Humanity

Humanity joins the stable of games published by Enhance that are weird and wonderful in all the right ways. Its abstract visual style, strange premise and trippy soundtrack all sit on top of its unique brain-teasing challenges, creating a game that quickly gets its hooks in you and doesn’t let go. For puzzle fans, or those who simply like their games out of the ordinary, this is a must-play.

Lead a river of humans through complex levels in this delightful, ingenious and generous puzzler.

It does make me wonder, though, if this existentialist aesthetic was chosen for any particular reason or just because story mode necessitates the presence of a story and if you make the story’s theme “stuff sure is confusing” nothing really needs to make sense. As I said earlier, humanity’s puzzle mechanics are extremely strong, with each stage requiring a satisfying blend of intuition and experience to successfully complete. Its stage creation and sharing functions are similarly friendly and effective. The people could just as easily be water flowing through a zen garden or fish swimming thro...

A fantastically clever puzzler that would be perfectly welcome if it was just a 3D Lemmings clone, but it soon evolves into something far more imaginative and unpredictable.

Perhaps one of 2023’s strangest releases is the minimalistic and bleak puzzle game, Humanity. Controlling an endless line of faceless and mindless beings through a series of trials is the game’s protagonist, a ghostly Shiba Inu who is able to set commands for the marching masses. The bizarre premise makes for a triumphant puzzle game of increasing complexity that when at its strongest, is nothing short of art in motion.

Enhance has released some of the greatest and most unique puzzlers to date. Tetris Effect: Connected took the iconic title to all new heights, combining music and gameplay to create an awe-inspiring experience, while Rez Infinite rebooted and perfected a classic. Developed by THA Limited, Humanity looks to follow the same path and deliver a puzzle extravaganza like no other. With its quirky concept and distinct design, could this be your next addiction?

Tetsuya Mizuguchi is one of the most important and underrated developers to come from the Sega side of the Japanese industry. Even though most people associate creative and bizarre ideas with Nintendo, his titles, such as Space Channel 5, Rez, as well as post-Dreamcast titles like Tetris Effect, Lumines, and Meteos (this one having been developed alongside Masahiro Sakurai) are some of the most creative and beloved hidden gems of the Japanese gaming industry. When his company, Enhance, announ...

Dogs are often said to be man’s best friend, but the one in tha and Enhance’s Humanity is more than that. This bizarre puzzler stars a lone and ethereal Shiba Inu as they guide humanity to the light, serving as a godlike figure who also undoubtedly enjoys the occasional belly rub. It’s a premise that seems like it would almost solely rely on its quirkiness to the detriment of its gameplay, but while its goofy charm is endearing, it’s a mostly engaging puzzle game full of brain-bending yet easy-to-grasp mechanics.

In many respects, Humanity feels very much like something Sony's Japan Studio would've made about 15 years ago. We of course mean that as a compliment; an experimental game that doesn't quite conform to normal conventions, instead carving out a new path with a weird, singular vision. We can put this bizarre new puzzler from Enhance Games and tha ltd on a podium alongside LocoRoco and Patapon — unusual but charming spins on long-established genres.

A pleasantly stress free puzzle game with a weird story and boss battles to boot. The level editor ensures there will always be something new to tax your brain, and it's a good addition to the PSVR 2 library as well.

You’re a dog, leading humanity through danger. You will make them commit countless murders.

Ultimately, focusing too closely on any puzzle solution misses what’s special about Humanity. In the days since playing, I’ve found myself most often thinking not about a specific mechanic, but what each level looks like once completed. By removing my ability to influence the stage, the completion screen presents the purest form of the game’s beautiful aesthetic: an unending river of people jumping, swimming, climbing. Orderly, but overwhelming. Moving, united, toward a singular goal.