Zadzooks: ‘Detroit: Become Human’ review

Director and writer David Cage delivers a new, interactive sci-fi story that questions machine’s evolving role in serving man in Detroit: Become Human (Sony Interactive Entertainment and Quantic Dream, rated Mature, $59.99, reviewed on PlayStation 4).

Set in the year 2038 and in the Motor City, the game introduces the far-too-real concept of humans being able to buy lifelike androids for roughly the cost of a smart television, thanks to the efforts of the CyberLife Corp.

It offers the chance to control three androids over a roughly 10-hour narrative while progressing via branching vignettes based on a player’s decisions.

First, players meet Connor (model RK-800), created to help human detectives in their investigations. He eventually partners with the gruff and antisocial Lt. Hank Anderson (an android hater) to find malfunctioning androids called deviants.

Next, comes Markus (model RK-200), a caretaker of a rich artist named Carl Manfred who was crippled after a terrible accident and forced to deal with a freeloading son. The painter treats Markus as his offspring and pushes him to excel in the most human ways possible. Markus goes on perhaps the most radical journey that could transform him into a messiah to his abused brethren.

And finally, it’s Kara (model AX400), a housekeeping and babysitting droid tasked with taking care of her drug-addled slob of a male owner who abuses his young daughter Alice. Kara, against her programming, attempts to protect the child from the onslaught of Alice’s father.

A player uses every part of the PS4’s controller to make choices and perform tasks as the characters’ stories play out.

For example, twist the controller to pour a drink, push the right joystick around to pick up laundry and open a door, use the touch pad to swipe and read computer tablet magazines, or shake the controller to start a flashlight or climb.

More intensive, select onscreen prompts to start a conversation with a character, or mimic a combination of the controller prompts to complete extended actions such as attaching a limb or investigating a crime scene.

Of the androids, Connor offers the most entertainment as he can become a forensic lab through his augmented visuals.

As he walks around an area or body, he can analyze clues with encyclopedic-like entries appearing on screen that could reveal a victim’s exact cause of death, identify a blood sample or ultimately recreate what happened during the crime.

That’s a pretty great presentation as a player turns on and manipulates a wireframe figure sequence in a controllable timeline to further uncover clues and help Connor with his investigation.

Unfortunately, the various plot lines were sometimes crippled and drama dissipated by my inability to execute controller commands during intense moments rather than using my brain to make a strategic decision.

Early on in the game, and thanks to my finger bumbling, Kara took some major damage against the parental bully. Despite my incompetence with the contextual variations that I needed to pull off on the controller, way too complicated, the pair managed to escape the abuser.

Reportedly, a story scenario can play out that costs the little girl her life at the hands of her horrendous father. I’m glad that I was not a party to that, or I would have given up on the game.

Actually throughout, I found myself often cursing the control acrobatics rather than feeling for the plight of the androids. At another point in the game, I killed one of my favorite characters in a very intense scene through more finger fumbling and had to leave the action for a few days until I quelled my disgust.

It’s worth noting that if a player does not like the outcome of an event, as it can impact the entire story, he can find the branch in a handy interface and try again.

For example, in the opening scene of the game, I made some stupid decisions that cost a young girl her life after a deviant hostage situation. I went back and realized that I had missed many clues at a crime scene and after more careful analysis, the scenario eventually did play out with a successful rescue.

Even more egregious, I made a bad decision with Markus, and it temporarily killed his storyline after I acted against the wishes of my Carl and exhibited a level of self-awareness that cost me dearly.

Although, replaying scenes is helpful, it felt like cheating.

As far as the game’s visual prowess, the artisans have built human and android character models stunningly lifelike, thanks to the latest motion-capture technology.

Facial movements are greatly enhanced by some of the most realistic eyes that I have seen in a game. A player will know a character’s emotional state just by looking at their peepers.

Jaw-dropping details can be seen while scouring a face to count nearly every pore, blemish, tear or hair follicle on the skin; or watching the effects of rain on a leather jacket, cloth shirts, a plastic dress; or seeing character reassemble itself at an android graveyard.

Additionally, the cast (who all had to wear motion-capture suits and tech during their performances) shines. They are led by Clancy Brown (“Starship Troopers”) as Lt. Anderson; Lance Hendrickson (“Alien”) as Carl; and Bryan Dechart as Connor.

Now, despite the cinematic visual style, this type of game experience must rely on a solid story that never really materializes.

Each roughly 20-minute chapter attempts to elicit an emotional response from the player, like a roller coaster ride, but that grows tiresome after over the 10-hours worth of interactive moviemaking.

Diving into another tired variation of what it means to be human while controlling androids who are effectively mimicking humanity becomes a soap opera rather than a thought-provoking, sci-fi thriller.

Also, touching on heavy-handed themes of domestic abuse, prejudice, inequality, slavery, segregation and discrimination should be applauded, but the constant craving to elicit an emotional response from the player often creates a superficial message slathered with Hollywood sheen.

Suffice it to report, the story never ascends to works of say an Isaac Asimov or Philip K. Dick for intellectual prowess, but it homogenizes previous android-style pop culture narratives from such worlds of “Bladerunner,” “A.I. Artificial Intelligence,” Westworld” and even a pinch of “Terminator.”

Although “Detroit: Become Human” comes close to delivering a compelling interactive story, I would much rather watch a 10-part miniseries equivalent on HBO or stick with third-person action games such as the “God of War,” “Uncharted” or “Far Cry” franchises that offer more stress relief and a lot less preaching.

Note: I was completely enamored by my host for the proceedings, the blond-haired and blue-eyed Chloe who greeted me every time I turned on the game.

She was oddly playful at times, even telling me that my game save was corrupted and then laughing or offering a pithy quote about life from a famous writer. Chloe also had no problem making me feel terrible after I killed one of her friends.