Human Guise partially exposed with Chapter I release

Written by Jack Allin — January 5, 2022 at 10:34

There's a series of homicides needing to be solved in solo developer Morgana A.T.'s Human Guise, though for now we'll have to make do with a short introductory chapter setting the stage for the larger mystery to follow. 

Players control an FBI agent named Ada Thornton, who arrives in a small town with her partner in the middle of winter to investigate a string of "brutal murders." Both are consummate professionals who are "focused and well-prepared," but they are also "just people, with their own stories, secrets and fears" that will be put to the test before this case is closed. In order to identify the culprit, players will need to interrogate the locals, at least some of which "may not be who they seem at first sight." 

Set in the universe of H.P. Lovecraft and presented in a largely black-and-white hand-drawn art style, Human Guise promises an "elaborate dark plot" to uncover. Rather than focusing on puzzle solving, the gameplay emphasis is on dialogue and paying careful attention to the environment for clues. The deeper you dig, the closer you'll get to a solution that "may be very unexpected." Indeed, once the truth is exposed, the two agents "may regret it, [as] this investigation will irrevocably change" their lives forever.

The series' debut installment is a short one, offering between thirty minutes to an hour of play time, largely introducing the game's characters and point-and-click mechanics. Budget-priced accordingly, Human Guise: Chapter I is available now for download on Steam and itch.io.