Detroit: Become Human review - Quantic Dream's masterpiece shines in all its glory on PC version

It's no secret that, over the years, video games have aspired to achieve the excitement and drama that we associate with cinema, but few developers have managed to blur the fine line that separates the two industries like Quantic Dream. Criticized by some and praised by others, the French studio has continued to do what it does best, make our hair stand on end with each new title.

"Detroit: Become Human" is a technical masterpiece that was released exclusively for PS4, when the console already had 5 years on the market, and now comes to shine with all its technical splendor on PC. This great news was also accompanied by the announcement that in the future all Quantic Dream games will be multiplatform from launch.

Get comfortable in your gaming chair Newskill Kaidan, turn up the volume on your Kimera Ivory headphones, the story begins and you won't be able to tear yourself away from the screen.

more human than human?

The year is 2038 in Motor City, where technological advancement has transformed society as we knew it. The creation of artificial intelligence capable of passing the Turing Test (a test of a machine's ability to exhibit intelligent behavior similar to that of a human being) has allowed androids to become part of many aspects of life.

They care for our children, clean the streets and even cook for us. They are machines designed to serve civilization in a multitude of ways, but this has led to the loss of millions of jobs, driving up unemployment rates. And that doesn't keep the population too happy.

During the development of the story, we will be able to put ourselves in the shoes of three different androids: Markus, Kara and Connor.

Markus, played by actor Jesse Williams (you may know him from the series Grey's Anatomy), is a caretaker who will lead the rebellion of the androids and who will star in some of the most memorable moments of the story.

Kara is a maid who returns after a breakdown due to a supposed accident to a broken and abusive home, becoming protective of the little girl who inhabits it.

And finally, Connor, a late-model android detective, tasked with investigating the growing number of "divergent" androids who rebel against their initial programming in favor of independent deviance, attempting to forge their own destiny.

Say goodbye to the controller, this time your weapons are the keyboard and mouse.

In our analysis of Detroit: Become Human we note that the control and mechanics follow the line of other Quantic Dream games, this time adapted to PC.

We will move through the universe of Detroit with the WASD keys, and we will have to investigate the crime scenes in search of clues, reconstruct scenes, solve different puzzles ... It is somewhat curious the adaptation of the use of controller and joystick to keyboard and mouse, but I must say that, although on the first two occasions I felt something strange gestures with my gaming mouse Newskill Eos, adaptation is fast and you even get to feel a greater immersion in the game, as they simulate very well the gestures you would do to perform certain actions.

The plots of Markus, Kara and Connor are developing smoothly and will keep us in a constant tension, as if we were the director of a movie in which it depends on us that our hero survives. Time will play against us and we will have to decide quickly through QTE (quick time events) to execute the sequences as best as possible. Decision making is a constant throughout the adventure and its outcome will go through many variations depending on what we choose.

You will have to play several times if you want to unlock all the paths (in the first time we will barely get to see 60% of the moments) and squeeze the experience to the maximum with all the extras.

An immersive universe to enjoy at full power

When starting the game, we will have to wait a few minutes while a "Shader Compilation" is performed, after which we will find 17 different graphical options to customize the gaming experience according to our preferences and adapt it to the conditions of our equipment.

Among the options to choose from we find two categories: basic (display mode, resolution, FPS limit, visual quality, vertical synchronization and brightness) and advanced (texture quality, filter, shadow quality, shading quality, depth of field, motion blur, volumetric lighting, screen space reflections, ambient occlusion, bloom effect).

If Detroit: Become Human, already shone brightly in the graphical section in its PS4 version, on PC it is not far behind. With a smoother and sharper look, we will be able to enjoy the adventure at up to 60 frames per second (limit to choose between 30 or 60. The most purist gamers will have to settle for playing at 60 FPS, but if we take into account that the title is more of a narrative cut, it should not pose any problem.

Quantic Dream dazzles again

Our conclusion in this Detroit: Become Human review is clear: You have to play it to experience it. At times it feels more like an interactive movie than a video game per se, but the decision making, plot twists and great characters in constant evolution will make you connect with the story and stay with you long after you turn off your computer.

Strong points

• A story to remember that you will live at a fast pace.
• Very well built characters, with whom you will connect immediately and will make you get even more into the story.
• Great performance on PC, no glitches or jerks. A stunning visual experience, you will not be able to detach from the screen.

Points to improve

• FPS limit at 30 or 60.

We have made this review thanks to a PC code provided by Meridiem Games.