Steam is a treasure trove of horror games, and, amid countless horror experiences that are derivative or unapologetic clones of whatever inspired them, there are tons of glimmering gems waiting to be discovered. I’m a huge horror fan, but it’s rare nowadays that I’ll be enamored by the hook of a brand-new horror game or IP. I’m quite picky when it comes to horror, simply due to how bottomless the sea of mediocre or bad horror games is, yet there is one popular horror game on Steam that immediately struck me as novel in both its gameplay loop and eerie art style: Trioskaz and Critical Reflex’s No, I’m Not a Human.
You may already be familiar with at least one version of this game if you have played No, I’m Not a Human’s Steam demo, which was released on June 8, 2025, much less when it was packaged into the anthological Violent Horror Stories that was released on August 7, 2024. As a horror visual novel game, No, I’m Not a Human doesn’t rely on ubiquitous tropes that horror games are typically saturated with. That said, it’s precisely the lack of jump-scares and other tired genre mechanics that swept me off my feet and had me instantly falling for No, I’m Not a Human.
No, I’m Not a Human Preys on My Biggest Fear: Social Anxiety
The TL;DR of No, I’m Not a Human boils down to anxiously judging strangers based on their physical appearance while attempting not to let their odd or downright egregious personality traits or dialogue deceive you into thinking they’re something they’re not. Therefore, the game is particularly curated toward anyone who has anxiety in social interactions.
I’d be able to empathize wholly with this Steam game protagonist if it wasn’t for their supposed willingness to allow their home to be a haven for villainous aliens. Ironically, No, I’m Not a Human brilliantly parries what would otherwise be my inherent defense mechanism of never opening the door to any stranger, let alone answering it, by ensuring that I’ll be killed if I’m alone in the house.
No, I’m Not a Human’s replayability is terrific, with oodles of endings based on your choices and a wealth of potential with the randomization of certain characters either being a human or a “Visitor” in each playthrough.
No, I’m Not a Human’s Steam Popularity is Evidence That Horror is More Than Jump-Scares
Like The Mortuary Assistant, another Steam horror game I adore, No, I’m Not a Human revolves around a unique, formulaic gameplay loop. Unlike The Mortuary Assistant, though, No, I’m Not a Human isn’t peppered with jump scares. No, I’m Not a Human is arguably rather tranquil, actually, especially when you know you’re safe in the daytime and can drink beers or carry a cat in the hallway, until nighttime’s ominous green hue is cast upon the protagonist’s house, and you’re forced to interact with people who’ve arrived at the door.
No, I’m Not a Human’s Steam Ratings
- 85.71% ‘Very Positive’ across 10,256 user reviews.
- Currently popular.
- 2,494 players at the time of this writing, a 24-hour peak of 4,437 players, and an 8,248 all-time peak 27 days ago (September 15, 2025, the date No, I’m Not a Human was released).
So, while No, I’m Not a Human may not frighten everyone, and will surely not be what everybody is hoping for out of a horror game, it’s the precise brand of horror that I’ve been craving. I love horror across its wide breadth of subgenres—survival horror (Resident Evil), psychological horror (Silent Hill), walking simulator horror (P.T.), stealth horror (Alien: Isolation), and so forth—but No, I’m Not a Human’s horror subgenre, whether that’s visual novel, point-and-click, narrative, or some distinct brand, is what I hope to see more of in the future. Here’s hoping that Steam can produce more horror games like No, I’m Not a Human, with dreadfully rich atmosphere and gripping storytelling momentum.
It’s precisely the lack of jump-scares and other tired genre mechanics that swept me off my feet and had me instantly falling for No, I’m Not a Human.
- Released
- 2025
- Developer(s)
- Trioskaz
- Publisher(s)
- Critical Reflex
- Engine
- Unity
- Number of Players
- Single-player
