History VideoGame / TooHuman

The plot is a science-fiction take on Myth/NorseMythology, with its characters and events forming the basis for human gods, monsters and legends. The Æsir Corporation and its cybernetically enhanced rulers stand watch over what little remains of humanity during the last days of an ongoing war against sentient machines whose motivations are left unclear at best. Baldur -- seen by the humans as less distant and aloof than his fellow "gods" -- leads a hunt for a particularly nasty robot, GRNDL-1, and is drawn into a larger plot tied to the mystery of his wife's death.

* MegaCorp -- Æsir Corporation, although it's a rather benevolent MegaCorp.

''Too Human'' is the first game in a planned trilogy developed by Creator/SiliconKnights (''VideoGame/EternalDarkness'', ''Blood Omen: VideoGame/LegacyOfKain''). Originally planned as a four-disc PlayStation epic, it shifted consoles to the {{Nintendo 64}} when an exclusive partnership was formed between Silicon Knights and Creator/{{Nintendo}}. That didn't happen either, and plans to release it for Gamecube were similarly set aside when the development house began work on ''Eternal Darkness''. After nearly a decade stuck in DevelopmentHell, the game was finally released on {{Xbox 360}} in 2008 to unreasonable expectations and largely mediocre reviews and sales -- perhaps due in part to retroactive HypeBacklash (though finicky targeting controls and an unskippable death animation certainly contributed).

The plot is a science-fiction take on Norse mythology, with its characters and events forming the basis for human gods, monsters and legends. The Æsir Corporation and its cybernetically enhanced rulers stand watch over what little remains of humanity during the last days of an ongoing war against sentient machines whose motivations are left unclear at best. Baldur -- seen by the humans as less distant and aloof than his fellow "gods" -- leads a hunt for a particularly nasty robot, GRNDL-1, and is drawn into a larger plot tied to the mystery of his wife's death.

* NorseMythology -- The basis for the plot and every character therein.

* Nanomachines: What Nidhogg the Devouer basically is in the game. It seeks out and consumes dead organic materials such as flesh and blood and regurgitates it as a living entity.

* BilingualBonus: Hel uses an Old Norse phrase, "Ves Heill", to congratulate Baldur on his resurrection and progress as she drinks wine from a skull.

* CondescendingCompassion: Despite having benevolent intentions towards the rest of humanity, the Aesir often come off as considerably haughty and condescending towards the humans they are protecting. They are often shown describing the people under their protection as weak, defenseless, and purposeless and are only given structure and purpose by the Aesirs' guidance. This causes many human soldiers to join [[BigBad Loki]] in rebellion.

->'''Frey''': [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt The end is coming]], Heimdall.
->'''Heimdall''': [[DarkestHour Then let it come]]! We shall meet it with weapons in hand and joy in our hearts! Our lives belong to ODIN!

--> '''Wolf:''' "Who knows? We might come across something uglier than a berserker.
--> '''Bjorn:''' "Don't count on it Wolf! Monsters tell stories of ME to frighten their children."

* ClassAndLevelSystem -- combined with a PointBuildSystem. Baldur can be one of five classes, each of which has a skill tree. As the player gains levels points can be spent to traverse the trees, providing several benefits. Additionally, the player can also choose an alignment that provides another tree with more (but different) upgrades.

-->'''Balder''': "All the pain and cruelty you inflicted, I will carve into your flesh. Your agonized shrieks shall be your only monument!"

''Too Human'' is the first game in a planned trilogy developed by Creator/SiliconKnights (''EternalDarkness'', ''Blood Omen: LegacyOfKain''). Originally planned as a four-disc Playstation epic, it shifted consoles to the Nintendo 64 when an exclusive partnership was formed between Silicon Knights and Creator/{{Nintendo}}. That didn't happen either, and plans to release it for Gamecube were similarly set aside when the development house began work on ''Eternal Darkness''. After nearly a decade stuck in DevelopmentHell, the game was finally released on Xbox 360 in 2008 to unreasonable expectations and largely mediocre reviews and sales -- perhaps due in part to retroactive HypeBacklash (though finicky targeting controls and an unskippable death animation certainly contributed).

Much like [[VideoGame/CliveBarkersJericho a few other games originally planned]] [[AdventRising as part of a trilogy]], its poor reception in addition to the fact that Silicon Knights has gone belly-up, has made a ''Too Human'' sequel's likelihood [[Creator/NathanRabin range from "Nonexistent" to "Are you fucking kidding me?"]] -- unfortunate, as it leaves off with many things unresolved.

Interestingly, [[WebAnimation/ZeroPunctuation Yahtzee Crowshaw]] considers this the worst game he's ever reviewed. Take that as you will.

* AfterTheEnd - The current frozen state of the world is strongly implied to be the result of a nuclear winter.
* AGodAmI - All the Aesir, though they're a rather benevolent lot.
* AmmunitionBackpack Robotic example - some of the 'Troll' class enemies use heavy {{Grenade Launcher}}s, and wear huge, cylindrical ammo-canisters on their back to supply them. These are somewhat problematic, since their presence prevents you from doing your 'jump up on their shoulders and stab them in the neck' insta-kill, and they're hard to destroy since the Trolls always turn to face you ... hence, the grenade-launching Trolls winds up being much more dangerous than their [[DropTheHammer hammer-wielding]] brothers, but not because of their attack-range...
* AntiVillain - Hod.
* ArbitraryGunPower - it ''is'' an [[RolePlayingGame RPG]], after all.
* AwesomenessMeter - The combo meter.

* BadassBoast - Half of Thor's dialogue consists of this. Some of what Balder remarks to his enemies would count if they weren't more likely promises rather than exaggeration. See ToThePain below.
--> --Wolf "Who knows? We might come across something uglier than a berserker.
--> --Bjorn "Don't count on it Wolf! Monsters tell stories of ME to frighten their children."
* BackFromTheDead - [[spoiler:Baldur]].
* {{BFS}} - Several of Baldur's two-handed swords are about his height.
* BlownAcrossTheRoom - Goblins and other small enemies tend to fly away in random directions when killed with ballistics. What makes this odd is the complete ''lack'' of reaction from every bullet except the last one - the killing bullet will cause the enemy to go cartwheeling across the room, often bouncing into walls. Thank you, [[WreakingHavok Havok]].
* CharacterCustomization - Through the ClassAndLevelSystem and PointBuildSystem, as well as cutomizable armor pieces.
* TheChessmaster - Loki.
* ClassAndLevelSystem - combined with a PointBuildSystem. Baldur can be one of five classes, each of which has a skill tree. As the player gains levels points can be spent to traverse the trees, providing several benefits. Additionally, the player can also choose an alignment that provides another tree with more (but different) upgrades.
* ColossusClimb - Taking down Trolls requires either wearing down their shoulders, arms, and legs individually; or climbing up their back and plunging a blade into the beast's head.
* ContinuingIsPainful ''and'' DeathIsASlapOnTheWrist -- when you die, after the death animation you're dumped right back into the fight with no loss of progress, but on the other hand, your equipment is damaged and your combo meter is reset to zero, meaning if you're in a bad situation, you have fewer resources to deal with it than before you died.

* CoupDeGraceCutscene - On [[spoiler:Hod and Hel]]. Separately, of course.
* CrateExpectations - Various containers are scattered through the levels, conferring money or health. Very rarely they can also drop epic (read: very ''very'' rare) items.
* CutAndPasteEnvironments - The last two levels suffer from some of this, as they just drag on and on.
* CyberPunk - Midgard is essentially a CyberPunk world ruled by a MegaCorp, cybernetic augmentation and artificial intelligences are significant technologies.
* {{Cyborg}} - Almost everyone.
* DisneyDeath - [[spoiler:Thor]] kinda pulls one off. [[spoiler:But it was all just a lie, as it happened when Baldur got into cyberspace, and "got out" of it when in reality he was in a simulation of the real world during his time in cyberspace. Notably, Mimir also goes crazy during this fake reality segment]].
* DynamicLoading - Loading is done behind cutscenes between levels and dynamically during levels. You'll only see loading screens by skipping cutscenes or jumping right to levels in online multiplayer.
* EmpathicWeapon - Baldur's sword Fenrir.
* ExpositionBreak - Between levels, and (irritatingly, to some) ''during'' levels. There's a reason the story is excised in online multiplayer.
* FanDisservice - Hel.
* FrickinLaserBeams - One of the ammo types. Averts several problems, as they hit instantly and have no recoil. When using Laser ammo, guns "heat up" to full damage - the longer held on an enemy, the more damage (up to a cap) they do. Watching the damage ramp up on the scrolling damage meter is often very satisfying.
* FunWithAcronyms - ODIN (Organically Distributed Intelligence Network) and the [=NORNs=] (Non Organic Rational Nanosystems).
* GhostShip - The World Serpent.
* TheHecateSisters - The [=NORNs=].
* HeWhoFightsMonsters - The Nietzsche quote for this trope is directly stated in one trailer. From a work separate from the LiteraryAllusionTitle, however.
* HotBlooded - Baldur.
* HotScientist - Idunn.
* Instant180DegreeTurn - Not all of Baldur's animations are smooth, especially this one. Jumping while moving the stick in circles as quickly as possible makes Baldur [[HilarityEnsues pirouette several times]] in ''midair''.
* InvoluntaryGroupSplit - After [[spoiler:Thor's DisneyDeath. Though, he gets better.]]
* ItsPersonal - Baldur's pursuit of Hod.
* LevelGrinding - And How! 5 Character Classes, 50 Levels each. Have Fun!
* LevelUpFillUp - Played straight. It's saved many a life mid-battle.
* LiteraryAllusionTitle - to Creator/FriedrichNietzsche's ''Human, All Too Human''.
* LosingYourHead - Mimir, like in the myth.
* MegaCorp - Æsir Corporation, although its a rather benevolent MegaCorp.
* MonstersEverywhere - Absolutely '''''everywhere'''''. Except cyberspace and Asgard.
* MoreDakka - A slug rifle in the hands of a Human Commando, with rate of fire and ricochet maxed and additional Metalstorm charms, can fire and kill entire rooms faster than the game can ''render the bullets''. Add in another player in co-op, and well... [[ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill yeah]].
* NorseMythology - The basis for the plot and every character therein.
* OneHitPolykill - Each alignment gets a different skill for this, and the effects can be given to anyone via Charms.

* OneManArmy - You are supported by human soldiers, but all they seem to do is talk in the background and get killed. Occasionally shooting something.
* OurMonstersAreDifferent - Goblins, trolls, elves - all robots.
* RandomlyDrops - And they're drawn to the player magnetically. Auto-looting at its finest.

* RPGsEqualCombat - The only way to gain [=EXP=] is to fight. And fight you will.
* RuleOfCool - Played to the hilt, for example with Baldur able to "juggle" enemies in midair with the stream of bullets from his gun. These kinds of moves also charge a combo meter that can be used to activate special abilities, making those abilities literally ''powered by cool''.
* RunDontWalk - Baldur runs by default, and slowing his down a walk via the control stick makes him walk '''''incredibly''''' slowly.
* ScrewedByTheLawyers[=/=]WhatAnIdiot - 'Tis what happens when you steal GameEngine code from the people who made ''GearsOfWar''. Will soon be very hard to find, as the results of a lawsuit are forcing the company to destroy any unsold copies of the game in 2013.

* SidetrackBonus - One of the best ways to get epic loot is to go off the beaten path. A few places mid-level, but the World Tree is one giant sidetrack with several loot-dropping obelisks in it.
* SmugSnake - Loki.
* SuicidalOverconfidence - The machines never stop attacking. Though... they sometimes do win.

* UnbreakableWeapons - Interesting mix with BreakableWeapons: weapons and armor do not degrade with use, but instead lose durability at death. When durability reaches zero, weapon strikes only do damage based on Baldur's strength, and armor pieces no longer offer any protection. Both can be repaired at shops. Given that gear typically has enough durability for at least 15+ deaths, it's obvious the designers knew the player would die many, ''many'', times.
* UnwittingPawn - Hod.
* TheWarSequence - The whole freaking game.
* WeCanRebuildHim - Part of Baldur's backstory, also the Valiant Warriors/Einherjar made from the soldiers fallen in battle and retrieved by the Valkyries. In addition Hel reanimates corpses as technological zombies.

Much like [[VideoGame/CliveBarkersJericho a few other games originally planned]] [[AdventRising as part of a trilogy]], its poor reception in addition to the fact that Silicon Knights has gone belly-up, has made a ''Too Human'' sequel's likelihood just this side of impossible -- unfortunate, as it leaves off with many things unresolved.

Interestingly, [[ZeroPunctuation Yahtzee Crowshaw]] considers this the worst game he's ever reviewed. Take that as you will.

''Too Human'' is the first game in a planned trilogy developed by Creator/SiliconKnights (''EternalDarkness'', ''Blood Omen: LegacyOfKain''). Originally planned as a four-disc Playstation epic, it shifted consoles to the Nintendo 64 when an exclusive partnership was formed between Silicon Knights and {{Nintendo}}. That didn't happen either, and plans to release it for Gamecube were similarly set aside when the development house began work on ''Eternal Darkness''. After nearly a decade stuck in DevelopmentHell, the game was finally released on Xbox 360 in 2008 to unreasonable expectations and largely mediocre reviews and sales -- perhaps due in part to retroactive HypeBacklash (though finicky targeting controls and an unskippable death animation certainly contributed).

Much like [[VideoGame/CliveBarkersJericho a few other games originally planned]] [[AdventRising as part of a trilogy]], its poor reception has made a ''Too Human'' sequel unlikely -- unfortunate, as it leaves off with many things unresolved.

* DevelopmentHell - [[http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=503761 Notorious for it.]]
** In summary: The game was first announced all the way back in ''1999'', with a trailer at E3 the same year. It then hopped from console to console, and even through ''three different generations'', starting with the original Playstation (with a SegaSaturn port), going to the GameCube[[note]]due to their exclusive partnership with Nintendo at the time[[/note]], to finally settle on the Xbox 360[[note]]which was decided upon because Silicon Knights burned bridges with Nintendo when CEO Denis Dyack, who wanted the prettiest graphics, discovered first-hand just how powerful the {{Wii}} was.[[/note]]. The only game to be in development hell longer and be released would be ''DukeNukemForever'', and, as most people will tell you, that's not even a safe bet either.

* StillbornFranchise - Safe to say that the rest of the trilogy won't ever get made.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen - The pre-release information back in the late 90s depicted a very different game, with a much harder brand of science fiction bordering on cyberpunk and no Norse deities in sight.

* ScrewedByTheLawyers - 'Tis what happens when you steal GameEngine code from the people who made ''GearsOfWar''. Will soon be very hard to find, as the results of a lawsuit are forcing the company to destroy any unsold copies of the game in 2013.

* ScrewedByTheLawyers - 'Tis what happens when you steal GameEngine code from the people who made ''GearsOfWar''.

* StillbornFranchise: Safe to say that the rest of the trilogy won't ever get made.
** This is [[http://siliconknights.net/forums/showthread.php?p=284646#post284646 open for debate]].

* AGodAmI - All the Aesir, though they're an arguably benevolent lot.

* HollywoodCyborg - Almost everyone.

* MegaCorp - Æsir Corporation, although its arguably a benevolent MegaCorp.

''Too Human'' is the first game in a planned trilogy developed by Creator/SiliconKnights (''EternalDarkness'', ''Blood Omen: LegacyOfKain''). Originally planned as a four-disc Playstation epic, it shifted consoles to the Nintendo 64 when an exclusive partnership was formed between Silicon Knights and Nintendo. That didn't happen either, and plans to release it for Gamecube were similarly set aside when the development house began work on ''EternalDarkness''. After nearly a decade stuck in DevelopmentHell, the game was finally released on Xbox 360 in 2008 to unreasonable expectations and largely mediocre reviews and sales -- perhaps due in part to retroactive HypeBacklash (though finicky targeting controls and an unskippable death animation certainly contributed).

* DevelopmentHell - Notorious for it.
** The game was first announced all the way back in ''1999'', with a trailer at E3 the same year. It then hopped from console to console, and even through ''three different generations'', starting with the original Playstation, going to the GameCube, to finally settle on the Xbox 360. The only game to be in development hell longer and be released would be ''Duke Nukem Forever'', and, as most people will tell you, that's not even a safe bet either.

''Too Human'' is the first game in a planned trilogy developed by Silicon Knights (''EternalDarkness'', ''Blood Omen: LegacyOfKain''). Originally planned as a four-disc Playstation epic, it shifted consoles to the Nintendo 64 when an exclusive partnership was formed between Silicon Knights and Nintendo. That didn't happen either, and plans to release it for Gamecube were similarly set aside when the development house began work on ''EternalDarkness''. After nearly a decade stuck in DevelopmentHell, the game was finally released on Xbox 360 in 2008 to unreasonable expectations and largely mediocre reviews and sales -- perhaps due in part to retroactive HypeBacklash (though finicky targeting controls and an unskippable death animation certainly contributed).

* {{Narm}} - "IT'S A VALKYRIE, COME TO TAKE ISTBOR TO VALHALLA!"

Much like [[CliveBarkersJericho a few other games originally planned]] [[AdventRising as part of a trilogy]], its poor reception has made a ''Too Human'' sequel unlikely -- unfortunate, as it leaves off with many things unresolved.

* BadassBoast - Half of Thor's dialogue consists of this. Some of what Balder remarks to his enemies would count if they weren't more likely promises rather than exaggeration. See {{To The Pain}} below.

* LiteraryAllusionTitle - to FriedrichNietzsche's ''Human, All Too Human''.

* [=~Run Don't Walk~=] - Baldur runs by default, and slowing his down a walk via the control stick makes him walk '''''incredibly''''' slowly.