Detroit: Become Human is an adventure game which was previously a PlayStation exclusive before it was released on PC. The game follows the storylines of three main characters, Kara, Markus, and Connor, as both androids and humans alike grapple with what it truly means to be alive. Detroit quickly gained popularity as its stunning graphics, heart wrenching storytelling, and intense gameplay mesmerized gamers around the world. However, the focal point of this game is its expansive decision making options and alternative endings. One of the first of its kind, Detroit is characterized by its choice-based storyline, allowing players to build their own story with drastically different results. Although it offers numerous different selections to choose from, many aspects of the game were cut out during development.
What Exactly Should Have Been Fleshed Out
David Cage, the writer and director of Detroit: Become Human, mentioned several items which were not included in the final game. This includes some supposedly ambiguous cutscenes, a potential love interest for Markus, a fourth main character, and possibly more. Furthermore, the game left many elements unexplained. Now, in the final finished product, they’ve have become fragmented moot points that hold no valid purpose. For example, in the Connor storyline, hunting down the deviants introduces some fascinating lore details. They all have a common infatuation with rA9, a story element which was never fully explained. Players were left to speculate which character that could have been, or if it was even a character found in the game. An additional vague detail was the encrypted mazes found in one of the journals of the deviants.
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- Several deviant cases involve these encrypted mazes that only other deviants are able to read
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- A key piece of evidence in one case is a maze journal
These unanswered questions left players wondering what potential lore they were missing out on. It gives the game a feeling of being unfinished, or seems to contain irrelevant standalone elements. But something like that would be unexpected from such a highly praised, professional game studio. Cage states the primary reason for removing these potential game changers is that the storyline would have become too complex, a very invalid reason for a game which already prides itself upon unfolding an extraordinarily complex storyline to its players. The game had already pushed the bounds of what was thought to be possible, and in doing so proved that storylines were no longer required to be linear. To push this concept even further would not have been an impractical, unimaginable feat.
A Little Extra Effort Prior to Release
As it compares to others, the game is relatively complex. Although some games also share the similar theme of alternate endings and decision based gameplay, Detroit takes these characteristics to a whole new level. There are already many different routes to take and a lot of fine details included. Of course some of the removed aspects of the game, such as the fourth character, would have added some extra strain on the developers at Quantic Dream and the logistics of it might have proved an added challenge, but in the end, it would have been worth it to make something fleshed out and fully completed. Many popular games are characterized by deeply convoluted lore which players can dive headfirst into and explore to their liking. Not only would the players have appreciated the additional gameplay and content, but it would have marked an even greater achievement for the studio.
Simon is one of Markus’ companions in the game. He was initially a potential love interest, however it was cut out during production
The game is already a massive success and is arguably one of Quantic Dream’s most notable releases, but the added complexity and the fulfillment of the lore would have tremendously amplified these accomplishments. To have made the game even bigger than it already is would have only benefited Cage and boosted the replay value even more. The project he undertook was already huge, and putting in the extra time and effort to really complete the game and do it right would have truly been worth it. This is often a problem that occurs when it comes to big game developers.
The flowchart shows all possible options and outcomes for only one of the game chapters, with the later charts becoming even more detailed
A Concerning New Pattern
A similar issue took place with Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, where Kojima rushed the game’s release. Although it was behind the deadline and already over budget, some aspects of the game fell flat and felt incomplete. One of these aspects is the ending, a fundamental part of the game. For such an amazing game, it is a shame to conclude it in such a fashion, also leaving many elements unexplained and throwing potential lore out the window. Although the game contains fun gameplay and a suspenseful storyline, it could have been taken to a whole new level with Kojima’s full vision coming to fruition.
Cage was not under a similar time or budget constraint as Kojima was. Additionally, Quantic Dream didn’t pressure him the way Konami did with Kojima. As the founder and CEO of his own studio, he had the opportunity to finish his game the way he wanted to. But he simply chose to cut things out as he deemed necessary. This severely hindered both his and the game’s own potential. He may as well have gone all the way and pushed the game to its limits.
The stunning graphics and cinematic cutscenes complement an incomplete storyline with no satisfying ending
Future Prospects
There is talk of a sequel to the game. There are hopes it will be properly fleshed out rather than cut short like the first game. Cage should not rush the game out and detract from the storyline as he did with the first one. A general rule for any sequel is to emphasize elements people admired while repairing any issues from the previous game. There has been some outcry in regards to cutting the game short, so Cage would be wise to listen to the critiques of his fans. It will be interesting to see what else Quantic Dream has to offer with this new game. Fans anticipate they will go as big with it as they did with the first game, if not bigger.
