We do often include affiliate links to earn us some pennies. See more here.
YouTube Thumbnail
YouTube videos require cookies, you must accept their cookies to view. View cookie preferences.
Accept Cookies & Show   Direct Link

Human: Fall Flat is an open-ended physics puzzler with an optional local co-op mode, developed by No Brakes Games, and available now on Steam for Linux.

The game touts exploration set in floating dreamscapes, and looks right up my alley, so I decided to buy a copy in spite of being on vacation with no means to download and play for several days yet. That being the case, I'm unable to offer any initial impressions, but it looks like a lot of fun, and this section from the FAQ on their website is what sealed the deal for me:

QuoteI have a Mac/Linux, can I play?
Mac and Linux versions are available and are first-class citizens!


I contacted the publisher about the possibility of a DRM free version of the game, but unfortunately there are currently no plans for one, though that may change in the future.

About the game (from Steam)
Bob is just a normal human with no superpowers, but given the right tools he can do a lot. Misuse the tools and he can do even more!

The world of Human: Fall Flat features advanced physics and innovative controls that cater for a wide range of challenges. Bob’s dreams of falling are riddled with puzzles to solve and distractions to experiment with for hilarious results. The worlds may be fantastical, but the laws of physics are very real.

Will you try to open that mysterious door, or would you rather see how far you can throw a speaker set out that window?

Features
  • Direct and complete control of the character. Nothing is scripted and no limits imposed.
  • Fully interactive environments, grab anything, climb anything, carry anything.
  • Local co-op mode for you and a friend to tackle the worlds together.
  • Paint your own custom Bob or even import your face onto his via webcam.
  • 8 beautiful dreamscapes to explore with many puzzles to solve.
  • Unlimited replay value created by you thinking outside the box.


Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Tags: Puzzle, Steam | Apps: Human Fall Flat
0 Likes
About the author -
author picture
A big fan of platformers, puzzle games, point-and-click adventures and niche indie games.

I run the Hidden Linux Gems group on Steam, where we highlight good indie games for Linux that we feel deserve more attention.
See more from me
The comments on this article are closed.
All posts need to follow our rules. For users logged in: please hit the Report Flag icon on any post that breaks the rules or contains illegal / harmful content. Guest readers can email us for any issues.
7 comments

tuubi Jul 25, 2016
View PC info
  • Supporter Plus
Reminds me of Octodad, but that one's all about the silly story and always has clear objectives IIRC. Despite the slapstick and the occasional laughs I found the gameplay a bit frustrating.

This game on the other hand almost seems like it could be a bit too open and directionless. Even the playable character seems bland by design. Of course, the puzzles could be worth it. I'll have to check out some reviews. Or maybe wait for yours, once you're back from your trip.
no_information_here Jul 26, 2016
I like the look of this. The reviews mention that it is a bit on the short side, but the style appeals to me. Saying that Linux is a "first-class citizen" is really nice to hear from a dev.

I look forward to your review, flesk!
Seegras Jul 26, 2016
I have it, and played a few levels, and they're far from directionless. Yes, you can do what you want, but ultimately you want to find the exit, and this means to solve puzzles.

I like it. Had it not been for Shadows of Kurgansk (Of which I now played the whole first setting through), I would have played this more.
Smaloki Jul 26, 2016
Reminds me of Octodad, but that one's all about the silly story and always has clear objectives IIRC. Despite the slapstick and the occasional laughs I found the gameplay a bit frustrating.

This game on the other hand almost seems like it could be a bit too open and directionless. Even the playable character seems bland by design. Of course, the puzzles could be worth it. I'll have to check out some reviews. Or maybe wait for yours, once you're back from your trip.

The character looks "bland" by default because you can paint it any way you want.

Also, the game is actually separated into floating islands. There's a clear distinction between levels, so while it might look more open than Octodad at first, it's actually just as linear. And since you're not controlling your limbs separately, it's less frustrating to play. You basically move around as you'd expect from a third person game, except you're arms - if you decide to grab something - will be "aimed" by the camera (if you look up, you arms will point upwards; if you look down, you arms will point downwards; if you want to climb up a ledge, you jump toward it while looking at the sky, grab onto it at the right moment and then look downwards in order for your character to pull himself up - it may sound a little weird at first, but it's actually pretty intuitive).
tuubi Jul 26, 2016
View PC info
  • Supporter Plus
The character looks "bland" by default because you can paint it any way you want.
The visual aspect is only part of the "blandness" though. I meant in a more general sense. I did notice the customization stuff but that just kinda proves that the character is generic and there simply to facilitate the gameplay. Or maybe not. These are just my impressions based on this article and a quick skim of the trailer.

Also, I'm not saying that this is necessarily a bad thing. Just an observation. Plenty of great games with generic characters out there.

Also, the game is actually separated into floating islands. There's a clear distinction between levels, so while it might look more open than Octodad at first, it's actually just as linear.
Aw. I'm actually a bit disappointed if it's "just as linear." Certainly seems like there'd be more freedom in solving the puzzles. That's even one of the featured selling points.

And since you're not controlling your limbs separately, it's less frustrating to play.
That's nice. Octodad did feel like a bit of a gimmick, even if it was reasonably well executed.

EDIT: Must... fix... typo.


Last edited by tuubi on 26 July 2016 at 2:31 pm UTC
N30N Jul 26, 2016
Wow, none of you guys played the relatively popular game, Gang Beasts? This is clearly very heavily inspired by it.


Last edited by N30N on 26 July 2016 at 9:43 pm UTC
flesk Jul 26, 2016
View PC info
  • Contributing Editor
Only the style and the ragdoll physics, according to the developer:

In case you're interested, the inspiration for the game (not the animation) comes from Portal and Limbo.

I've not played Gang Beasts yet, but it's a fighting game, whereas this is a puzzle game.
While you're here, please consider supporting GamingOnLinux on:

Reward Tiers: Patreon. Plain Donations: PayPal.

This ensures all of our main content remains totally free for everyone! Patreon supporters can also remove all adverts and sponsors! Supporting us helps bring good, fresh content. Without your continued support, we simply could not continue!

You can find even more ways to support us on this dedicated page any time. If you already are, thank you!
The comments on this article are closed.