Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Too Human delivers a high-energy blend of hack-and-slash combat and futuristic weaponry, placing you in the mechanical boots of Baldur, an Aesir warrior. From the moment you select one of the five classes—Champion, Berserker, Defender, Commando, or Bio-Engineer—you’ll notice each archetype offers a distinct playstyle. Champions balance melee prowess with devastating critical strikes, Berserkers cleave through hordes with unmatched fury, Defenders soak up damage at the cost of mobility, Commandos dominate at range, and Bio-Engineers support the battlefield with healing abilities. This diversity ensures that no two playthroughs feel exactly the same.

Combat unfolds in fast-paced encounters that seamlessly integrate swords, knives, plasma cannons, rocket launchers, and more exotic armaments. You’ll chain light and heavy attacks with the right analog stick, maneuver through swarms with the left, and unleash ranged abilities via the shoulder buttons. Enemy crowds are relentless, often forcing you to juggle melee and firepower while keeping an eye on your health and shield meters. Thankfully, nearly every weapon and piece of armor can be customized in color, stat enhancements, and upgrade paths, giving you a personal stake in your gear’s development.

The progression system is straightforward yet addictive: dispatching enough foes grants experience, which unlocks new combos, passive bonuses, and specialized weapons. Exploration rewards you with randomized loot drops, hacked terminals granting temporary buffs, and hidden upgrade modules. While the campaign’s linear structure keeps the story on rails, optional encounters and secret caches add replay value. Finally, the online co-op mode invites up to three friends to tackle endless waves of cyber-monsters, providing a more chaotic, loot-driven experience once the main narrative concludes.

Graphics

Visually, Too Human marries Norse mythological aesthetics with cutting-edge cybernetics, resulting in a distinctive art style that blends organic runes and high-tech circuitry. Character models—especially the Aesir heroes—boast detailed armor plating, glowing sigils, and impressive animations when performing signature attacks. Environments range from frost-bitten Midgard strongholds to high-altitude Valhalla platforms, each area reinforced by atmospheric lighting and dynamic weather effects that enhance immersion.

On the flip side, the game sometimes leans on repeating textures and modular level pieces, causing certain corridors and chambers to feel recycled after extended play. Frame rate dips can occur when large numbers of monsters spawn simultaneously, particularly during horde-style co-op bouts. Still, the particle effects from plasma blasts and rocket trails are crisp, and boss arenas often feature eye-catching set pieces, such as massive cyber-wyrms or molten forges powered by ancient runic engines.

While Too Human’s graphical fidelity may not match the latest next-gen titles, it remains impressive for its era and thematic ambitions. Colorful interface elements, rune-inscribed menus, and upgrade screens all reflect the merging of myth and machinery. Players with high-end setups can dial up resolution and shadow quality, but even on standard consoles the core visual identity holds strong, lending a sense of grandeur to every battlefield.

Story

Too Human embarks on an inventive reinterpretation of Norse lore by casting gods as cybernetic overseers waging an endless war against Loki’s mechanized monstrosities. You play Baldur, son of Odin, leading the Aesir guardians—Thor, Tyr, Freya, and Heimdall—on a mission to safeguard humanity across Midgard. This fusion of ancient myth and science fiction creates a fresh backdrop, where magic is treated as advanced bio-technology and runes function as encrypted code.

Plot pacing swings between adrenaline-driven set pieces and moments of political intrigue among the gods, but at times the narrative can feel overly linear. Side quests are primarily combat-focused, offering little in the way of character development beyond a few snatched holotapes and overheard dialogues. Despite this, flagship cut-scenes—complete with voice work from seasoned actors—lend emotional weight to the central conflict, especially when you witness the consequences of failure firsthand.

As the first installment in a planned trilogy, Too Human ends on a dramatic cliffhanger that promises greater reveals about Loki’s designs and the true nature of the Aesir project. While certain lore threads remain underexplored, the game plants ample seeds: hidden runestones hint at betrayals, while offline terminals reveal fragments of a broader conspiracy. For players intrigued by the myth-meets-machine premise, there’s plenty to discuss and theorize as they await sequels.

Overall Experience

Too Human stands as an ambitious fusion of genres and themes—melding Norse mythology with sci-fi shooters and deep customization. Its class variety, loot-driven progression, and cooperative mayhem make it easy to dive back into Midgard’s battlefields, especially if you enjoy fine-tuning your hero and weapons. Even repetitive wave clear encounters remain compelling when you’re chasing that next legendary upgrade.

However, the game isn’t without its rough edges. Camera angles can be unwieldy in tight corridors, and occasional frame rate hitches disrupt the flow of combat. Story moments, while striking in concept, sometimes lack the depth needed to fully connect with the supporting cast. Yet, those willing to overlook mechanical quirks will find a rewarding core loop of slash, blast, and upgrade that keeps momentum high from start to finish.

In sum, Too Human delivers a memorable if imperfect, hack-and-slash adventure that carves out its own niche by reimagining timeless myths in a high-tech warzone. It’s best approached with friends in co-op or by dedicated solo players eager to master its unique blend of swordplay and firepower. For those seeking a fresh twist on action RPGs and a glimpse at what a mythic trilogy could become, Baldur’s first mission is well worth undertaking.

Retro Replay Score

6.6/10