Human Within may not revolutionize either gaming or cinema, but it does offer a glimpse of how these mediums might continue to evolve and merge in the future
Human Within represents an intriguing step forward in interactive storytelling through virtual reality, even if it doesn't quite reach its full potential. This narrative-driven VR experience blends live-action footage, 360-degree scenes, and light gameplay elements to tell a story about the intersection of human consciousness and artificial intelligence.
The narrative follows two sisters, Nyla and Linh, who have developed groundbreaking technology called Pasithea that can interface directly with the human brain. When their research attracts the attention of a tech bro, things quickly spiral out of control, leading to a tense situation where Nyla finds herself trapped with her comatose sister. As the player, you essentially become Linh's digital consciousness, helping Nyla escape their predicament while uncovering the truth behind their situation.
The presentation is where Human Within truly shines. The experience takes place primarily in a virtual command center environment, where multiple screens display synchronized footage from different camera angles. This multi-cam approach is particularly impressive, creating a sense of omniscience that aligns perfectly with the story's themes of digital consciousness and surveillance. The ability to grab and manipulate these virtual screens feels natural and adds to the immersion.
The game alternates between standard 2D footage viewed on virtual screens and full 360-degree VR scenes that put you directly in the action. The quality of the 360-degree footage is OK-ish for the medium, though it naturally doesn't match the clarity of the traditional footage. The development team has made smart choices in how they utilize each format, using the 360-degree scenes for key dramatic moments where full immersion enhances the emotional impact.
The gameplay elements are relatively straightforward and serve mainly to break up the narrative sequences. The primary interactive elements include pattern-matching puzzles where you manipulate cubes to create light paths, and investigation sequences where you explore photogrammetry-captured environments to find crucial information. This last part is very reminiscent of Cyberpunk 2077's braindance sequences. You can scrub through time, viewing events from multiple angles to piece together information. While the implementation can feel a bit clunky at times, especially when trying to position yourself to scan specific objects, it's an engaging way to deliver exposition and create moments of discovery.
Sure, these mechanics aren't particularly challenging or innovative, but they do provide enough interactivity to keep players engaged without detracting from the story's pacing. The branching narrative structure is another highlight, with choices made during key moments leading to five distinct endings. These decisions feel meaningful within the context of the story, though some paths can feel more natural than others.
A chapter select feature allows you to revisit key decision points, though the inability to skip through previously viewed scenes can make replaying for alternative endings feel somewhat tedious. The total runtime for a single playthrough is approximately 90 minutes, which feels appropriate for this type of experience. While some might find this brief, the multiple endings and branching paths provide reason to return, potentially tripling that playtime for completionists.
From a technical standpoint, Human Within runs well on the Quest 3, with smooth performance and quick loading times. The virtual command center interface is well-designed for VR interaction, and the various comfort options make the experience accessible even to those prone to motion sickness.
Human Within is best approached not as a traditional game but as an experiment in interactive cinema. It demonstrates the potential of VR as a medium for storytelling, even if it doesn't fully capitalize on all its possibilities. The combination of multi-angle footage, 360-degree scenes, and light interactive elements creates an experience that feels distinct from both traditional games and passive media.
While not every aspect of Human Within succeeds equally, its ambitious approach to storytelling and clever use of VR technology make it worth experiencing for those interested in the future of interactive entertainment. It serves as a proof of concept for what's possible when traditional filmmaking techniques are combined with virtual reality and player agency. If that sounds interesting to you, I'd recommend giving it a shot. Thanks for reading!
The game was reviewed on a Quest 3 via a code provided by PR. Human Within is available on Meta Quest.
