Overview and Concept
No, I’m Not a Human is a psychological horror game developed by indie studio Trioskaz that delivers a haunting and deeply unsettling experience. The game operates as a survival horror title where players must make critical decisions about who to trust, with survival literally depending on these choices. The key genre, to describe this game would be somekind of a visual-novel, where you can at least move around freely. I won’t describe the symptoms, nor the whole story setting really in this article, as it is more interesting to find out while playing.
Gameplay Mechanics and Structure
The core gameplay follows a relatively simple but effective loop. Players take on the role of a survivor confined to a small building, with limited activities available including watching TV, drinking beer, and looking outside. The game draws clear inspiration from “Papers, Please,” but instead of working as a government document checker, players find themselves in a more intimate and terrifying scenario. The game’s central mechanic revolves around paranoia and decision-making, particularly when it comes to responding to knocks at the door. This creates a constant state of tension as players must determine whether guests are trustworthy or pose a threat. This can’t be really determined during dialogues, the guests need to be examined for symptoms. If they show symptoms, it is time to take matters into your own hands, with the use of a gun. So having guests in your house, is always a ride on the razors edge, because when guests have symptoms, they are likely to kill your other guests.
Atmosphere and Horror Elements
The game excels in creating an unnerving atmosphere that maintains its grip throughout the experience. The developers have masterfully woven paranoia and dread into every interaction, making each knock at the door a source of genuine anxiety. The horror is primarily psychological rather than relying on jump scares or gore, focusing instead on building sustained tension and unease. There is still gore in the game, but it is pixelated and censored, which fits into the whole optical concept. The whole graphical design is eerie with a crazy twist. The developer mixed real life images with pixelated images and hand drawn pictures, all in a weird color palette. It definetely works and makes the game already transport the unsettling feeling by its optic.
Technical Performance and Issues
While the game succeeds in many areas, it’s not without its flaws. Some choices and story paths seem to be bugged at the moment, but the developer is already on it, to fix them.
No, I’m Not a Human Review
Summary
No, I’m Not a Human appears to be a successful entry in the psychological horror genre, particularly for indie game standards. The game excels at what it sets out to do – creating a paranoid, morally complex survival experience that keeps players on edge.
The game is best suited for players who appreciate atmospheric horror over action-heavy gameplay, and those who don’t mind a more constrained, loop-based gaming experience. While it may have some technical limitations and the content might feel limited for some players, it appears to deliver a memorable and genuinely unsettling horror experience that justifies its modest price point for approximately 13 €.
For fans of psychological horror and games like “Papers, Please,” No, I’m Not a Human offers a unique and disturbing take on survival horror that emphasizes psychological tension over traditional horror tropes.
