Review of No, I'm Not a Human: A Visual Novel About the End of the World

The visual novel format can encompass games of all kinds, from erotic stories to full-blown horror. No, I'm not a Human falls into the latter category. It's set in a world where normal life is disrupted by the arrival of monsters that can disguise themselves as humans. Your task is to identify them and prevent them from entering your home. But is this kind of gameplay worth spending time and money on? Our review answers this question.

The end of the world is usually presented as a momentary event. This could be the dropping of atomic bombs, an outbreak of cordyceps infection, or the rise of the undead. We're presented with the destruction of our familiar civilization, after which the action fast-forwards, and we're confronted with the aftermath of the apocalypse.

In No, I'm Not a Human, the situation is different. At the time of the story, there's still electricity, television, and grocery delivery couriers. The government is trying to take action, for example, by assembling special forces to fight the monsters. But the situation worsens with each passing day, the scenes on the streets are terrifying, and the stories of survivors are chilling. As the danger mounts, people begin to suspect each other and develop paranoia, which could lead to tragic consequences. Yet, a glimmer of hope remains that things will eventually work out. The question is, will you live to see that day?

The plot is simple: due to increased solar activity, so-called guests, terrifying creatures that once lived underground—have appeared on city streets. They look like ordinary people. And many of them will try to get into your home.

Visual novels often have simple art, without the use of cutting-edge technology. Meanwhile, their heroes and heroines can evoke sympathy or, conversely, genuine horror. Some games combine both approaches. Something similar could be seen in Doki Doki Literature Club!

The visuals of No, I'm Not a Human resemble the drawings of teenagers trying to depict something scary. Almost all the characters are surprisingly ugly, and they're not exactly pleasant to look at.

Most of the game takes place at night. The gray-green color scheme creates the feeling of total darkness, but we've gotten used to it by now. During the day, rays of sunlight filter through the blinds, but they don't create a cozy feeling, as the intense heat is precisely what brought the monsters out of the ground. The atmosphere partially compensates for the imperfect graphics and sets the right mood.

All the key events take place in a small house with a basement. At first, it seems like an island of safety. This effect is created by the fact that you decide who to let in and who to keep out. If a guest is refused entry, they won't try to force their way in any further, but will obediently leave. Horrific things are indeed happening outside the window, but they concern other people and aren't directly related to you.

However, at a certain point, it becomes clear that the walls of the house won't protect you from a truly serious threat. And this is one of the few truly terrifying moments in the game. A similar effect was encountered in Silent Hill 4: The Room towards the middle of the game.

Your main task is to figure out who exactly is knocking at your door. Strange behavior and inconsistencies in their stories can give away the monster. For example, while everyone else is sweltering in the heat, one guy wears a warm jacket and doesn't take it off even during the day. Something is clearly wrong with him. Later, we'll be told specific signs of those who came from underground, such as dirty nails or red eyes. However, a questionable appearance and inappropriate behavior can be caused by stress or bad habits.

Letting everyone in or, conversely, kicking them out is a questionable idea, as this approach is guaranteed to lead to a bad ending. But even if you accidentally missed the monster, all is not lost. You can conduct an interrogation right in your own home, carefully examine it, and, if necessary, blow the suspect's brains out.with a gun. It's worth noting that survivors will periodically be picked up by law enforcement for additional checks.

Over time, the mechanics become more complex. For example, your character may also be accused of being a guest. In this case, you'll have to prove your innocence, using rather unconventional methods. Even overly white teeth will raise questions, but if you smoked a cigarette beforehand, they'll become stained. Now the monster hunter will assume you're human and leave you alone.

And some of your actions may reveal new plot details or even unlock interesting mechanics. For example, if you let a pregnant woman in, you'll soon have to search the entire house for her missing child.

And yet, No, I'm Not a Human frankly lacks gameplay variety. You're forced to perform roughly the same actions over and over again. Moreover, the game is designed to be played multiple times, as it offers ten different endings. Anyone who tries to get them all is guaranteed to get bored.

The developers at Trioskaz had an interesting idea, but they weren't able to fully realize it. The dense atmosphere is combined with monotonous gameplay and questionable visuals. I recommend No, I'm Not a Human to fans of simple horror games. For everyone else, it's optional.