Coming out of E3 2016, it was one of the few gameplay demos that continued to spark conversation long after the lights dimmed in the Los Angeles Convention Center. That’s Detroit: Become Human, Quantic Dream’s new IP and PS4 exclusive that’s rooted in a dystopian future where the line between humans and sentient machines is negligible at best.
While Beyond: Two Souls took the French developer into the realm of the supernatural, Become Human is true science-fiction, cut from the same cloth as Isaac Asimov’s I, Robot. Reflecting on that E3 demonstration, writer-director David Cage took to PlayStation Blog to offer a frame-by-frame breakdown of the game’s branching narrative, its bleeding-edge graphics and facial animations, along with the lead character, Connor the android.
It was here that Cage, a self-proclaimed cinephile, likened Quantic’s PS4 title to a “neo-noir thriller,” whisking players to a near-future rendition of Detroit where high-tech androids and humans co-exist. Treated as little more than walking talking objects, Detroit: Become Human explores the volatile relationship between the citizens of the Motor City and their robotic brethren.
It’s a fascinating concept, of course, but don’t expect to lay hands on Quantic’s latest creative effort anytime soon, with Cage noting that the finished build is still a ways away.
“We have put all our love and passion into this project, and we truly hope that you will enjoy seeing it as much as we enjoy working on it. We still have a lot to work to do in order to make Detroit the truly unique experience we want to create, but we hope that you like this first look at gameplay.”
Detroit: Become Human is in development for PlayStation 4 and will, in all likelihood, arrive in late 2017.