Corporate Horror, Where You Don't Want To Find Out The Company's Secret | Inhuman Resources: A Literary Machination Spoiler Free Review
What is that big bad corporation trying to hide?
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Inhuman Resources: A Literary Machination
Developer: Finnegan Motors
Publisher: Indie Asylum
Socials: Indie Asylum’s Twitter, Discord, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram
Price: $14.99
Disclosure: I received a free review copy of this product from https://www.keymailer.co
Inhuman Resources: A Literary Machination is an immersive choose-your-own-adventure horror game with great writing and chilling atmosphere, in which you assume the role of an employee of a corporation with many secrets. I really can’t say much without spoiling what made this game so interesting, but I can say what made it so engaging.
How Inhumane Are We Talking?
You’re a loser, a nobody, the type of person who could’ve done something in their life, and yet, did nothing. You haven’t hit rock bottom yet, but you’re so close to it that you could get off a stool and reach it. You’ve been living in your aunt's apartment, but after two months of unpaid rent and a depression that prevents you from cleaning, showering, and applying for jobs, your aunt gives you an ultimatum: get a job to pay the rent, or get out.
Lucky, or not, for you, your aunt’s job just got a vacant spot, and with a couple of lies, she can get you in and get some money flowing into her pockets. You have no choice but to agree, and you have no choice but to go to an interview the next day. But one foot through the door, and everything seems off. Everything seems…
Going Through The Motions
Now, let me tiptoe around why I liked this game.
Inhuman Resources: A Literary Machination is basically a book. Everything is wonderfully described, the dialogue feels so good and real, and quick-paced moments feel intense. Each character introduced has a quirk that adds their charm (or anxiety) to the story, and each character feels fleshed out enough to care for, and not only were they fun and interesting, but they also gave more meaning to the overall story. It’s like everything mentioned and shown matters, so it never feels like what I was reading wasn’t important.
As previously mentioned, this is an interactive book, in which there is very little active gameplay, but there are some mechanics. Through answering questions, paying attention to certain situations, and exploring dialogue options, you can unlock items or skills that will unlock more choices that will be helpful at different points in the story.
There are also a couple of sections you’ll be clicking through equipment tied to those scenes. While the interactivity aspect of it is minimal, it’s a change of pace that adds to the intensity of certain situations that wouldn’t be possible with a traditional book.
What I truly do believe is that this game would greatly benefit from voice acting. We’ve seen examples, such as Disco Elysium or Slay The Princess that greatly benefit from that. Not only that, but it was also kind of silly hearing the same voice clips used over and over again.
And while everything is beautifully described and characterized, it would’ve been nice to have some visual imagery. The same background is used for the entire game, but imagine if they were to slap in just a basic drawing of each of the spots you go to, of each person you meet (not just a portrait). Because it’s an interactive book, there’s a bit more they could’ve done to take advantage of their media that, while maybe not completely necessary, would’ve helped more with immersion.
Can I Get A Promotion?
At its heart, Inhuman Resources: A Literary Machination is a book. The developers take advantage of the medium by adding multiple choices, turning it into a choose-your-own-adventure game, adding some fun events tied to the narrative, and short paragraphs and sentences keep the pacing tight and intense.
While it is a tremendous book that, depending on your reading speed, could be finished in around 6 hours (It took me longer due to my own reading pace, but I was still hooked), it feels like they could’ve done more to showcase its beautiful and horrifying narrative, such as adding more drawings, changing the backgrounds, etc.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND:
It is for people who love to read horror books, choose-your-own-adventure games, and want a reading experience with some activities thrown in from time to time.
If you’ve played this or know other great narrative horror games, let me know in the comments below! Always a fan of the horrible.