Comment
Without a final documented verdict we may never truly know the entire story behind the pending lawsuit between Silicon Knights and Epic Games. Nor should we care, at least in this point in time.
What would it change anyway?
Would it really make you feel better to know that Denis Dyack and company failed to utilize the Unreal Engine solely on their own? Or, would it make you even happier to know that Epic Games did in fact withhold precious development tools and software updates to help Gears of War distinguish itself from pack?
What would it change anyway?
Would it take away the fact that Gears of War is one of the most highly-rated titles of this generation? Or, would you rush out and purchase Too Human immediately if you knew its problems were a result of fraud and lack of support? Would you feel sorry for them? Would you feel happy for the other? Would you even care?
Most likely not, and nothing can alter the fact that as we speak Too Human is either shipping to stores or already available for purchase. This means no verdict of any kind can make this game better, or worse than it currently is. It's finished and ready to be judged by the masses. But in a way, the judging process began months ago, didn't it? Many have taken sides in a war that seems years away in resolution, and consequently this will be the largest hurdle that Too Human must overcome. It must somehow appeal and vie for a second chance among a section of gamers that have already forgotten about it, and in our industry that's not accomplished very often. Combine this with the already known problems in gameplay, and you're left with a serious hill to climb, even for a highly-budgeted title like Too Human.
However, no matter which side of the argument you reside on, you should know this; I've had the opportunity to experience this game twice already, and both times I enjoyed it. Too Human isn't a bad game, and honestly nothing could be further from the truth. Those who say otherwise likely had either preconceived notions, or lacked a true understanding of what this title intends to be in the first place. If you can go into this game with a clear mind, you will most likely enjoy it. Everyone else can wait for the lawsuit to clear up. Maybe that will help them make up their mind. 
Of course, there are a few gameplay aspects that weren't executed properly, which certainly doesn't help its cause. For starters, the decision to map all attacks to the right analog stick was an unusual one. This allows the player full 360-motion while aiming, which works exceptionally well for melee weapons, but it's not too forgiving on those carrying firearms. Because of the fact that there's no direct way of rotating the camera ' pressing the left bumper will center it, but not pan it ' enemies located in the rear are almost impossible to lock on to. However, to the game's credit, most enemies at least start out in front of your party, therefore granting you direct access and clear viewpoints of your targets. There are approximately 50 or 60 enemies approaching from the distance at any given moment, so the need to lock on to a single target doesn't happen too much, at least in wide-open spaces. This really only becomes a situation in close quarters, or when you need to isolate a superior foe from a large group.
The boss battles are the main concern in this regard. Many require you to wear down a specific piece of armor or body part in order to defeat it. This becomes problematic, especially when it's surrounded by a large number of additional foes. All you can do here is aim in the general direction and hope for the best. Sure, you can flick the right analog stick and cycle through various targets, but the chances of actually selecting its left arm or back leg are slim to none, especially while on the run.
Thankfully, a large number of abilities and a handful of character classes exist if firearms aren't your thing. Berserker (master of melee), Champion (well-rounded), Defender (increased armor and health), Commando (master of ranged weapons), and Bio Engineer (can heal self and allies) are all available choices, each of which can be customized to fit your style. The skill tree is also fairly deep, and offers over 20 individual choices to allocate advancement points to. Some will grant you actual abilities (Hunger of the Bear: summons a spirit to shred all enemies) while others will only affect certain attributes (Hero's Heart: increases melee attack speed). Each skill must be built up to a certain level before you can advance to the next one, and there's also the option to respec the current tree, therefore allowing you to reallocate any points you spent previously. This ensures you're never stuck with unwanted powers or skills.
Of course, the most impressive feature found in Too Human are the thousands of weapons, items, and armor waiting to be discovered. Not only can you buy and find these scattered throughout your journey, but you will also uncover weapon and armor blueprints. These blueprints allow you to see the required level you must reach in order to wear it, how much it will cost to craft it, and even view its appearance. This allows you to determine if it's worth your money now, or if you should hold out for something better down the road. Also on this list are Runes and Charms. Runes are small stones that can be attached to weapons and armor for a variety of attribute boosts (health +6%, laser damage +7%, etc). There are even runes that apply color to your equipment; this way those odd green-tinted gauntlets aren't ruining your style. Keep in mind, though, individual runes can only be equipped once, so choose wisely.
Charms work a bit differently, but can be just as beneficial to your success in the long run. These have individual missions or prerequisites attached to them. For example, one may require you to kill 400 Dark Elves, while the other may only ask you to find 10 Blueprints. Anytime you complete these checklists you will receive a bonus weapon or piece of armor as your reward. Charms come in a variety of levels and mission types, and you can expect the higher level stones to result in much harder to find loot.
In the end, how well you appreciate Too Human will be dependent on several factors. Those who love discovering items, creating their custom character, and fighting wave after wave of relentless hordes will wholeheartedly embrace this experience. Combine those aspects with a strong (though sometimes hokey) story and a downright beautiful visual style, and you're left with an attractive offering. However, those who cringe at the thought of hacking their way through thousands of repetitious enemy designs likely won't be converted here. Not even 10 years of development time can change that.
