too human

Too Human [X360 – Beta]

Too Human is an Action RPG developed by Silicon Knights and published in 2008 by Microsoft Game Studios for the Xbox 360. The project is of particular interest to prototype video game enthusiasts. Development lasted more than a decade, and it was planned for three different consoles (Playstation, GameCube and Xbox 360). Silicon Knights promised a game of a grand scope and daring design. It was to be a game that changed genre depending on how the player would customize his character.

On the PlayStation, it was estimated to be 80 hours long and spanned four discs. IGN stated the following as the original story and game play:

Far into the future, when earth has become a mega-civilization of androids, robots, cyborgs and Big Brother companies, players take on the role of cop whose partner was killed by a cyborg. Angered by this death and moved to seek vengeance, the main character will take a job as a security operative in this monolithic chip corporation to find out just what happened.

In this futuristic world, people are part human, part machine, and your character’s limbs, neck, head, and just about everything else except his organs can be replaced by chips and machinery. The player will have the option of enhancing his body with cybernetic enhancements at the start of missions, and will be able to customize the character in line with the way they choose to play the game

For example, a player who prefers the Metal Gear Solid approach may wish to enhance leg strength to be able to move more quickly and stealthily through the game, whereas another player might wish to increase arm and torso strength to be able to carry more deadly implements of destruction. The choices made by the player will have a direct bearing on the gameplay in this manner.

Ancient legends did not have an impact on this version of the game. Briefly mentioned was that Japanese history was used in a small amount, but not for the whole game. The first name they gave the protagonist was John Franks, his name on the final is Baldur.

Multiple endings were planned but axed. Although the basic premise of the game did not change, the game was overhauled when it jumped on the Xbox 360. The final game uses Norse mythology as reference material. You take control of Baldur, one of the cybernetics enhanced soldiers revered as gods. For ages man has been in a war with bloodthirsty machines. To make matters worse, the god Loki has betrayed those he once served.

The Too Human that one can go to a store and buy is a strict action RPG that has a loot drop system. Four distinct classes are available and a “skill tree” gives astonishing customization options. The player may only change body armor and weapons but not body parts.

Even after arriving on the Xbox 360, certain features were altered. Dyack claimed that the game was too big and had to be split into a trilogy.  It’s possible that the 2nd and 3rd Too Human chapters could never see the light of the day, as the first game received low scores and did not sell many copies. In earlier Xbox 360 builds the game had strict control of the camera. Although IGN boasted the game did a great job with the camera views, camera control was ultimately relinquished to the player. Silicon Knights had attempted to omit a HUD from the game.

Four player cooperation was slated for the game as well, but only two players may play together in the final.

In the gallery below we can notice many beta screens, with scenes that were not in the final game or changed before the final version (as the Thor design). There is even a different loading screen. If you can notice more specific differences, please let us know!

For more info on the development of the game and its original unseen concepts, check our article: Too Human, the game that will never be. Also, take a look at our archive for images and videos for Too Human on the Playstation and Too Human on the GameCube!

Images:

 

Too Human is out: anything beta in there?

threquest.jpg

We already knew that Too Human had a lot of changes through his development, from the original Playstation 1 version to the X360 version (especially after reading this article with interviews about the original project), but i wonder: are there any differences from the first screens of the 360 version? From the Gamespot screenshots archive it seems that some areas of the game were changed a bit: if you have played the game, could you help me find more differences in there? Thanks a lot! :) If someone can find those beta-screens, we can open a new page for Too Human 360 in the U64 Archive! If you find something, you can send us an e-mail

Too Human: the game that will never be

logo_big_white.jpg

[Article by monokoma. Probably with some english errors.]

Too Human is a third-person action RPG / hack & slash game developed by the Canadian software house Silicon Knights. It features twitch gameplay in the form of fast paced melee and long-ranged combat while at the same time maintaining RPG elements, including skill tree progression and dungeon crawling. Too Human was originally in development for the PlayStation as a 4-disc action-adventure game. It was originally shown at E3 1999, but shortly before its completion Nintendo announced an exclusive partnership with Silicon Knights, and the game was moved to the Nintendo GameCube in 2000.

A teaser trailer was shown at SpaceWorld 2000 showing what appeared to be a re-building of the PlayStation game.  However, the game was never released. In 2004, after only two games, the company ended its contract with Nintendo. In the May 2005 issue of EGM, Silicon Knights announced a partnership with publisher Microsoft to develop a trilogy revolving around the Too Human universe exclusively for the Xbox 360. 

Too Human [PSX/Saturn – Cancelled]

This title, by Silicon Knights, was presented for the first time in playable form at E3 1999, on the original Playstation. It immediately received critical acclaim by the audience, not only for the graphics hardware that led Sony to very high levels, but also for a gaming system that already went beyond it’s full potential, though it was only a fraction of the final product.

Both of the video screens, from which you can find online, you may notice immediately a particular pointing system (which was also picked up by then Eternal Darkness) where you can target a specific part of the opponent’s body that lies ahead (limbs, trunk and head). The use of weapons to zoom was very effective, and there were large areas of exploration.

The game was scheduled for summer 2000, with a pack of more than 4 CDs, literally filled by a gigantic world, an immersive story and hours of movies in FMV. All this before Nintendo, after seeing the excellent results of the work of Eternal Darkness (the time in development for N64), decided to take over the team of Silicon Knights completely, making it one of his numerous 2nd parties.

“Too Human” had no more official news, but given the scale of the project and the years of work that had been spent, there are rumors now a conversion of title for the next generation of Nintendo console (the now discarded hypothesis of the little room on output cartridges on the N64), which was confirmed at Spaceworld 2000 (note the annual event of Nintendo products) with a FMV of a game cruising on the GameCube.

In 2005, Silicon Knights came under the control of Microsoft, and the project was moved to the Xbox 360. The game seems to have lost many of its original features, but can perhaps finally see the light..

Thanks to Celine for the contribution and to ForWhomTheBellTolls for the english translation!

For more info: Too Human: the game that will never be?

Images:

Videos:

 

Too Human [GameCube – Cancelled]

toohumanarticlelogo.jpg

This title developed by Silicon Knights, was first presented in a playable form at E3 1999, on the original Playstation. It collected immediately the attention from the critics and the public, not only for it’s good graphic (at least for its time), but even for an interesting and promising gameplay.

The release of the game was scheduled for summer 2000,  on more than 4 CDs, filled with an huge world, an immersive story and hours of FMV movies… but it was never finished. At that time Nintendo, after seeing the excellent work that Silicon Knights were doing on Eternal Darkness (at the time in development for N64), decided to take over the team, making it one of its numerous 2nd parties.

After the cancellation of the PSX version of Too Human, there were rumors that the development of the game was switched to the GameCube. Those rumors were confirmed at SpaceWorld 2000, with a FMV presentation of Too Human for the Nintendo console. But even the GameCube version was never finished.

In 2005, Silicon Knights went under the control of Microsoft and the Too Human project was moved to the XBOX 360. The game was finally released in 2008, even if it has lost many of the original features.

For more info read this article: Too Human: the game that will never be?

Images: