What parents need to know
Inhuman Resources: A Literary Machination is a visual novel by the Quebec studio Finnegan Motors.
The game begins as you play as a desperate and, let’s face it, a little pathetic unemployed man. Discouraged, he answers the call of his aunt who offers him a job in a mysterious company, Smyrnacorp, so that he can finally pay his rent.
Except that it turns out that Smyrnacorp is anything but a normal company. It is in fact a multinational company that works in the shadows to change the course of history, with means that are unorthodox to say the least.
In concrete terms, Inhuman Resources takes the form of an interactive novel. Depending on the choices we make, we will forge our character, his destiny and that of the world. The story can therefore take several different turns depending on our decisions.
A few small puzzles also embellish the story to add a touch of interactivity.
Details
Level of experience required
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Evaluation
Inhuman Resources: A Literary Machination is a horror game that doesn’t shy away from presenting us with both gore scenes and more existential horror.
Sexual comments are implied, but there is nothing explicit.
The title being above all an interactive novel, you should expect to read, and a lot. The level of vocabulary is sometimes high.
Inhuman Resources: A Literary Machination offers us a reflection on the freedom of choice and the sacrifices we are willing to make to access happiness, but our character is forced to commit a lot of atrocities along the way.
We have plenty of time to read and think about puzzle solutions at our ease.
Not only does the title not offer any additional transactions, but the game is offered at a very affordable price: $14.99 on PC and $7.99 on mobile.
Local game modes
The story is playable solo.
Online Game Modes
None.
Expansions/Add-ons (DLC)
None.
Our opinion
The visual novel is a particular genre that you have to know how to appreciate and that will not suit everyone. However, if you’re a fan of thriller and horror (and know how to handle discomfort), then Inhuman Resources should appeal to you.
We still have to note some small spelling and agreement mistakes, but fortunately, these are minor and do not detract from the appreciation of the scenario.
On the other hand, even if the genre is centered around reading, we would have appreciated more interactivity. Of the few puzzles on offer, one stands out. In one of the missions, it is a question of listening to black and white videotapes and identifying a particular sequence from the opaque instructions that are offered to us. This puzzle, although slightly difficult, is interesting and energizes the game.
Unfortunately, the other small puzzles are more forgettable.
The role-playing mechanics are adequate. As we make decisions (and if we make the effort to find more complex solutions to our problems), we will be able to improve the characteristics of our character, who will become more empathetic or empathetic, for example. In turn, our qualities open up new dialogue options and new solutions to our problems, as well as the tools we can collect throughout the game.
If the gameplay of Inhuman Resources is slightly too thin, the writing is robust, comparing favorably to any horror novel. The game’s author shows great intelligence and skillfully immerses us in the strange and unique universe of Smyrnacorp.
