"No, I'm Not a Human" - What Makes It So Unique?

Julianna Concepcion | Staff Editor

“No, I’m Not a Human” is a dystopian horror game, recently released on September 15^th and was in demo a few months prior. The hype for this video game is nowhere near misguided. You play as a man who is trying to survive in some sort of apocalypse, where beings called “Visitors” have dug themselves out of the ground and come to live on the surface. These visitors mostly look like normal humans. It is also impossible to go out during the daytime, as the sun has become far too hot to be in and can burn you to a crisp. This means you must always stay inside and deal with people (and Visitors) knocking at your door each night trying to convince you to let them in.  

Although my description of the game encompasses the plot itself, there are a lot of features that make it very unique for a horror game. Let’s explore them: 

1. Art style  

The art style in “No, I’m Not a Human” is eerily beautiful. The home you are in looks quite realistically drawn, however there is something “off” about everything, almost like the home itself is meant to represent the world you are now in with the Visitors. Each character seems to be drawn in a very exaggerated way, contorting their appearance in an attempt to throw off the player and make them believe everyone is a Visitor off appearances alone. 

2. Randomized Visitors 

This is possibly the smartest and most unique feature I have ever seen be put into a game. Basically, every person who plays the game has a randomized version of who is a Visitor and who isn’t. This means that there is no way to look up who is and isn’t a Visitor, therefore the player must rely on the hints and tells the game gives you to identify them. There are a few characters set in their species that are there to propel the main story forward, but this game is practically walkthrough-proof. No cheating! 

3. Day/Night Cycle 

A day and night cycle is not unheard of in video games, but the way this feature propels the story forward is what makes the game so terrifying. In the daytime, you are unable to look through the windows due to the blinding brightness of the sun, and must spend your time learning more about the Visitors, how to identify them, and speaking to the people (or Visitors) you let into your home. If you notice anything strange about these people you have the option to, uh...”dispose” of them.  

In the nighttime, you can look outside again, meaning you may potentially see something you don’t want to. This is when people start to knock on your door, and you must decide if they’re safe enough to enter. Stakes are very high in the middle of the night.  

Should You Buy It? 

“No, I’m Not a Human” is the type of game that isn’t for everyone. If you enjoy something more fast-paced, this game probably isn’t for you. But you aren’t losing anything by trying it, as it is only $15 on Steam and doesn’t require supercomputer-level PC parts to run. Give it a try!