HUMANITY

2023 is quickly coming to a close, which means it’s time for some end-of-year reflection. And what better topic to reflect on than video games? Hopefully you’ve already checked out TapTap’s overall Game of the Year 2023 list, but I want to highlight my personal favorites from this year. You can share your own picks in the comments or by making a post on TapTap using the tag #TapTap GOTY 2023.

PLAY IT OR SKIP IT? Play it, especially if you like either dogs or puzzles! Humanity is perhaps one of the strangest and most strangely addicting puzzlers I’ve ever played. I could go on about the intricate puzzle designs that incorporate jumping, floating, shooting, moving obstacles, and weighted switches; or I could focus on how the game tested my spatial awareness, logic, reflexes, memorization, and planning. What really got me, though, was the absurdity of playing as a Shiba Inu herding the masses to the light. It really got me thinking about the nature of being a human, who we follow, what happens after we die, and what you would call a dog that herds humans. I have no idea if this was intentional, but I loved these unintended consequences all the same. Add to that a very cool customization element and you've got a damn fine puzzler.

Humanity (Reviewed) Developer: tha ltd. Publisher: Enhance Released: May 15th, 2023 Price: $30 USD Humanity is, in its most basic form, a platforming puzzle game that follows the story of a Shiba Inu who is entrusted with leading crowds of humans through a story mode campaign of stages. The game varies from a range of difficulties, in which they can be very time consuming and frustrating to down right Childs play. I would like to emphasis that I did actually enjoy a fair amount of the puzzles presented in this game, with some grievances towards some of the other elements.