Once Human is the type of game that, at first glance, seems like it's impossible to translate onto other platforms. Bustling with in-depth mechanics for combat and open-world survival, an iPhone and Android port shouldn't work – yet developer Starry Studio makes it happen. In my recent sit-down with the studio, it shares with me the secrets to making Once Human mobile possible.
A mobile iteration of Once Human isn't just a "strategic goal" to reach more players. It's actually about "preserving community integrity", the studio tells me. Once Human is a sci-fi open-world game, teeming with influences from everything between Stranger Things and the surrealist genius of Twin Peaks. There's even a dash of Soulslike games in there. It's a perfect match for quick bursts of grinding on the Steam Deck, but I've found the free mobile game version to be just as thrilling because it doesn't feel like a watered-down port.
"Our design mantra was 'simplify without compromise' […] NetEase's multi-platform commitment stems from our 'player-first' philosophy. While iOS and Android differ in operating habits and performance, we've implemented customized UI adaptations and input optimizations to ensure smooth performance across devices," the developer expresses.
I've played Once Human on my iPhone 15 and impressive gaming phones like the RedMagic 10 Air. There's a significant price difference between the two handsets, but Once Human's optimization is surprisingly versatile. I'm confident it'd soar as a new Switch game, too, and a Once Human Nintendo Switch 2 port is certainly a possibility.
On a granular level, the developer says that "to address past PC configuration issues, we established a rigorous device testing matrix during mobile development, ensuring stability even on mid-to-low-end devices." Radial menus improve flicking between weapons, building, and other mechanics. Other efforts to reduce UI clutter include soft lock-on aim for combat and context-based suggestions for gathering resources automatically. It's not enough to feel great to play, though.
When I initially played Once Human at launch last year, I encountered some frustrations with its progression. Starry Studio has mostly ironed out those issues, and I ask the team to comment on it: "Early feedback noted the steep learning curve for survival mechanics, like hunger, and or pollution systems. For mobile, we've added intuitive dynamic prompts and contextual tutorials."
I'm still hopeful that other features like controller support will arrive sooner rather than later, a feature that Starry Studio confirms is in the works for a future update. For now, Once Human is off to a promising start on the small screen.
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