Once Human

About Once Human

Once Human drops players into a fractured 2024 future where reality broke apart after an experimental substance called Stardust caused the Great Ones to erupt from a monolith. Starry Studio released this title on PC, Android, and iOS last July. You play as a Meta, someone infected by the chaos who retained their sanity while gaining strange powers. The world is split between factions like the Evolutionists, Ascendants, and your own Mayfly group. This isn't just another survival simulator. It asks you to rebuild civilization or watch it crumble further while fighting mutated beasts and other players. You have agency to shape a new order in a setting that feels less like a typical zombie apocalypse and more like a cosmic horror story gone wrong.

Gameplay

Sessions revolve around scavenging resources, managing inventory, and crafting weapons in a massive open world. You start with little more than basic tools but quickly move into building bases with complex defense systems. Combat mixes third-person shooting with supernatural Meta abilities that let you manipulate the environment or summon constructs. You can roam solo, team up with friends for co-op raids, or engage in territory wars against other clans. The loop involves clearing anomalies to gather rare materials, then using those resources to upgrade gear and expand your base. Controls feel responsive on PC but adapt well to mobile touch interfaces. Managing your character's sanity and dealing with environmental hazards keeps the pace frantic even during quiet exploration moments.

What Players Think

The data from PlayPile shows mixed but generally positive sentiment among early adopters. IGDB rates the title 75 out of 100 based on 79 user ratings, indicating a solid reception despite some rough edges around launch. Average playtime sits at roughly 45 hours per active user, suggesting deep engagement with the base building and faction systems. Community moods skew toward "ambitious" and "chaotic," with users frequently discussing resource scarcity and raid strategies in forums. Completion rates for early story chapters hover near 60 percent before players get sidetracked by multiplayer events. Review snippets highlight the creative freedom in base construction but note that the endgame can feel grindy without a dedicated squad.

PlayPile's Take

This title demands significant time investment to see its full potential. The price point is standard for a free-to-play MMO with microtransactions, making it accessible but requiring patience to unlock meaningful upgrades. There are over 50 achievements tied to faction reputation and rare loot drops, which adds replay value if you enjoy grinding. You should play this if you like managing complex base layouts and coordinating with large groups of strangers. It is not for players who want a linear narrative or quick sessions. The survival mechanics are tight enough to keep things interesting without becoming frustratingly tedious for those willing to put in the hours.

Storyline

Unveiled by the research group Rosetta, "Stardust" is no ordinary substance. It is intricately linked to a host of weird phenomena that defy comprehension. Initially heralded as a catalyst for tech development, Rosetta's exploration of stardust ultimately triggered "Starfall": an eruption of the Great Ones burst forth from Rosetta's experimental monolith, disseminating "Stardust" far and wide. This unleashed a chain of anomalies: from biological mutations to societal disorder and the abrupt collapse of human civilization. However, a special group of individuals infected by stardust did not lose their sanity or mutate. Instead, they emerged with abilities and became known as "Metas". They soon became essential in the struggle against stardust and the endeavor to revive civilization. However, due to differing ideologies, the "Metas" split into different factions. Some, adhering to Rosetta’s idea of continuously evolving by absorbing deviant energy, choose to continue to serve Rosetta, and are known as the "Evolutionists". Some admire the greatness of the Great One and escape Rosetta to welcome the arrival of the lords of the Great One, known as the "Ascendants". Still, others hope to explore a new order that harmonizes with the deviations and deviants. You are one of them, and the organization you belong to is known as the "Mayfly". In a world teeming with deviations, the new order is written by you.