Just last year - May of 2000 if you will - Nintendo was reported to have nabbed Silicon Knights from Sony, you may remember them for their work on Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain for the PC and Playstation. If you read Nintendo news you have most likely heard of them as being the developer of the soon-to-be-released Eternal Darkness. Also in development by SI is the very game this preview is for, Too human – and it looks like it will kick some major ass. A very small quantity of information has been released on Too Human, however there have been several FMV video sequences and screenshots released, and the look of the game seems like it shall awaken the dark side of yourself.

Originally Too Human was scheduled to be released for the Playstation in a four disc set, that was until Nintendo noticed their great potential as a 2nd party developer. The Playstation version was said to push it to its breaking point, with a game engine that was said to have a well-nigh fogless draw-distance. Another piece of information is that this game is said to be dark and moody, it seems like Too Human will help Nintendo shake off its kiddy image… Oh, did I mention that there is a supposed 80+ (yes eighty or more hours of gameplay!) hours in length? With its immerse, plot-driven gameplay there should be no reason why this couldn't be another game in Nintendo's library of “killer apps”. Even though many people had doubts of the release of Too Human since the switch of Silicon Knights over to Nintendo 2nd party developer the president of Silicon Knights, Denis Dyack released this statement last year, “historically, we have never, ever not completed a game or project”. Along with “I believe that the Dolphin (GameCube) platform will dominate the next generation of console systems - hands down...it's turned out to be one of the best pieces of technology and gaming machines that I've ever seen.” This should be evidence enough that the game is still in development for the upcoming Nintendo GameCube.

Last year's SpaceWorld show in Tokyo, Japan, Silicon Knights had a showing of a short video of some pre-rendered Too Human footage. There are now several shots from the demo you may obtain, if you have seen these shots you know what I mean when I say, damn this looks good. If the title doesn't stray from the two or more years of development time spent on the Playstation, then we can look forward to one great, plot driven, intense, action packed game that only the marvelous GameCube could bring to us. The setting forebodes for a future where humans are no longer the simple, organic organisms we used to be. Now apparently all life has evolved into some form of cybernetic hybrid of robot and man. This is where the main character, John Franks, comes into play. As this cybernetic crossbreed you progress through the game upgrading your bionic limbs and insides. If you'll notice that in the images of the demo video, a sort of technological birth was demonstrated where a being is generated in a pool of liquid -- first bone structure, then flesh, and finally full clothing and armor. The early version of the game was designed to allow players to customize their body parts with various mechanical upgrades, allowing for specialized abilities such as faster player movement, additional strength, stealth, and so on.

As for my personal look on this little beauty, I think it looks slightly like a cross between Metal Gear Solid, Blade Runner, with samurai-esque action. As I said before this was meant to be a four disc Playstation set, at the moment it is not too clear if this means it will be more than one mini-DVD, but by my calculations each PSX CD is 650 megs, each mini-DVD is 1.5 gigs. So to clarify, here is my hard work, 650x4=2600 Megs, 2600/1500=1.73 mini-DVDs, but then you have to think about the compression that the GAMECUBE has. Silicon Knight will definitely find a way to put this game onto one GameCube disc.

If this game is like most any other game from the world of Nintendo 2nd party developers it will be well worth its weight in gold, even though gold isn't quite what it used to be anymore. This game seems like it shouldn't have a problem releasing on time - whenever SK would like to release that date – seeing how it has been in the works since early 98'. Hopefully Too Human will live up to the expectations of all the gamers with hopeful eyes and drooling mouths, but that will have to be held off until this gem is released for everyone to enjoy.