Quantic Dream has recently brought us a fascinating game, Detroit: Become Human. So far, this android sci-fi adventure drama allows for multiple playthroughs, an interesting story and a way to push the limits of what can be done under pressure. Along with some of the clearest imagery of any game to date. This will be a game that you must see for yourself.
Set in the near future of 2038, androids are a mass part of the population and have taken the places of many humans and their jobs. Even though this sounds like a very profitable and nice thing to have, the humans feel quite differently in the story and have started to riot. As an android going along with the tasks set before them by their owners (which can be anyone in this universe) something has gone wrong. Somehow some androids have gone against their coding, have committed crimes and have become free thinking in some cases.
In Detroit, androids are bused around in some small cage like boxes to their waiting owners. There are three androids that players follow; Kara, Markus and Connor. Each have their own story line and tasks to accomplish for each chapter of the game. Connor is a detective that analyzes crime scenes and is tracking down rogue androids, while Kara is primarily responsible for cleaning and watching over a child. Markus is an assistant to a dying man that is attempting to expand his mind. While this all seems strange at first, each character has a unique story which really draws you in to the environment.
The imagery alone is outstanding. From freckles to specific marks on the skin each actor is highly detailed. This is the same for each environment as well. There is no standing around wondering what you are looking at any time. Sadly, there is not a lot of time to do anything really. Overall, players get to choose responses and other details in the game which may or may not unlock things during the story. Usually however, these actions are timed and there is no free roaming feature. Mostly, all choices will lead you exactly where you need to go. This just isn’t a game built around roaming because it has a story to tell. A feature I do like however, is the ability to look at the story chart itself and see what other choices could have been made.
Detroit: Become Human is very creative if not a little bland and sometimes not very subtle at the way its story is presented. Some of the topics in the story seem to be a little overdone or on the nose. At other times, some of the characters speak in a way that just flat out reveals topics that should have been taken slower. The story and emotion behind the androids however kept me interested in seeing the story through until the end.
In the end I enjoyed the game and didn’t fault Quantic Dream for the rough patches in the story because the androids kept me invested. I also particularly liked the different options I had to see where I could take the story and push any boundaries that I could. Replaying Detroit: Become Human will be interesting to play again as well just to see how the endings can differ.
8/10
Available on PS4
