Common Sense Media Review
By Marc Saltzman
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Fascinating puzzle game requires strategic thinking.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 12+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Play
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Humanity
What's It About?
From Enhance Games, the same studio that created Rez and Tetris Effect, comes its latest puzzler, HUMANITY. In partnership with Japanese studio THA LTD., you control a Shiba Inu who must herd a massive, marching crowd of faceless humans across various intricate levels floating in the sky. The goal is to lead people to a glowing square, by placing down directional arrows for them to follow, when to jump to another platform, push blocks, avoid obstacles, and much more. If unsuccessful, the humans follow each other mindlessly, falling off ledges into the abyss, until you bark the right command to lead the horde to the end. As such, Humanity might best be described as a modern take on Lemmings. Played on a PlayStation 4 or 5, Windows PC, and with support for virtual reality (VR) headsets on all these machines, Humanity includes a deep Story mode and User mode/Stage Creator (currently in beta), which lets you make and share your own stages with others (or download other people's work, too). User-created levels support cross-platform play, therefore you can make a level on a PC but someone on a PS4 or PS5 can download and play it. Story mode gets more intricate over time, with themed levels, extra challenges (like blowing fans, laser guns, and switches you stand on), and huge fights between humans. All versions of the game look and play the same between them (with or without the optional VR support).
Is It Any Good?
Humanity is an exceptionally good game. Between its smart and challenging puzzles, support for user-created levels, and charming presentation (including quirky visual style and an amazing soundtrack), this is a "must play" for fans of puzzle games. It's also under $30, which is considerably less than many other games today.
After you inexplicably wake up as a glowing white dog in story mode, the first thing gamers will notice is how cleverly your tasks are layered into the levels. The developers gently introduce new commands (and tools) at your disposal to complete each of the nearly 100 levels, so it never feels overwhelming, but becomes more and more challenging with each successive level and themed sections (like Fate and War, when competing hordes of humans are introduced). Besides puzzles, there are action/combat elements and platforming portions to keep things fresh. Trial and error, and a bunch of patience, is required -- but it's oh so gratifying when your Shiba Inu can get the crowds to do what's needed. Along with multiple challenges per level, there are also "Goldies" (gold characters) to collect, if desired, as an added challenge (not required). This nicely adds to the game's replayability -- not to mention the level designer and User mode, to download other people's levels. Reviewed using Steam code (on a Windows PC), I wasn't able to test the VR component, but even on a regular computer monitor it proved to be a real treat (game controller recommended). And it's quite the bizarre sight to witness thousands of people, like ants, all jumping, climbing up ledges, flying into the air or stepping on pressure plates. Humanity is a great action-puzzle game that's worth your time and money. It's an engaging and wonderfully strange title you'll likely play over and over again and tell your friends about.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the massive, faceless mobs in Humanity. Is this scary? Is it creepy they all do the exact same thing, walk aimlessly and even fall off ledges? Or does having less personalized characters make you feel different about what happens to them in the game?
While Humanity doesn't have any inappropriate content, parents concerned about video games (and other media) should bookmark Common Sense Media for its helpful reviews, articles, and guides.
Game Details
- Platforms : PlayStation 5 , Windows , Oculus Rift , Oculus Quest , PlayStation 4 , PlayStation VR
- Pricing structure : Paid ($29.99)
- Available online? : Available online
- Publisher : Enhance Games
- Release date : May 16, 2023
- Genre : Puzzle
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Adventures
- ESRB rating :
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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