STACK #163 May 2018

GAMES

FEATURE

Quantic Dreams of Electric Sheep French video game developer Quantic Dream have quite the rind on them in the game industry, as they’ve been around since 1997. Detroit: Become Human isn’t their first rodeo, having released Omikron: The Nomad Soul, Fahrenheit , Heavy Rain , and Beyond: Two Souls . At the forefront of their business is David Cage – studio founder and co-CEO. Cage has directed all games ever released by the studio, and has served as a writer as well.

a scenario plays out.

and changes in real-time as you make decisions – no pressure. As soon as you walk into the apartment, you are confronted with things to do. Most controls use different directional inputs on the thumbsticks, encouraging you to use them as you would your hands. Quantic Dream have always been masters of UI, and this is a textbook example. The HUD is beautiful. Inconsequential actions

Walking further into the apartment, you’re instructed to first report to the police chief heading the operation to find out

more about the deviant android. Even within this conversation there are dialogue branches that will give you alternate outcomes. We'd hate to guess how many possible ‘endings’ this game has. Of course, your meeting with the deviant

We hate to guess howmany possible 'endings' this game has

• Detroit: Become Human is out May 25

are commonplace within the world of DBH. A fish

artificial intelligence isn’t a topic to be tackled lightly, after all. What we're more interested in, however, is how the multiple story arcs of Kara, Markus and Connor will intertwine and interact with one another – if indeed they do at all. One of Heavy Rain 's highlights was the impact each character's actions had on the others, and how it all came together at the end. Cage's games are known for their narrative intricacies; he has a unique development style that has been known to divide opinion. Cage and Quantic Dreams' focus on interactive storytelling is given the opportunity to shine in DBH. As with all the developer's titles, you can expect remarkable performances from those involved, and with a 2,000 page script, there's really no predicting how your adventure will end. Ultimately, Detroit: Become Human will tackle some very heavy scenarios – and some topical areas of conversation – whilst still being a relentlessly fun gaming experience. Keep in mind one thing, though; the maze was not meant for you.

will eventually come to a head, and the choices you've made within the crime scene will affect how successful you are at retrieving the child. It’s a gripping scenario – especially if you have children of your own – and undoubtedly one of many deeper moments throughout the game. Touching on areas like self-awareness of

tank has shattered and there’s a fish lying on the floor; you can have Connor pick it up and

return it to its watery home, or simply walk by and continue with the case. These situations are in tight contrast with objectives such as calling off the police chopper or looking for evidence, both of which can have a significant impact on how

Songs with Detroit in the title

PutYour Hands Up For Detroit Fedde le Grand - Single, 2006

Detroit Rock City Kiss - From the album Destroyer , 1976

Panic In Detroit David Bowie - From the album Aladdin Sane , 1973

Detroit City Blues Fats Domino - From the album Here Stands Fats Domino , 1957

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