The release of Detroit: Become Human is fast approaching. The game is due for release exclusively on the PlayStation 4 tomorrow and reviews are already piling in for the game from major gaming review outlets giving their two cents on Quantic Dream's philosophically themed sci-fi thriller.
The majority of the critical feedback for the game is positive, with various critics praising Quantic Dream for having a fully fleshed out sci-fi world themed around a robot rebellion. DualShockers is one of the sites that gave the game a glowing score, writing...
While the gameplay itself has a few flaws, I found it massively improved compared to previous Quantic Dream titles, so those who didn't enjoy them might find this new labor of love more enjoyable.
DualShockers did find the quick-time events in Detroit: Become Human to be a bit tedious and the invisible walls a hindrance, but overall the site topped out a score of 9 out of 10 for the game.
Prominent game reviewer, Colin Moriarty, seemed to agree with DualShockers' assessment, calling it his GOTY... so far.
Hardcore Gamer was another site very well in agreement with the positive outlook on David Cage and Quantic Dream's title, calling it the best title the studio has put out, especially coming off the heels of Beyond: Two Souls for the PS3 a few years back.
It's not all rainbows and sunshine in the review, the outlet does take issue with the artificial barriers that DualShockers mentioned.
Because Detroit is so focused on storytelling, there are unfortunately a lot of artificial barriers within the world, restricting exploration to relatively small areas at any given time. This is understandable, given how complex the branching narrative already is, but it's still a shame that they didn't come up with more natural ways to keep the player within restricted zones without simply turning them around once they hit a point in the street they can't cross.
Not everyone was pleased with the final results, though. Greg Miller from Kinda Funny Games gave it a more middling score, noting that the game does provide players with a solid story but that later on the logic begins to fall apart, making it more okay than great.
There were a couple of other websites that also had similar sentiments as Greg Miller, with various outlets pointing out some of the inconsistencies in the plot, the invisible walls, and the quick-time events being turn-offs, even though most of everyone praised the performances and the graphics of Detroit: Become Human.
Trusted Reviews, for instance, felt as if the ham-fisted messaging in the game ruined what otherwise could have been a much better overall experience, writing...
Detroit: Become Human is complicated. It's a technological marvel with great performances and an entertaining narrative at its core. Kara, Connor and Markus are all given enough room to breathe as characters that you feel connected to all of them. I cared about where their stories would end. Unfortunately, Quantic Dream oversteps its boundaries and muddles the water with thematic elements that feel awkwardly handled. The player isn't expected to interpret anything on their own as hamfisted messages are thrust upon them again and again.
It definitely sounds like it's the kind of game that will appeal to people who are already fans of David Cage's work and previous Quantic Dream entries, such as Indigo Prophecy and Heavy Rain. However, if you're not too keen on quick-time events and thematically heavy subject material, it sounds like Detroit: Become Human could be more of a rent-worthy title than something you would buy at first glance.
