic zombie apocalypse, take developer Starry Studio Players will go to a world that has been taken over by a mysterious alien substance called Stardust. The result is a unique mix of survival, horror, MMO elements and a large dose of science fiction that comes together surprisingly well.

The world of Once Human feels impressive from the very first moment. Abandoned cities, abandoned research facilities and dense forests alternate, while grotesque monsters lurk everywhere. The game manages to build a constant tension without constantly trying to scare you. The atmosphere is right. één of the main benefits. You constantly feel that something unknown is waiting for you behind the next corner, so exploring the world never gets boring.

Where many survival games directly overload players with hunger, thirst and complex management systems, Once Human opts for a more accessible approach. Of course, you still have to collect materials, improve your equipment and build your own base, but the game rarely goes through. This essentially keeps the focus on discovering the world and engaging in battle, without constantly working on small survival mechanisms. This makes the gameplay surprisingly accessible to players who don't normally have much experience in survival games.

Building your own base is an important part of the gameplay. The construction possibilities are extensive enough to keep creative players busy for hours, while the system remains simple enough to master quickly. As you advance, you expand your base with new workbenches, storage facilities and other facilities that make survival ever easier. This results in a pleasant progression in which every play session actually yielded something.

One of the most original additions is the so-called Deviations. These are strange creatures that you can collect and deploy during your adventure. Some help during battles, while others automatically collect raw materials or support your base. This system gives Once Human its own identity and ensures that the game offers more than just shooting and collecting. Collecting new Deviations works surprisingly addictive and motivates players to keep discovering new areas.

On a graphical level, Once Human also impresses regularly. The combination of dynamic weather, atmospheric lighting and detailed environments makes the world look lively. Especially during rainy nights or foggy mornings, the horror-like atmosphere comes out perfectly. The sample designs deserve extra compliments. Many enemies look like they escaped directly from a Lovecraft story and thus leave a lasting impression.

The fights feel supple and combine shooting with different skills and equipment. Although the combat system is not particularly innovative, it offers enough variety to stay interesting even after tens of hours. Especially the larger world bosses and co-op activities provide challenging moments where collaboration is really rewarded.

Because Once Human is a free-to-play game, there may be an expectation that players will be sent to paid content regularly. Fortunately, this is not so bad in practice. Most micro transactions are cosmetic and have little influence on the gameplay. As a result, the game feels fair and the experience for free players remains completely intact.

That doesn't mean Once Human is perfect. The story is sometimes told messy and new players may feel overwhelmed by the amount of menus, upgrades and different systems. In addition, the game occasionally has technical problems, such as small framedrops in busy areas or incidental bugs during missions. None of these problems completely ruin the experience, but they do show that there is still room for further optimization.

What ultimately makes Once Human so strong is the balance between accessibility and depth. The game does not attempt to create the most realistic survival experience, but consciously chooses a world that invites to be discovered. The combination of exploration, basebuilding, strong atmosphere and co-op gameplay ensures that every play session offers something new.

Once Human is with that één of the greatest surprises within the survival genre of recent years. Despite some technical shortcomings, Starry Studio manages to create an impressive open world in which adventure, horror and collaboration come together perfectly. For fanciers of survival games this is without doubt a title that deserves a chance, especially since the game is completely free to play.