Final Thoughts - Detroit: Become Human

I realize that I haven't been as active with this blog as I would have liked to be. While I have been playing a few games here and there, it's been awhile since I really dove myself into a big thematic modern video game. I recently however came back to a game I started last fall and finished it so I thought I'd do another "Final Thoughts" type post.

I received Detroit: Become Human the Christmas of 2018 and unfortunately it sat on my shelf for almost a year before I finally took the shrink wrap off the case and installed it on my PS4. I asked for this game because I thought it looked beautiful and sounded interesting. It did remind me a little of Until Dawn's gameplay, a game I had previously completed and enjoyed. I know the game didn't live up to it's hype and it didn't take long for the game's price to be reduced to $19.99, but that didn't stop me from wanting to try it out first hand.

Once you start up the game you're asked to take a survey. This survey asks you all sorts of questions regarding androids and your thoughts on them among other things. Obviously I wasn't expecting this when I first fired up the game.

This android also helps walk you through the set up of the game, asking you questions about the settings and for confirmation. I immediately knew I was in for an immersive experience.

Detroit: Become Human is less of a typical video game and more of an interactive movie or story. If you're old enough to remember the old youth "Choose Your Own Adventure" books, this is basically what you are getting. You get to control the actions and make decisions for 3 different androids in each of their own stories. The setting is a future Detroit.

The game opens with a hostage scenario where you are introduced to and control Connor. He has been programmed to track down these "deviant" androids that are breaking free of their programming. He is tasked to partner up with a Detroit detective, Lt. Hank Anderson (played by Clancy Brown). You've already seen via Markus and Kara how some humans view, interact with and treat or think about androids, but the relationship and story between Connor and Hank takes it to the next level.

Throughout your journey with these android characters you'll see how your choices are influencing the story in game. Right off the bat you have to negotiate with a deviant android who has taken a little girl hostage. As you do try to unravel the events that lead to this point, you'll see that the more info you have and how you talk to the deviant your chances at a positive outcome are.

Next we have Markus, an android that is the caretaker for an elderly painter. The game starts out pretty simple, your task is to retrieve a paint order from the local store. On the way back to the bus stop you see a small group of demonstrators that have gathered in a common area of town. The organizer of the group has a megaphone and he's talking to the crowd about how androids cost him his job and how androids will be the downfall of the human civilization basically. This is where you have your first choice to make. Once spotted, do you chose to interact or ignore? When accosted, do you fight back or do you remain civil? A little bit later you are introduced to the painter's son, who comes by the house a little intoxicated. He asks for money, which he is denied. The son thinks that his dad cares more for the android than him. This causes the son to get in the face of Markus, yelling obscenities and again making you make choices that will effect the story. This is where Markus reaches his breaking point and seems to break free of his programing.

Lastly you are introduced to Kara, a housekeeper type android. She is just coming back online after being repaired and is now inside a CyberLife store waiting to be picked up by her owner. The guy mentions to the sales rep that his android was hit by a car, but immediately I begun to think that didn't seem right. Once you get him you are introduced to the owner's daughter, Alice. While doing some menial housework, her story starts to unfold even more. The father turns out to be a real douchebag and I immediately felt resentment and anger towards him. Then when he abuses his daughter, Alice, it made me want revenge. Kara is told to stand still, but when she sees him go upstairs with a belt in his hand she betrays that command and "breaks free". 

The game is broken up into chapters for each character. Throughout each chapter you'll find yourself facing multiple decisions. Sometimes the "correct" decision may be obvious, but not always. If you view yourself as person with morals or even faith, you may find yourself answering the questions as if you were a part of the story yourself. Or you can chose to approach things with a more aggressive approach...which is easy considering how nasty these android characters are treated as the story unfolds. At the end of each chapter you are giving a map of sorts showing you the choices you made. This is where you'll see all the different branching paths for that character's journey. Answer correctly and the story goes a little longer. Answer wrong, and that chapter may end abruptly. Thankfully after a chapter is completed you can re-start that chapter if you want to answer the questions differently to see how it effects the overall story.

I give the creators major props for this game. While it may not suite everyone's tastes, the story is very captivating and heart breaking at times. If I'm being honest I found it hard to answer some of the questions. Of course I'm trying to figure out the correct answer, or the answer that will take me the furthest, but being who I am I tried to answer all the questions honestly. I tried to "do the right thing". The whole plot of the story is that these "deviant" androids are wanting to be recognized by humans as being living beings, wanting to be free and want to abolish slavery. Perhaps this resonated with me so much because I've been helping my 4th grade daughter with her homework on the Emancipation Proclamation. Or perhaps it resonated with me because I have morals and that I recognize that slavery is wrong. That's what kept me playing this game and ultimately brought me back to finish this game. The story is powerful. The story is sad. The story is captivating.

In closing I can see why this game may not have sold that well. This game is different. This game tackles real world social issues...from a different angle of course. It's not a fast paced, intense action oriented game. It's a slow paced, methodical game. If you're up to trying something different then I highly recommend the game. It does seem like you're watching a movie more than playing a game, but if you do decide to give it a try then buckle up as you're in for a rollercoaster of a ride (and maybe emotions?).