Once Human

Once Human is a fantastic MMO based in an interesting post-apocalyptic landscape, but still has some growing to do to reach the peak of the genre.

A deep, surprisingly sticky, truly free-to-play mashup of what you like from a bunch of other survival MMOs.

Combining survival elements with looter shooter and MMORPG mechanics, Once Human takes the best from these genres to create an entertaining and functional mix. While not flawless, it captivates with its bizarre world, monster design, and gunplay. The effectiveness of the seasonal system remains to be seen, but it shows promising potential to become a multiplayer staple.

Once Human might be the first crafting game I find myself coming back to regularly thanks to solid combat fundamentals, a perfectly-tuned crafting loop, and a level of polish that’s often all too rare in the genre.

Once Human combines simple but solid building and upgrading with some of the best, and weirdest, creature designs of the year to create a very enjoyable survival-crafting experience.

Overall, Once Human’s blend of action, survival/crafting, and MMORPG-like mission design kept me entertained and happily occupied. While some of the more challenging enemies are designed around multiplayer teamwork, the majority of the game’s content is solo player-friendly. Once Human can be approached and enjoyed in lots of ways. It needs some further refinement, but Once Human’s hybrid genre approach pays off.

Once Human is certainly not a highly original production and has a forgettable story. Luckily it's also a really enjoyable survival game, which can be played completely free of charge. Unlike many other free to play productions, the NetEase one has no in-app purchases that speed up progression or make it easier for the user, putting everyone on the same level. This factor, the accessibility of the experience and the absence of elements capable of generating frustration, make it one of the most interesting exponents of the genre seen in recent times. It will now be up to the developers to work hard to fix the problems and support Once Human with new content, even despite some questionable choices.

At its core, Once Human is a survival game that encourages and rewards exploration. It nails the gameplay loop of gathering resources and gear, upgrading your character, and then venturing out to do it all over again. I had a great time running around and fighting alongside friends, and I’ll probably continue to jump in and play when I get that survival itch. However, it’s hard not to be put off by forced live-service elements that undercut mechanics and lock unique items behind a paywall.

If you like survival games and are not afraid of grinding, feel free to start Once Human. This is a stylish and expensive game that will keep you busy for a long time.

Once Human excels at practically nothing, yet it is a thoroughly convincing free-to-play. Thanks to a map packed with points of interest, adrenaline-pumping and immediate combat, and crafting that is never too overwhelming, even those who usually steer clear of survival games might find Starry Studio's offering interesting. Unfortunately, the AI is woefully inadequate and artistically everything is really far too derivative to generate real interest.

Once Human offers a deeply moreish open world scavenge-em-up, but weak action and generic clutter hold it back.

If you can see past its dull story and some uninspired art direction, what remains of Once Human is a profoundly compelling shared-world survival game. It’s a moreish riot of perilous progression and deep customisation, more than capable of keeping you entertained for months, and maybe years, to come.

Starry Studio's survival crafting shooter throws horror, looting and MMO elements into one big potpourri with mixed results.

Once Human offers a world full of strange creatures that's refreshingly unique in the survival MMO genre, but that world is populated by derivative gameplay and boring combat and never matches the potential of its premise.