I have played videogames for more than 20 years at this point. In total, I've completed no less than a couple of thousand of them. I've gone through many experiences in that medium, but not a single one of them has been able to make me feel the monumental emotions I felt when I finished Detroit: Become Human.
This was the single most unique, impactful, moving, and touching experience I have ever had in the world of gaming. D:BH is a masterpiece that will leave a significant mark in me for a very, very long time.
In the world of games, you are rarely given the feeling that your decisions have any meaningful impact. In this game, however, every single decision you make feels like you're choosing the fate of a living, breathing being. Choosing between love and heartbreak. Between abandonment and family. Between friendship and hatred. Between life and death. Nothing in it feels trivial or boring, and your course of actions is loaded with this sense of real-life responsibility that is so rare in the world of games.
The voice acting is absolutely tremendous and it gives the game this thick layer of palpable authenticity. The visuals are just beyond stunning. Gorgeous music and carefully crafted sound design will acompany you on this unforgettable journey, padded by realistic and polished writing wherein memorable and well-developed characters play out a truly unforgettable story. No matter how much I praise this game, it won't be enough.
Speaking of story, this is precisely what makes the game shine in a way very few games have ever shone. Nowadays we shrug off the idea of androids, but given enough time, almost every piece of sci-fi content eventually becomes truth. And, realistically speaking, we're not that far off a reality where androids are a pivotal part of our lives.
This game explores the moral, ethical and anthropological challenges a life in conjunction with androids poses. A life full of emotional conflict, where our comfort is in stark contrast with the ethics of using androids to allow for that comfort.
I can confidently say that in more than two decades of gaming, the 11 hours this game took to complete represented the absolute best and most unforgettable single player story-driven gaming experience I have ever had. In that category of games, it undoubtedly takes the number one spot. Maybe God of War will be able to replace it, but I doubt it. We'll see. In the meantime, if you have 10 EUR to spend and are looking for proof that games can be something truly unique and important, this is the game to go for.
The implications of its contents are monumental. We will need to face these moral and ethical challenges in the near future. We will have to face the internal conflict. This is a tremendously difficult issue. ML algorithms are on a meteoric rise already, and it's only a matter of time before they pass the Turing test. Then we will have on our hands a living creature, albeit living a life vastly different than our own. And then we will, in our role as pseudo-creators of this creature, have to deal with the consequences. With great power comes great responsibility. Even though by extension of logic AI will be as much a creation of the Universe as we are, we still carry the responsibility of integrating that amazing technology in our culture and life in a way that allows for justice, fairness and equality.
Will we succeed, or will we fail? What do you foresee?
Love & Light
Nydex attached the following image(s):
96IsNh1lt85M1XhOIGGLx4LM.jpg
(325kb) downloaded 44 time(s).