Quantic Dream's (Heavy Rain, Beyond: Two Souls) new game - Detroit: Become Human

Man, Quantic Dream really likes to put colons in their titles (Omikron: The Nomad Soul, Beyond: Two Souls, and now this).

A while back, Quantic Dream released a tech demo video titled Kara. It was a 7 minute short film done using realtime rendering on PS3 hardware. It wasn't tied to any specific IP or game that they were working on. The video was released after Heavy Rain but before Beyond: Two Souls and it focused on the story of a robot woman who was marked as "defective" for being self-aware and having feelings. Although similar to the "Audition" video that was released as a demo of the tech that would eventually become Heavy Rain, this one was a bit... creepier in terms of the moral implications.

Well, a few years later and after the release of B:TS, a new IP has emerged from this developer. It appears to be directly lifted from the concept of the video but expanded into a full game:

This is all that they've really released on it so far, but I'm excited. I've been a fan of this company's games (even the mediocre ones) since the beginning. Omikron was way ahead of its time and really would have benefited from being developed on later gen hardware (Dreamcast and "Dreamcast Era" PCs). Indigo Prophecy: Fahrenheit (jk) was the first title where the technology really felt like it could keep up so they went for a fully cinematic game as opposed to the more traditional gameplay elements of Omikron, but they needed more time to tweak the formula. IP's gameplay was extremely QTE heavy, even in sequences that were basically static cutscenes. The story also went pretty bat-shit crazy by the third act. It started out paranormal, but by the end it went apocalyptically crazy and with Illuminati-esque conspiracy theories and aliens from Area 51. The strongly negative reaction to the schizophrenic storyline from that game is probably why QD was so adamant that their next title (Heavy Rain) would be a straight thriller with no supernatural or crazy sci-fi elements (barring Agent Jayden's investigating crime scenes with something that looks a hell of a lot like a Microsoft Hololense).

Heavy Rain was much better received than any of QD's other projects to date. Beyond: Two Souls was also pretty good, but in many ways it felt like one step forward and two steps back. Heavy Rain is still my favorite of their games thus far, but I have high hopes for their next ones. Hopefully they'll learn from some of the narrative mistakes they made with Two Souls.

-Byshop

Being a fan of past QD games, this is definitely intriguing... too bad I don't own a PS4.

Is that Jennifer Lawrence? Strong AI vibe.

I'm excited for this. I'm a big fan of QD's work. Heavy Rain is one of my all-time favorite games, and even though Beyond: Two Souls was a bit awkward with its narrative (it should've been linear in its structure), I still really enjoyed it. It's pretty cool seeing a tech demo becoming a fully realized project, and Kara was a fantastic demo to begin with. I'll wait until we see gameplay, but here's hoping they improve on their storytelling. It's never been anywhere near bad, but it needs focus most of the time.

Oh shit. I really like Quanitic Dream, even with the derpy voice acting and script. I'm excited. Beyond:Two Souls was crappy but oh well

@uninspiredcup:The actress from Kara wasn't so I doubt it. No idea if they kept her for this game but they did with The Audition/Heavy Rain.

@hrt_rulz01: They just dropped the price... :)

@Shmiityand @mastermetal777: I totally agree. Heavy Rain was awesome but B:TS could have been better even though it had great elements. With the exception of their last game, every new game they released was an improvement over all their previous games. B:TS even did some things really well, even though overall it wasn't better than Heavy Rain.

-Byshop

Pretty excited about this game as I quite like the QD games - I doubt it will be out any time soon but assuming they have learnt from previous issues with other games we could be up for something good.

The strongly negative reaction to the schizophrenic storyline from that game is probably why QD was so adamant that their next title (Heavy Rain) would be a straight thriller with no supernatural or crazy sci-fi elements (barring Agent Jayden's investigating crime scenes with something that looks a hell of a lot like a Microsoft Hololense).The strongly negative reaction to the schizophrenic storyline from that game is probably why QD was so adamant that their next title (Heavy Rain) would be a straight thriller with no supernatural or crazy sci-fi elements (barring Agent Jayden's investigating crime scenes with something that looks a hell of a lot like a Microsoft Hololense).

Actually, the story of that game at one point totally had supernatural elements. The biggest plot hole in Heavy Rain that is never explained is the main character's random blackouts. The main character was supposed to share a "physic link" with the killer. He would explore dream sequences that were a part of the killer's mind. After they ended, the main character would awake without understanding why he blacked out.

But yeah, they cut it in the end because it made the story too crazy. Also, it probably made the twist too easy to guess I assume.

That's really interesting. I didn't know that, but I can see. It's nice to see instances where game companies learn from their past mistakes.

-Byshop

@Byshop: I've always been a big fan of QD, though I haven't had much time to play their games since IP. Really hoping for that remaster so I can get a second shot at playing them(can't use a ps3 controller, cramps my hands). Cage actually said this game was being made because of the emails from fans about the Kara video, which he said had over 27 million views. So no 'appears to be', it is Kara.

Also, the lead character is played by Valorie Curry, the same actress who played Kara in the animated short 3 years ago. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2038170/?ref_=tt_cl_t6

It looked/sounded like her but the new game isn't listed on her IMDB page yet.

-Byshop

Nice. I enjoy their stuff. but i feel like sci-fi Pinocchio has been done to death at this point. The only real twist i've ever seen/read on it was Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep where the androids didn't actually want to be human, but kinda wanted humans to realize they weren't as special as they thought themselves.

Is this coming to Xbox and PC...... and Nintendo ?

Yeah it's tempting, but I'm just not sure I have the time to invest in 2 consoles :(

@Lulu_Lulu: Sony exclusive just like the others.

Talk about showing what the Ps4 is able to do (and shut up PC guys :D )

But that is one game that will move consoles

I am well stocked for this game, just hope it can live up this trailer.

What do you think? it´s a Sony backed studio.

@mastermetal777:

Looks like Quantic Dream just straight up forgot about us :(

@Jacanuk:

Did Sony aquire Quantic Dream ? :0

Really excited for this. I enjoyed Heavy Rain despite all the ETHAN! ETHAN!. Guess its time to actually play through Beyond Two Souls. Is it long?

@Lulu_Lulu: they've been with Sony since Heavy Rain. Likely to help keep the studio afloat.

Sony do not own it, but they are the only reason Quantic Dreams is still alive today. They have thrown massive amounts of cash into that studio and have a exclusive development contract.

So no you wont see any of the games they make on any other platform than Sony.

@mastermetal777:

Well that didn't really answer the question.

@Jacanuk:

LoL.... okay good.... I was worried for a moment there.

I was looking forward to them actually making The Dark Sorcerer game because it would be a departure from the modern day or futuristic settings that they have been doing. It looks like they opted for this one instead. It certainly looks cool.

I hadn't heard about that one but I'm glad that they make mostly contemporary games (i.e. modern). The fantasy setting is one of the most over-represented settings in video gaming. Modern setting games are extremely rare, by comparison. Usually the closest we get is a post apacolyptic setting or "sci-fi" cities that are so far removed from reality that they become their own form of "fantasy".

-Byshop

I'm so used to the bashing on anything QD on system wars that I read so many positive comments here and feel in bizarro world.

But anyway, back in the day of the early days of the PS3 I was more open to these kind of games but I lost the interest now. Kinda bored of the press this and press that kind of gameplay. And not to mention that I'm completely bored of the themes this game will touch too because in recent years it has been overdone. I think I got enough with Ex Machina.

The majority of SW has a pretty narrow minded view of what qualifies as a game which is one of the reasons I don't post there much.

I like good stories, mysteries, etc. The earlier QD games tried to deliver a film-quality story alongside traditional gameplay elements. Omikron tried to be a fighting game, a TPS, and I think you could even drive a car if I remember correctly. However, it was mostly terrible at each of these things. Indigo Prophecy was the transition to a more narratively focused game but it was way too QTE heavy. Heavy Rain was the best balance and presented the player with a degree of choice that started to approach the Telltale games. One of the best parts of playing that game was comparing notes with others who played it to see just how differently their scenario played out.

So long as the story is solid, it can carry games like this for me even if the game itself isn't terribly interactive.

Ex Machina was a good movie (creepy mysonigistic undertones of the main "villain" notwithstanding) but the ending was like a kick in the teeth.

-Byshop

@Byshop: I'll admit, this looks really good. Despite I enjoy Heavy Rain, [Haven't gotten around playing Beyond: Two Souls] I'm a little worry that it's going for The Order: 1886 path mainly focusing raw graphics over gameplay and I always prefer gameplay over raw graphics but still, this is Quantic Dream were talking about so I'm sure Detroit: Become Human will be an awesome game.

BTW when does this game come out?

All it said is 2016 , so i would not be surprised at all if we are talking around quarter 4 2016.

You will probably see the most of the game at E3 2016 and then again at Paris Game week 2016 before release.

SW is SW meaning that there is a reason why it´s called System wars, they will fanboy argue anything. And one of the things they love to argue is gameplay vs story and not many favors story.

But i do see what you mean , and Heavy Rain and Beyond: Two Souls was heavily set on adventure games elements. So this game might not be for you.

With that said tho, Gage is French and he loves to change things up, in heavy rain it was how you controlled the characters , in Beyond: Two Souls it was the no "death" screen and if you didn´t complete something, you just went in another direction.

So you can be sure that he will make something for Detroit and just for that it may be worth picking up. Not to mention who doesn´t love a good Blade Runner/AI sci-fi game that makes you think.

I am sure their new game is gonna be very very good they never dissapoint.