Back in 2010, Quantic Dreams released Heavy Rain. The game was an engaging and narratively charged rollercoaster ride about a man who goes after the Origami serial killer that abducted his son. To this day, it still offers some of the most unforgettable and emotionally engaging gameplay experiences that I have had the pleasure of enjoying. Hence why I am incredibly excited for Detroit: Become Human, the next release from Quantic Dreams.

The game takes place in a dystopian vision of our future whereby androids are now commonplace in both personal and work environments. Whether to help around the house or to do manual labour, androids have become indispensable to human life. When the androids evolve to develop emotional sentience, however, they are confronted with persecution and the violence of an unaccepting society. “What does it mean to be human?”  is thus the epithet that serves as the core premise of Detroit: Become Human.

Much like Heavy Rain, which let players experience the narrative perspectives of archetypes like ‘the killer’, ‘the detective’ and ‘the victim’; Detroit: Become Human allows players to take control of three unique androids: Connor, Kara and Markus.

  • Connor is a prototype designed to help human investigators on cases involving androids.
  • Kara becomes a fugitive by empathising with a little girl, united in their dream of freedom.
  • Markus will become the leader of the android revolution.

Each android will offer a unique perspective on the larger unfolding narrative, one that explores not only their individuals stories, but also the story of their people and of their world. Much like previous games from Quantic Dreams, all of the player’s choices made in Detroit: Become Human will directly influence how the story unfolds. As such, you could potentially kill off one or two of the main characters right at the start of the game, or they may survive until the very end. Not only is this a unique gameplay mechanic, but it also encourages layers to replay the game in order to see if they could have done things differently.

Given that our current technological climate is focussed on developing advanced artificial intelligence, Detroit: Become Human might offer a cursory glance into a possible future for humankind. With the game’s premise in mind, and the gameplay that Quantic Dreams is known for, I can confidently say that I am extremely looking forward to playing the game once it launches on 28 May 2018, exclusively for PlayStation 4.

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Owner, founder and editor-in-chief at Vamers, Hans has a vested interest in geek culture and the interactive entertainment industry. With a Masters degree in Communications and Ludology, he is well read and versed in matters relating to video games and communication media, among many other topics of interest.