I Become a Floppy Boy (Human Fall Flat)

Game: Human Fall Flat
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch
Played On: Xbox One
Price: £11.99
Available on Xbox Game Pass: Yes

Again I return to a game that’s been sitting on my Xbox for a long, long time. I must admit I’ve been lucky that this has stayed on Xbox Game Pass for so long, but I’m not complaining. What we have is Human Fall Flat, the 2016 physics based puzzle platformer developed by the Lithuanian based No Brakes Games and published by Curve Digital.

This games been on my radar for quite some time after seeing a few gameplay videos years ago, at that point it was just on PC and at no point, I feel, had any intention on transferring over to console, but the charm of this game was very apparent from just watching it being played and was obviously very entertaining for those playing, this thrusting it into the limelight and garnering a sort of cult gathering.

Fast forward 12 months and it’s released on console, another 12 months it’s added to Game Pass and finally 12 months after that we have me sitting down and finally playing it. The game isn’t what I’d call the prettiest, it’s blocky, the colours are very basic and that makes it quite one tone. The human character you initially control is just a white, almost play dough, style humanoid adding to the lack of detail in the landscape(this is changeable in the settings, for example I’m an adorable dog). So yes it’s not the prettiest (understand that’s my opinion) but the art choice is obviously made by the developers.

As mentioned before it’s a physics based platformer, So you have a very heavy, very clumsy character to control. You are responsible not only for the moving and jumping, but the hands and the grabbing as well. Those who have played similar games like ‘gang beasts’ might know that this takes some getting used to.

The aim is to traverse through levels, each have a different theme and the level design is very good. There’s a path from A to B but there’s also places to explore and secrets to find. Each level does always seem to have a jumping part, or a climbing part as you would expect with games like these, it’s sort of there point to push the physics of floppyness and camera angles to get you to climb. It’s what it’s here for, but I did find at the times the camera angles to be frustrating and putting all the inputs into the controller at once to be quite clumsy and at times difficult.

As I mentioned before the game is based on pushing the realism of physics and sort of exaggerating what they do, so there will be plenty of times you’ll chuckle out loud but they will be cancelled out by the times the game is clunky with getting the right camera angle and glitches with it all which can be frustrating. It knows what it is and the game is 5-8 hours at best and this works to its advantage.

There’s not much too this game, you do the levels, explore, have some fun and will almost have an enjoyable time but if I’m honest it’s not going to leave the biggest lasting impression and sadly I will have to say I had a better time watching people play this game rather than actually playing it. This doesn’t mean it’s not fun, it’s just not going to be in everyone taste. I get the feeling that this game is a lot more fun playing with friends than in your own. So yes if you’re at a loss for things to play it’s worth a playthorough as it’s rather short, but I wouldn’t say it’s worth seeking out immediately, either that or go outside and get some friends.

6/10

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