Throughout the rise of the 21st century, video games have become a significant factor in our modern popular culture. Detroit: Become Human takes an unprecedented approach to the media by looking toward a realistic future. Robots have become sentient. Humans are no longer in control. The game is subtly reminiscent of slave revolts during American history. The parallels between “robots” and “slaves” who were not considered humans are indisputable in this game. The developer company, Quantum Dream, creates a sensational piece of work that pulls you in, while pointing your thoughts into the paths the characters would make in Detroit: Become Human.

In Detroit: Become Human, players are introduced to three amazing storylines, each impacting the ending results of the game in its own way. One of the most influential characters in this game is called Markus, who was introduced as an android owned by a famous Detroit painter named Carl Manfred. Manfred treated Markus like his own son, developing his persona day by day, and propelled Markus to become a leader of the deviants (those who go against the social standards); players are allowed the decision to choose whether or not to lead them to a rather aggressive or peaceful rebellion against human persecution in a fight for their race. Connor, an android model designed to enforce human laws, was another prominent figure in this game as well; with this character, you are pressured into making a choice that can either give the deviants the freedom they want or prevent the revolution the humans have been trying to stop. Finally, the last storyline gives us insight on what an android would go through if it decided to become a deviant. Kara, an AX400 modeled android, served a man called Todd Williams before she became a deviant and ran with Alice(Todd’s daughter) to save her from the maltreatment from her father as well as find the rights she was looking for.

Played on the PS4, Detroit: Become Human has wonderful gameplays. The three written storylines can be interrelated based off the decisions you make, giving more than 40 different endings to the game. Because of these various results, as a player, you’re often compelled to find all of them to see how they differ from each other. While the controls are set well, the only flaw is that when placed in an interactive fight, the game gives too much leeway when making a quicktime action. While trial and error isn’t the focal point of the game, it does give a sense of not giving it your best shot when you know that you should have failed a certain part of the game and been reset.

On the contrary, the game has beautiful graphics to compensate for its flaws; from the tiniest detail of the grass on the road to the shine in the hair of the characters, the design team of Detroit: Become Human most certainly knew how to work their game in a way that gave both the aesthetics and a non-laggy gameplay. The dialogue set much of the story forward, propelling it in ways that were heartbreaking, warming, and all of the above. Meanwhile, the downsides came from the the character Markus, who was acted and voiced by Jesse Williams. The way Williams read Markus’ lines, his character is displayed blandly with a monotonous voice and stiff movement.  As Markus is seen as the leader of the deviants, he should be presented in a more prideful and powerful tone. However, the voice acting made marvelously by actors like Bryan Dechart who voiced and acted Connor, as well as Valorie Curry who voiced and acted Kara helped recover some of the lack of emotions found in Markus.

Detroit: Become Human envisions a future that we may have in just a few years, cautioning us to the dangers that might erupt from a technology driven world. Though there are some imperfections in the game, the excellent gameplay and storylines make this an enjoyable and spectacular game. With three paths to follow in Detroit: Become Human, we view the ventures of a few androids who turn the game around like no other: Kara, Markus, and Connor.