Totally Human Review: Failure to Lunch
Transcript
We framed fine here. This thing has that weird flap, I can't like see myself, so I have to like check here.
I'll try to shut it.
Am I in frame?
Oh.
Yeah.
I can't.
Uh-huh. Yeah.
I tried my best.
Almost there. Here we go.
I need that box.
Just a bit outside.
Hey everybody, my name is Chris Yee.
And I am Joey Evans.
Today we're taking a look at Totally Human.
Totally Human.
Completely and absolutely human. This has nothing to do with any Yeah. Oh my gosh, was it 6 years ago when uh Among Us kind of kind of took took the world by storm?
What is Among Us?
Okay, cool. Well, um go back to watching Ace Ventura and
Oh, yes. I know. How so?
This is kind of a hidden role game of sorts and kind of a question-answery game of sorts.
Yes. This is It's has an identity crisis.
I see what you did there. This is a party game from Caspar Bitewing Games, art by Dom 2D who did the very adorable art in Bomb Busters.
Ooh, yeah. I can see that.
So, attractive-looking little game here. So, let me show you how it plays and then we'll come back and give you our thoughts. Here's Totally Human set up on the table, in this case for four players, though it's a party game, so it does go up to eight. Each player is going to be given all the components of one color, so four of their little markers here, a set of cards in their color numbered one through five, and then a big red button which you will use at the end of the game along with these rockets over here. In the meantime, as this is a hidden role game, players are going to be dealt three cards from the deck of hidden roles. You are either going to be a human, which means you are dealt a hand of all human cards like this player was here, or you will be an alien, meaning that at least one of the alien cards was dealt to you. If a single alien card is dealt to you, then you are considered an alien for this entire game or for the entire round.
If you are a human, then you can ignore the numbers on these cards. These numbers correspond to the one through five on these little questions that we'll be answering, trying to determine who at the table is a human and who is an alien. So, if you're human, you don't have to worry about these numbers. If you are an alien, over the course of three questions and answers, you're going to have to answer with these exact numbers. One of them has to be answered a one, one will have to be answered a two, and one will have to be answered a four. So, any aliens have to remember what these cards are, and now let's set up one of those questions. Here's the first of three questions that we'll have to answer. Which of these would be the most helpful for living on a rocket? An evocative chisel, a gluttonous hammer, a nutritious saw, a nostalgic screwdriver, or an addictive wrench? So, each player is going to take one of their own cards here that are numbered one through five and reveal an answer. Remember that since the red player here is an alien, they will have to, across three questions, answer one, two, and four in any order that they so desire. So, this person's going to say, "Well, I I certainly think an evocative chisel would be very good." Any human players can answer with whatever card they so choose to put in.
Once everyone is ready, they'll reveal their answers, and we see here that three of the people said that a nutritious saw would be the most helpful thing, whereas this person said an evocative chisel. Now, accusations may fly, people may feel to defend themselves, and you will mark your answers by placing one of your pieces out onto that exact area so people can remember how you answered, and then you'll proceed to two more questions like this, and then we'll let let's look at an end of round state. So, here we are at the end of three questions and their answers from the respective players. And one note I should make is that you are able to use these cards multiple times in a row. Just because you've used a three in a previous round doesn't mean that you can't use a three in the next or in a future round. Especially as the aliens have to play according to what their cards were dealt.
Now that we see all of the answers here, the point of the game is to successfully launch a rocket that survives. How does this happen? Well, if you are human, your goal is to be in the single largest rocket that has only humans on it. If there is a tie, let's say that there are I don't know if all of these people are humans here and they launch like this, since no one is on the single largest rocket that is consists only of humans, none of these players would win. The goal if you are an alien is that you want to get in good graces with at least one other human so that you have something to eat on the long rocket home. So players at this point are going to discuss and be arguing with each other, why did you answer this way? The saddest person leave behind on Earth would be a rusty bully. Green kind of sus.
Players then start assigning themselves into rockets and so the white player says, "Hey, um I feel pretty good about the blue player's answers. You you were pretty good except for everything here, yada yada yada." And blue says, "Hey, I'd like to jump in on your rocket." And the permission to enter a rocket has to be given by everyone on that rocket. And so the red player says, "I don't really trust green. I'd like to come over here with you guys because I'm definitely human and I want to be on the rocket with you. If I'm on this one here and these two are human and I'm human, I still don't win the game." And they say, "Ah, I don't know. You answered kind of weird but you can kind of justify each of the thing." If these two people say yes, then this person may board the rocket. This player over here is now looking to try to jump in and everyone says, "No, you answered kind of weird." So they're on their own. At this point once a player in fact not even all players have to be on board if all players decide to push the big red button and launch their rocket, then they go off and they are established. So this player would come over here and launch on their own.
Now this player, red, is going to reveal or all players in this rocket will reveal their identity. Red was an alien as we knew all along and the others were humans. Tasty snack for red. And so red is going to win the game, blue and white will lose. Now if green was human and they are by themselves, they could also win as they would be the largest single rocket with only humans in it. However, green was also an alien and therefore they lose the game because they did not have anything to eat and red in this case could be the sole winner. So that's the goal there, survive the rocket phase via trivia and that's how you play totally human.
So this is a game that's a kind of two games. It's a game in two halves, I should say I guess.
Yeah, it's almost like you mentioned before like it's two halves. Like it's almost like game A and game B. It feels that it's connected but it feels that different.
It's very strange. If someone asked me early on as I'm kind of explaining the game like hey okay you're going to get these these cards, here's your role and whatnot. Uh people how do you win? Like I promise I'll get there.
Right. Right. It It's weird because I party games generally it doesn't matter. Like I don't even know how to tell illustrations scores, you know? All that.
But this one it does have a win or lose that is a bit more defined than a lot of party games.
And it's if there's more variables. Okay, well it's you want to be in the rocket with the most humans. If they're all humans, if they get eaten, then a different rocket could be the one that has the most humans. Uh it's possible that there's tie and there's dead and then the with the aliens if you're an alien it's it's kind of this flowchart of like do you win or not? But I think and I think you need to know that to play. But at the same time it's funny no matter what ends up happening.
Oh, that's the biggest thing. The discussion that that happens in the first whatever 70% of the game, 80%. That's the best part of the game for me. By far.
Well, that's fine. I see I I think that those questions and the like looking at someone like you're that's a weird answer. Like that is that is fun. I enjoy that first like 70 80% of the game. But that last part where you're trying to like where people are begging. And I've never had a a table play this and not kind of role play a little bit of like gling gling gling. Guys, let me in, please.
I can see that. Yeah. It's It's interesting because like honestly I what I like about that part at the end there the reveal when you see if they're aliens or whatever. Um, but I like the fact that you find out they're human and they just have just wacky decisions on there and you're like, why would you what? Why would you choose the fire resistant hammer or whatever, you know?
Right. Yeah. Like the most useful thing you could think of. Most useful tool in the world you could think of was a yeah, was a fire resistant hammer. And you're like I mean, that other one said like lucky saw. And like yes.
That doesn't make any sense.
A lucky saw would clearly be better. Most Yeah, most hammers are fairly flame resistant. And also why am I hammering near fire?
I
I know.
But yeah, that's that's the thing. This is one of those games where yeah, that part is kind of it just drives discussion. And you leave with with interesting memories.
Yeah.
It's a little bit of a fragile game, maybe. Where some of the questions and some of the times if you're dealt a weird hand of alien cards.
Right.
I have been dealt a hand that was 3 3 3. And one of them was an alien card. So I had to answer three the whole time.
Mhm.
And it's it immediately makes you look suspicious, but also in a weird way not.
Yes, and that's for me it's fragile in the fact that that last number is crucial. It could be something that's completely indefensible. And you've got to find a way to be like Here it is.
I thought you meant this thing. Oh, you know, oops.
Yeah.
Yeah.
It gives you that Dixit feel, sort of.
It does, yeah. What's the other game actually? You mentioned Dixit, it reminds me a little bit of um another one of those games that has like the the art, the the you don't know what the word is like one person doesn't know what the word is, they have to play out kind of like
Detective Club. Detective Club.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Chameleon. There's those types of games where you have to like blend in, you have to fit in, right? And this kind of does that in a way where some games one person just like says a a strange answer cuz they didn't have the number dealt to them for the painfully obvious one, and that [clears throat] is less fun of an experience, right?
Right.
There are also times though that someone at the table who's actually a human just picks a strange thing and everyone's like, why why did you say that? And they're like, no, I really meant it.
That is so especially when you're like obviously that's a horrible answer and they're like I'm human. I feel really bad right now, you know, so those moments are great. Those I do like. One thing I don't like about the end is I'm not a big social deduction person. I always feel bad and they're like, just let me in your ship and I'm like, no. I'm like, yeah, sure, come on in. I'm I'm really bad on that.
Sure.
I cave a lot.
It It is a nice little dynamic that yeah, the whole ship kind of has to you know, everyone in that rocket has to discuss it. Are we letting the that the that filthy, you know, green player in? I don't know, right? It's I think that helps.
We did do it at a point where I'm like, come on in. I do the click and the guy next to me like, lock. I'm like, click. And like, lock. I'm like, I did my best, man. Guess you're out there.
I think some people are going to be bothered by the fact that what you alluded to earlier, the last question is unknown. You don't lay out all three questions from the beginning, that way the alien can kind of formulate their plan. Right. They just have to whatever that last card is, they have to use it. That can be unfortunate, but I do think that it probably fits the weight and and quickness of this game better. Because if you have laid out all the questions ahead of time, the alien sitting there studying his cards and looking at the answers, well, it's very obvious that they're an alien at that point.
Right. Right.
Cuz then the humans don't have to do that.
Yeah.
I think the game tries to get out of its way there. The game gets in its own way a little bit with the the the two phases, the two halves of the game. It's It's not a very clear and cut party game. Like just one
Mhm.
You can teach that game in 3 seconds.
Yes.
This one it's going to take you an entire gameplay and someone at the end, after seeing not just the questions and the rocket phase, but also the reveal at the end, and then you re-explaining what it means when two human ships with three people each are tied, that they don't win.
Yeah.
It kind of takes one whole game for people to really catch on and say "Oh, I see what this game is doing."
Yeah.
I get it. And I feel the same way cuz it's again after you're like, "Oh, I got it now."
Yeah.
But But they will enjoy this entire situation.
Right.
Which is great.
It's also, I think, in to in in its favor, given that it's a strange structure party game, it is fun enough to just say, "Redeal. Play again."
Yes.
You got it now, cool.
It is quick enough.
Yeah. There are games I love that are like that. Decrypto is a fantastic word team-based game. You're not really going to understand how that game flows until you finish a whole game of it. And it's still one of my favorites, so I can be forgivable of that, but I think that you ought to know going in. This is not just like super simple just one or so Clover kind of party game.
Right. And I say it scores, but I think you're when you walk away, you forget if you won or lost. You just forget them. You just remember the moments that happened in there, which is what makes this a good party game.
Right. First section.
And I think that you particularly, to stereotype you and put you in a box right now, you're a FILTHY GREEN PERSON.
YES, I AM.
NOW, to to I to kind of stereotype you, you love games that have those moments.
Yes, I do.
A memorable moment is like
It's gold.
Yeah, it's it's gold, right? Because you have that with the people. Remember the time that John talked about the you know, it talked about the uh um the fireproof toothbrush or whatever. Like
The gluttonous lighthouse.
Yes. Yes. Stuff like that.
Yeah.
So, if you love moments, I think that this is going to going to excel for that despite its kind of strange structure. Um score-wise I think I'll go first. I think that you might like this one more than me. I'm giving this one a 7.5. It's a solid recommendation with the little caveat of it might be too strange structurally. But someone pointed out something that really brought me to to appreciate it turned brought me around on appreciating it more how strange the structure is. One of my favorite games for sale is a two-act game.
Yes.
The first half and the second half are very different from each other and yet they work just fine. Uh I think that this is a game you just kind of teach the first half, right? If you're an alien, try to hide. Okay. And people just kind of naturally do that. And now here's here's I'm going to teach you the whole second half of the game partway through the game. Uh and it's going to be weird, but trust me. And then it turns into magic. It almost is like a Jackbox game in that sense.
Mhm.
And so if you like those Jackbox party games, this is kind of that in board game form. So, that's why it's for me it's a 7.5.
Coming in actually a bit lower at a 7. And I think what stops this is the ending. I really might have under sold how I just feel I don't love that ending. Where people are trying to convince you, "Let me in." All that stuff. I'm like, "Okay." It just feels so disconnected. That first part of the game is great. But that last one it's like, "Oh, just let me in. Let me in." I'm like, "Okay." I don't know. I'm not a But see, I'm also not a big social deduction person. I'm just not.
And I'm not either actually.
Yeah, that and that's true. That's true. So, I don't know. I'm But I do recommend this game because of the moments when those when you start betting or or not betting, you're putting your number down, hearing those discussions, that's fantastic. Especially the fact that later you can look at those and and have a lot more knowledge about those discussions of like, "So, you didn't have to choose that. You're a human and you said, 'What's wrong with you?'"
Yeah, extroverted bully? Like
Yes. Why would you pick that?
It's so Yeah, it's like it's But again, the the the fragility of that final card I think does kind of sometimes affect the game. Your word of fragile is I think where it is. You know, I think I think it is very fragile. But it does hit a lot of lot of a lot of those just silly conversations you have.
I think it hits more than it misses, but it can miss. So, I think you should be aware of that.
Yes. Yeah, yeah. I agree.
Yeah. All right. Well, very interesting. We're both recommending here Totally Human as a party game.
here.
Yes, we will Yes, when we turn off the cameras surely one of us is not going to be having the other for dinner. So, thanks everyone. My name is Chris Yee.
I'm Joe Evans.
And be safe out there. There's some weirdos. We're Totally Human.
Hey everybody, thanks for watching another video from The Dice Tower. Hey, you want to learn more about us, communicate with us, we have a Facebook group, we have a Discord channel. Lots of different ways to get involved with The Dice Tower. You can find that in our link tree link below. So, just click that and it will take you and you can communicate with us on Facebook, join our Facebook group. So, there's lots of cool things that you can find and become part of the Dice Tower. Thanks so much for watching. I'm Tom Vasel. Hold on. I might have a sneeze here. Hold on. Ooh. I might have a sneeze. Wait.
Your powers of sneezing are tremendous.
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Hey everyone, my name is habichu. Habichu.
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How about you?
How about you?
What going on?
I'm a bumblebee tuna.
I'm a bumblebee tuna. Bumblebee tuna.
Allow me to show my appreciation.
That doesn't hold up at all.
You think that masterpiece doesn't hold up?
Oh, 100% it does.
Okay, which one's better? Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls or Casablanca?
Oh, When Nature Calls.
Right. Yeah.
Which one would you watch more?
I mean, I know which sequel I'd watch more.