Like so many things created in France, PlayStation 4 exclusive game "Detroit: Become Human" is unbelievably beautiful.
This PlayStation 4 game looks eerily realistic — you have to see for yourself
Detroit hasn't looked this good since the days of auto barons.
Not bad, right? He's one of the many humanoid robots featured in a new game from French game-development studio Quantic Dream. And that's not computer graphics you see above — that's the game itself.
But maybe you don't go in for robot people. How's this?
"Detroit: Become Human" is an upcoming game for the PlayStation 4, with no release date beyond the entire year 2018. What we've got right now, though, is a ton of information, images, and videos about the gorgeous upcoming game.
"Detroit" is a game about artificial intelligence and humanity's future. Guess where it's set?
The game is set in a near-future version of real-world city Detroit, Michigan. Things haven't improved much from current day, it looks like.
The outskirts of the city are still looking not so great. The near-future of "Detroit: Become Human" isn't a utopia, but it is recovering from its current state.
The discrepancy between these dilapidated houses and the glistening city streets is jarring — you'll see in a moment.
But the view from here, on the highway leading in to Detroit, looks pretty similar to modern life. Cars, trucks, billboards, exit ramps — normal stuff, even in 2017.
The city itself is clearly on the upswing. The sudden boom in the economy is due to Detroit's resurgence in manufacturing — instead of cars, this time the Motor City is leading the charge on artificially-intelligent humanoid robots: androids.
This economic resurgence has led to a gleaming urban center, though tensions are boiling under the surface.
Notice that "Fight Back Against the Androids" graffiti? That's because the very human-looking Androids are driving a rift between traditional human society and the new one being created by Cyberlife.
There are androids in shop windows, advertising the many benefits of bringing a humanoid robot into your home.
There are androids using public transit, lined up in a section designated for androids. Sound familiar? Indeed — "Detroit: Become Human" is re-treading some of America's most disgusting history.
The plot of "Detroit: Become Human" centers on three main protagonists: Kara, Connor, and Markus. They're all androids, and they're all dealing with the cultural ramifications of their own existence.
Though the androids look real, they're all robotics and programming below the surface:
Cyberlife's ultra-white, sanitized facilities are where all three of the game's protagonists were "born."
Much like the cars of Detroit's automotive past, the androids of the game's near-future are assembled by machines piece-by-piece.
Unlike those cars, these creations walk off the line and seemingly float over the uncanny valley. They don't just "look" real — they're arguably just as human as the humans who built them.
Here's the creation of Kara, the first of the game's protagonists that was shown.
And here's the final product: a more than perfect human, hand-crafted by a lesser, organic version.
What makes Kara, Marcus, and Connor different is their consciousness. They've crossed the line from humanoid to conscious life.
She experiences fear, confusion, wonderment — feelings that androids don't have in near-future Detroit. They see past their programming and experience human consciousness.
And that can be a lot to grapple with, even if you're a ridiculously intelligent computer person. Imagine you suddenly realized you were actually a robot doing the bidding of organic beings, essentially enslaved?
Between the general concept of androids and the fact that some are revolting, there's some serious unrest in Detroit over the whole situation.
Some folks in near-future Detroit don't appreciate that androids are replacing them as workers. Some don't appreciate that they exist at all.
And some androids are rising up, like Markus here. He's making it his mission, actually, to "awaken" as many androids as he can. He's building an army, essentially.
This is the central conflict of "Detroit" (the game). Androids are treated like slaves, because they're thought of as computers.
Kara can't help but notice the disparities in the world around her after she's "awoken."
There's even "Android parking" out in public, which looks just as crazy as you might imagine.
Despite feeling differently, Kara looks just like hundreds of other female androids. You can tell the androids from the humans because of the glowing blue light ring on their temples.
But the folks who notice her most frequently are actually other androids — what makes her different? Why isn't she following the same programming as the other androids?
But it's the choices you, the player, make as Kara, Markus, and Connor that shape the story of "Detroit: Become Human." This isn't a first-person shooter, or even an action-adventure game. It's all about the narrative.
Will you rise up alongside other androids and violently overthrow Detroit?
Or will you attempt to persuade your organic overlords (humans) by appealing to their humanity?
The choice is yours! And choose carefully — if one of the game's main three characters dies in the story, that's the end of their tale. Death is part of the story in "Detroit: Become Human."
What will become of Kara, Markus, Connor, and near-future Detroit? We'll hopefully find out sooner than later, as "Detroit: Become Human" heads to the PlayStation 4 at some point in 2018.
Watch the full debut trailer right here:
And check out the latest trailer, featuring Markus, right here: