The game follows Bob, a Featureless Protagonist armed with nothing more than his hands and his brain as he maneuvers himself through non-linear dreamscape levels in an attempt to... well... it's not really clear what, but it really doesn't matter anyways. The levels are chock-full of incredibly devious puzzles for Bob to solve, and as stated above the game operates on real-world physics, meaning your most valuable companion and your greatest enemy will be the laws of physics themselves.
The game is currently available on Steam, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, PS5, and Switch. A sequel published by Devolver Digital had been recently announced in 2023, although the release date is not known yet.
Human: Fall Flat contains examples of the following tropes:
- Ambiguously Human: Bob. He's described as purely human, but he has the physique and snowy complexion of the Pillsbury Doughboy without any distinct face, fingers, or toes. Moreover, he has no spoken dialogue, nor does he react with pain when he falls or is hit by objects. Critics have compared him to a brand-new human body with the soul not yet installed, which would explain his waddling, somewhat infantile gait.
- Big Boo's Haunt: The Halloween-themed "Dark" level. However, there are no active ghosts or monsters to fight—just one inanimate Frankenstein's Monster who needs to be blasted off its lab table to finish the level.
- Bonus Stage: Although the programmers had intended for the main game to end with "Ice" given the reprisal of "Mansion" afterwards, popular demand has caused a number of "Extra Dreams" to be developed.
- Cooperative Multiplayer: Adding in one or two more friends makes the game far easier, and adding in the maximum of eight basically breaks it in half.
- Excuse Plot: Of the highest caliber. The game has no plot outside the first level, and the narration ends quickly, never to return. The only semblance of plot is that Bob is probably a construction worker of some kind, which is why most levels have an industrial or construction motif.
- Nobody Can Die: No matter how many times Bob falls off edges or drowns in water, he will simply respawn at the start of a level or the last save point. The same rule applies to any objects that fall or sink.
- No Ending: Once the final "Ice" level is cleared, Bob is whisked away to a snow-covered version of the first level, "Mansion". After he clears it, the scene simply transitions to the credits… which Bob continues to fall through.
- Not the Intended Use: The grabbing system can utterly shatter the game if used correctly, as the momentum gathered through running and jumping can fling Bob around corners he's not supposed to be able to get past by grabbing onto said corner and whipping around to the other end.
- Replay Value: While the levels can be easily completed in a single run-through, doing so will force you to miss out on tons of content, such as secret hidden passages and more. In addition, there are a number of achievements that encourage this trope, with a number of them hinting at the existence of alternate solutions to the puzzles as well as hidden areas.
- Sequence Breaking: Encouraged by the game design. If players can sneak past a section, then the game will most likely reward them for it. Some examples include using the crane to launch into the east window early on in Demolition, and using the Cargo Ship to climb the lighthouse seawall in Water.
- Shout-Out: The Extra Dream "Red Rock" is a stealth reference to Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner cartoons given that it takes place in the desert and the Coyote is known for falling off cliffs and respawning none the worse for wear at about the same rate Bob does.
