Detroit: Become Human

Detroit: Become Human is an interactive adventure with a third-person view, from the creators of Fahrenheit and Heavy Rain. Players can expect an outstanding game in the cyberpunk genre. The action takes place in a future Detroit, where all residents actively use the services of robots. You will play as androids who are trying to fight for the rights of robots in a world of future humans. The game features several characters, each of whom will become the main actor in their episodes. At the same time, the wide variability of gameplay is spread throughout the entire story.

Detroit: Become Human is a single-player PS4 exclusive from a third-person perspective in a cyberpunk setting, in the genre of interactive cinema with elements of detective, thriller, and action, released in 2018. Developed by Quantic Dream — the authors of Fahrenheit and Heavy Rain — it combines familiar elements for the studio: a branching, intriguing plot, several characters, and a nonlinear presentation.

Skillfully managing genres and cinematic techniques, David Cage set a high bar by telling the story of slave androids who became self-aware and recognized their status in future Detroit. A significant role in this plays the new engine, optimized for PS4, delighting players with excellent visual quality, natural animation created using numerous motion capture sensors, as well as the beauty of a futuristic city that seems to have come straight from a picture.

The events of Become Human take place in 2038, but instead of science fiction, players will encounter a well-thought-out world of realistic future. Alongside high technology, electric transport, and ubiquitous internet, humanoid androids play a significant role in human society — biomechanical machines endowed with physical strength and high intelligence, capable of solving any task, skillfully portraying a personality, but lacking one in essence.

And although people can no longer live without the help of androids, most do not welcome "enhanced versions of themselves" and regard them with disdain. Due to a malfunction, some robots identify themselves as individuals and become dissatisfied with their low status. They also exhibit emotions, character, attachment to certain people, and dislike for others. Hence, the conflict that the player examines from three sides.

The first of them is the android Kara, bought to help a single father raise a young girl. The father shows harshness towards the child, and Kara betrays her owner, escaping from his home with the girl, traveling and surviving through the streets and slums of Detroit.

The second side of the Become Human story is the android detective Connor, who protects and saves people from malfunctioning androids. For this, he has a "detective" mode, persuasive power, and, as a last resort, a weapon. Given the latter, the storyline for Connor is filled with difficult decisions and unexpected endings.

The last of the trio is the revolutionary Markus, who "awoke" after the death of his elderly owner. The owner taught him to think and live independently, and Markus, striving to free his people, can use various methods — peaceful protests, rebellious struggles, and something in between.

The campaign Detroit: Become Human is divided into episodes, each featuring one of the characters. The plot is closely tied to real life by showcasing human vices, cruelty and violence, the struggle between logic and emotions, and moral and ethical dilemmas. The plot branches in Become Human are three times more than in Heavy Rain, allowing for multiple playthroughs with different outcomes.

The player builds the narrative themselves by choosing various dialogue options, actions, and reactions during each episode, leading to one of several endings (there are between 6 to 8 in total). To achieve such variability, the studio worked hard on the details and added information for each question. The challenges are compounded by the androids' problems — Kara doesn't know how to live, Connor struggles between his nature and duty, and Markus is unsure which path — violence or dialogue — will lead him to victory.

Despite the central line of the overall script, the narrative is non-linear, with the outcome of each episode influencing subsequent events, resulting in a unique story as it is told collectively by several androids. Following Quantic Dream's tradition, a hero can die, and the narrative will continue without them. A typical playthrough of Detroit: Become Human takes 15 hours, and discovering alternative endings can take an additional 10-15 hours.