Just Act Natural

Just Act Natural - The Game Where It Pays To Be Unremarkable

Time to Stop Acting Like a Human and Start Acting Like an NPC

A Party Game Unlike Any Other

Many of us spend our lives trying to stand out from the crowd, but in the one-of-a-kind party game Just Act Natural, you'll only be victorious if you know how to blend in. In this unique PC game—developed and published by independent developer Conor Garity—you must learn to behave like a generic NPC.

Just Act Natural is a strange, chaotic game about strategy, creativity, and deception. Will you have what it takes to play it cool and put one over on your friends? There's only one way to find out!

Blending In With the Herd

Just Act Natural has a novel concept that you've almost certainly never seen in a game before. There are a variety of available modes, but in general, the game is essentially hide-and-seek with a twist. Instead of trying not to be found, you must try to convince other players that you aren't a real person.

You play as either a hider or seeker, with each round taking place on a map crawling with wandering AI characters. If you're a hider, you have to mix in with the NPCs, doing your best to look the part and suppress your human-like behavior. If you're the seeker, you must monitor the map diligently, searching for any signs of actual life.

Just Act Natural is a party-style online multiplayer game that's meant to be played with a group of friends. It features elements of several different gaming genres, including arcade, action, and even first-person shooters. One area in which the game truly stands out, though, is in its aesthetic.

Concept Rating: 5/5

A Unique World of Claymation

Easily one of the coolest things about Just Act Natural is its animation style. You see, every single character, object, and piece of scenery within the game is made from real, hand-sculpted clay. Everything you see was painstakingly shaped by a real person and photographically scanned into the game, and that effort resulted in an amazing-looking product.

Everything is hand sculpted out of clay and photographically scanned into the game, which adds a unique aesthetic to the game, and provides something fresh to the party-game genre.

Even without knowing the background, the game's aesthetic looks cool and unique. However, when you consider that every tree, rock, and building is made of real painted clay, it creates an entirely new level of appreciation. The little characters and their outfits are adorable, the maps are bright and colorful, and the atmosphere is relaxing and whimsical.

As for the soundtrack, Just Act Natural features pleasant, happy background music. The best way I can describe it is that it's like calm, gentle elevator music, and it's a great fit for the overall aesthetic and feel of the gameplay.

Graphics & Audio Rating: 4/5

Mastering the Art of Deception

In Just Act Natural, the challenge is entirely about figuring out the best way to not seem like an actual person. Most of us have probably never had to think along these lines before, so it isn't a skill that will come naturally to very many people. So, for the most part, it ends up being a matter of trial and error to discover what works and what doesn't.

Of course, there's also the element of knowing who you're playing against. As you play through rounds and get used to playing with certain friends, you'll figure out specific things that work to fool them. Like with many games, learning how to play your opponent can become a massive advantage.

Hiders and Seekers

There are a couple of different ways to earn points and win rounds, depending on whether you're playing as a hider or seeker. If you're a hider, your primary objective is to avoid getting caught and sniped by the seeker. Once that happens, you're eliminated from the round.

Switch roles from hider to seeker and choose from a wild mixture of different game modes.

In the primary game mode, your other objective is to collect diamonds, which are spread around the map. You have to be careful though, as the AI characters aren't very focused on going for them. So, it's common for the seeker to watch them closely and take out anyone who snatches one up.

As a seeker, your job is to carefully monitor the map and look for any unusual behavior. The majority of the characters will be NPCs, so a typical strategy is to keep your eyes open for anything that deviates from the general behavior. Over time, you'll gain a better feel for how the AI characters behave, and it will grow easier to spot irregularities.

Items and Power-Ups

Regardless of which role you're playing, you'll have a variety of beneficial items that you can choose from at the start of each round. Hiders can grab power-ups to help keep them under the radar, and seekers can select items that help them uncover the hiders. However, players can see which items each character has used, which is information they can sometimes use to their advantage.

Other Game Modes

While most of Just Act Natural's available game modes feature hiders and seekers, they each have different objectives to achieve. For example, in Death Race, the hiders have to try and reach the finish line as quickly as possible without being caught. If you start moving too fast, though, the seeker will surely take notice, so patience is a must.

In the Assassins game mode, every player takes the role of a hider, and you have to run around the map taking out your opponents with throwing knives. In Clout Chasers, hiders earn points by being as close as possible to the celebrity NPCs, but the seeker is always watching those celebrities like a hawk. These are just a few of the many Just Act Natural modes, and every one of them is unique and enjoyable.

Gameplay Rating: 4/5

Deciding Between Free and Premium

Just Act Natural was officially released on March 25th, 2022, with both a free-to-play and premium version available. The premium version costs $7.99 on Steam, which is quite a bargain for all of the extra content you receive. With premium, you not only gain access to three additional maps and game modes, but you'll also have instant access whenever any new content is added to the game in the future.

The free version offers plenty of fun and a bit of variety, but for under $10, there's little reason not to spring for the premium game.

A Game That's Relaxing, Social, and Different

Just Act Natural is the perfect type of game for when you want to chill out and share a few laughs with your friends. After all, who doesn't relish the opportunity to fool their buddies and then rub it in their faces? 

Even with the inevitable taunting and trickery, though, the game is calm and peaceful enough that it's unlikely to become overly competitive. We'd wager that very few heated arguments will ever start over a game of Just Act Natural. However, the game will most definitely be the source of many fun and hilarious nights shared between families and friends.

Just Act Natural also has solid replay value, as the variety of game modes, maps, and playable characters prevent it from getting stale. Plus, it's just so relaxing, making it a wonderful game to help you wind down after a long day.

Replay Value Rating: 4/5

Things You'll Love

• Unique hand-made clay animation.
• The novel and funny concept.
• Socially oriented gameplay.
• Great variety of maps and game modes.

Things You May Not Love

• Occasional issues with NPC movement.
• The free version leaves you wanting more.
• Can take a while to find a public game.

TL;DR

Just Act Natural is a whimsical party game with a unique style and a creative, novel concept.