Parents' Guide to

Detroit: Become Human

By David Chapman, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Choose your story in mature sci-fi tale of society, morals.

Game PlayStation 4 2018
Detroit: Become Human Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this game.

Community Reviews

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age 13+

Based on 23 parent reviews

edfedvefbd
edfedvefbd Adult
February 25, 2021
age 12+

Tremendous game

I very tremendous game. Favorite one I have played in fact. It has quite simple controls. If you are worried about the strip club part it has no nudity. No sex moments in the game. It has some blood but if your child isn’t afraid of this it should be fine. There is a part where there is an abusive father but your character Kara saves the daughter. You switch between 3 characters. A cop named Connor, A helper Android named Markus who will lead a revolution or lead protests for Android rights, and last a nanny Android named Kara who tries to find a safe place for a child. It is a 10/10 game I suggest it.

This title has:

Great messages
Easy to play/use
2 people found this helpful.
yoohoolapa
yoohoolapa Adult
May 12, 2020
age 9+

great message!

i think this game is absolutely for family! a deep theme with real world paralells. Its a bit hard to play so i left that stuff to my youngins!

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
1 person found this helpful.
See all 23 parent reviews

What’s It About?

DETROIT: BECOME HUMAN takes place in the future -- Detroit in the year 2038. Society has seen a massive shift, thanks to advances in technology, culminating in the creation of intelligent android servants. These androids can be bought and sold, programed to fill specific roles, and serve humankind's whims. But what happens when these androids start to question their purpose? The game answers this question by taking players on a journey through the lives of three androids: a caretaker who learns to rise up and unite his kind to resist oppression, a prototype law enforcement investigator tasked with keeping his brethren in line, and a servant whose love for a child's well-being overrides the limits of her programming. While each android has his or her own story to tell, their paths are intertwined. Choices have consequences. Submit or resist. Violence or peace. Life or death. Their fate, and the fate of society as a whole, lies in your hands.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (23):
Kids say (69):

This sci-fi tale is less like a standard video game and more like an interactive movie, because your decisions affect and change the development of the plot. Detroit: Become Human isn't like most standard games: You're not upgrading equipment, picking up new skills, or racing to the next waypoint. Instead, you're experiencing a new world through unique sets of eyes, making difficult, life-altering decisions, and then watching how those choices unfold. That's not to say there aren't a few gamelike elements from time to time. Usually these are quick time events, which are tests of reflexes and attention somewhat like a glorified game of Simon Says. But these are a double-edged sword. While they help you feel like you're taking a more active role in the events, tracking the on-screen prompts makes it difficult to pay attention to the effects of your actions.

If you look at Detroit: Become Human as something other than a video game, you'll find that it does a great job of telling its story ... and in some ways, telling your story, too. The decisions you make seamlessly craft a genuinely unique tale catered to you. Even seemingly insignificant decisions like opening a window can have major implications later. There are so many branches in the game's plot that it comes with a built-in flowchart that lets you sort out how your decisions paved the way for the narrative. This comes in handy with later playthroughs, because you can sort out where the story branches and what you can do differently in a way that doesn't give away what will happen if you take a different path at a given fork in the road. No matter which path you choose, Detroit's plot is sure to have an impact. By seeing through the eyes of these androids and experiencing their lives, you can't help but feel empathy for their plight. These are more than just living appliances or tools for modern convenience. These are characters struggling to achieve a higher sense of purpose and to prove not only that they deserve equality in a society that demeans and degrades them, but that, when push comes to shove, they can be more human at heart than the world in which they live.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about violence in video games. Is the impact of the violence in Detroit: Become Human different because some of it is against androids rather than humans? How does it affect things that the androids look like humans?

  • How do games, movies, and other media like Detroit: Become Human address current social issues? What are some parallels that can be drawn from the plot to both past and current real-world social issues?

  • Is it important to weigh the possible consequences, as well as the benefits, of making certain life decisions? What are some good ways to work on making the best choices? Are there ways to repair the damage from poor decisions?

Game Details

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