Detroit: Become Human Reviews
Detroit: Become Human wants to tell an emotional story about existence and the self-finding of machines as artificial life, but degrates them to projection screens for the players' own human will, making them nothing more than lifeless tools. The visuals, main idea and the new flowchart element are great, but in the end, Detroit is a game about story - and its narrative isn't just flawed, it's fundamentally broken in concept.
Review in German | Read full review
Detroit’s storytelling is lackluster and formulaic. The script has less emotion in it than androids before they become deviants and, in fact, I have to wonder whether an android wrote it. Perhaps it’s some in-joke on Cage’s part. As consumers and critics, we would never praise this level of storytelling in movies, TV shows, or books, yet for some reason, this nonsense is acclaimed just because there is a basic level of interactivity involved. If we want the quality of storytelling in games to improve, we need to demand more than this soulless and predictable nonsense.
Racism and slavery is bad, folks. You can probably figure that out without playing Detroit, and if you can’t then David Cage’s writing isn’t going to change your backwards thinking in any way.
Detroit: Become Human wants to move you. It wants to elicit an emotional response through its story. The thing is, it really doesn't. The flowchart is a nice inclusion and adds some variance, but when the narrative is as cringey and ham-fisted as it is you won't want to play through it multiple times.
For a game that relies so heavily on its narrative to carry it, Detroit: Become Human fails to excel.
You're better off waiting for a massive price drop. If you absolutely must pick it up now, then don't expect much in the way of anything new or innovative outside of really spectacular graphics.
It bares itself emotionally but shines a harsh, unflattering light on David Cage's deficiencies as a storyteller.
A cliche-ridden written story that has some decent ideas throughout, but is so bleak it's hard to grow attached to.
Overall, Detroit: Become Human is a gorgeous game that brings some welcome improvements over Quantic Dream's earlier work, but one that is ultimately flawed due to its predictable plot.
David Cage's games have a reputation for being ambitious failures, outsized vision let down by time, technology, or videogame conventions. Detroit: Become Human is more of the same - but by that very nature feels less ambitious than before, while simultaneously bringing Cage's failings as a writer even further into the spotlight. This is clunky, awkward, and only fleetingly interesting once you look past the shiny surface. Androids may be alive, but Detroit: Become Human certainly isn't.
Like an un-awoken android, Detroit: Become Human is a pretty exterior without anything remotely human inside.
For better or worse, French developer Quantic Dream has forged quite the reputation for its lavish interactive dramas.
Detroit: Become Human takes on complex themes about humanity and technology and is visually stunning, but it's too heavy-handed in its storytelling and has lackluster acting.
A considerable improvement on Quantic Dreams' previous work, and while the storytelling is still flawed its tale of abused androids feels very human.
Occasionally fun but often unconscientious, Detroit: Beyond Human takes steps in the right direction but retains too much of the old Quantic dream formula.
Is Detroit: Become Human, David Cage's last chance to prove himself. I honestly don't know the answer but I can say that Detroit lacks both the magnificent scale and the memorable narrative his previous games are well known for. Quantic Dream's latest title could have had a lot to say but it eventually gives up and leaves the scene. If you're a fan of Cage's previous games, give Detroit a shot, even though it will probably leave you very disappointed
Review in Persian | Read full review
That's not to say there's nothing to get out of Detroit: Become Human. At a superficial level it looks fantastic, your choices can often feel hefty and impactful, and the overall presentation value is comfortably in the very top tier of adventure games. But it is a game you may have to enjoy through gritted teeth; either raging or outright laughing at the clunky metaphors and hamfisted messages. Enjoy it I did though, honestly, even if it wasn't perhaps for the reasons Cage may have been hoping for.
Detroit: Become Human is evidence that breathtaking production isn't effective camouflage for anemic dialogue and abysmal writing. By co-opting famous racial prejudices and projecting all of them onto society's assimilation of androids, Detroit spoils its power to create convincing drama. The sense of agency and control over its story remains exciting, but archetypal plotting and cosmetic platitudes leave Detroit without much to say about anything.
Despite a strong connection between the choice-oriented gameplay and the script's themes of free will and liberation, DBH's exploration of these themes is ankle deep.
Cage's ambitions might eventually overreach into bad taste, but even then Detroit still pulls off what every previous Cage game has failed to do. It tells a coherent, occasionally thought-provoking story that unites the interaction of videogames with the language of film.