Cinematic and interactive games are a rare find in the gaming industry. Most developers don’t care or don’t know much about the genre. Commonly, we get gameplay and cinematic cuts as separated distinct elements. In many titles, you get the feeling of “I wanted to play that cut,” but the game doesn’t have the mechanics to play through its pre-rendered scenes. Another option is getting gameplay and scripted sequences, like on Half-Life. It manages to keep the flow of the story tight, but it still keeps you away from some of the most intense moments in the title. The third way is interactive experiences. They rely on quick actions like pressing buttons or deciding and seeing the consequences play out as a movie. Games like Detroit: Become Human depended entirely on this loop while taking most, if not all, action-oriented mechanics.
Selecting Games Like Detroit Human
Detroit: Become Human is an award-winning title. That’s because it’s so much more than an interactive experience. Also, it’s a highlight of the genre. That means finding similar experiences means understanding the core elements that made this unique experience. We selected games featuring a mixture of the aspects below or excel at one particular characteristic.
Genre: Become Human is an interactive cinematic experience. You play as three characters in an interconnected story. Each character presents a different story, but the gameplay is similar. You go through long cinematic cuts while making dialogue and action choices.Branching paths: There’re many paths for either story and many possible endings for the games and each character. In fact, any of the three characters can die at any moment without prompting a game over screen. Extensive length: Aside from the branching paths, any particular playthrough can extend for about 15 hours. This is a highly-complex choice-driven experience, though. The title includes about 85 endings, and although many overlap, you can play the game dozens of times and see dozens of different playthroughs. Cinematic action: There’s also action in the game, which could be pivotal depending on your path. The action relies on quick action buttons and cinematic animation.Exploration: Even though the game is interactive, you can move the characters freely in wide areas. Exploring the areas reveals plot details and more information. You may also interact with random NPCs and items. As such, it could lead to new paths. Story-driven drama game: Become Human is a dramatic story akin to a sci-fi drama show. And because of its light gameplay, it’s a game you could both enjoy playing or just watching. Plot: The title has an original plot about androids. In the near future, humanoid androids have taken many human jobs. The protagonists are three distinct androids at the brink of a human-android conflict. They become a pivotal part of the conflict.Dilemmas: The game presents dilemmas about humanity, conscience, love, family, loyalty, friendship, and life. As the title suggests, the ultimate question is, “what makes humans human?” During key moments, you will answer these questions. Nevertheless, your choices will affect the future of humanity and the city of Detroit. However, there’re no easy choices and no clear sight of good and evil.Visuals: Even for 2018, Become Human features top-of-the-line graphics. The newer PC version looks even better with 4K resolution and 60fps.
There’re a lot of elements within Quantic Dream’s title. However, the title stays true, and it’s a choice-driven interactive drama from beginning to end. Games like Detroit: Human should also remain true to the formula. Yet, we could find worthy titles with android /sci-fi themes.
Games Like Detroit: Become Human
A Plague Tale: Innocence
Our first choice is also at the top of the best medieval games you can play. Even without swords, shields, and magic, the interactive experience is stellar. It’s not a choice-driven game, though, so don’t expect multiple playthroughs with branching paths. You play Amicia, a young girl protecting her younger brother Hugo. They are going through the darkest hours of history, the Dark Plague that took millions of lives in Europe between 1346 and 1352. They are in France, and the only thing they have left in the world is each other. The duo is helpless, young, and afraid. They must escape the plague, the rats, and the Inquisition knights hunting any survivors to contain the disease. The dangers are overwhelming, and the only thing they have is their witts and their caution. For example, there’re little things they can do to complete their journey. Actions include hiding, exploring, throwing objects, or using fire to lure rats away. Because of the light gameplay mechanics, the overall gameplay is cinematic and interactive. Along the way, your choices will either save you and other children or lead you to death. However, the game has a single ending. However, the struggle is memorable, and the horrors untold.
The Forgotten City
The Forgotten City is a time-loop game with four endings and complex choice mechanics. It focuses on exploring a world to get clues and solve a mystery and repeating the literal loop to reach the end goal as many times as you need. If you’re not aware, this is the full game version of the Skyrim mod of the same name. You play in a cursed Roman city. The Gods made a rule: everyone pays with their lives if a person commits a sin. That means violence won’t get you very far. Instead, you need to rely on dialogue, witts, choices, and clues to solve a murder that dooms the city. So, you’re to exploit the time loop to explore a full array of colorful characters and places. Along the way, you’ll make difficult moral choices about faith, ethics, justice, and sin. Your decisions matter, as the fate of the city, rests in your hands. As for the gameplay, you can explore an open-world Roman city. The setting has historically accurate architecture, costumes, and music. The story is non-linear, and most NPCs are interactive. Moreover, there’re sandbox elements, as you can solve problems in many ways: charm, bribery, reason, wit, intimidation, violence, or through the time loop.
Beyond: Two Souls
Beyond: Two Souls is an action thriller with the performance of Elliot Page and Willem Dafoe, two Hollywood A-listers. Recently, we saw Dafoe overwhelm the screen as the Green Goblin on No Way Home. And if you’re not familiar, Elliot Page was formerly known as Ellen Page. The game follows a journey across the globe as Jodie Holmes. She has a mysterious power, a connection to Aiden, an ethereal entity with telekinetic powers. Because of this, Jodie has contact with spirits and the supernatural, so she has been different since she was born. The story follows Jodie as a child, as an adolescent, and as a young adult. Her goal is to integrate into society and lead a normal life, despite the CIA wanting her powers for the government. As another Quantic Dream game, the gameplay relies on interaction and exploration. Players make choices along the way, respond to NPCs, and perform quick actions. There’re also cinematic action scenes that rely on quick buttons. That said, the game swaps between Jodie and Aiden, and Aiden has a set of powers that change the dynamics of the title. The interactive story can take you to 11 distinct endings with branching paths. Either path is heart-wrenching, tough, and heavy. Ultimately, though, the journey is about self-discovery and acceptance. Two Souls is an action-packed story full of emotion, difficult lessons, and psychological challenges. Moreover, the story can take you on a spiritual journey to discover Aiden’s origins and what lies beyond.
Death Stranding
Hideo Kojima, the creator of the Metal Gear series, took the personal task of creating an original title and perhaps a new genre. He describes the game as “pseudo-action.” I would describe it as an open-world interactive story-driven game with minor action sequences. The setting is a post-apocalyptic world. The “Death Stranding” event connected the land of the living with the land of the dead. That caused three things. The first is rain that accelerates time whenever it falls. The second are souls trying to take the living to the beyond. The third is antimatter explosions happening when errand souls consume a human. You play as Sam Porter Bridges (Norman Reedus), a delivery man. You’re building a country-wide supply network to prevent humanity’s extinction. You explore a world by walking and driving while constructing roads and delivering packages. Everything you do leaves a mark for both NPCs and other players in co-op. However, the loop is time-consuming and lengthy, and it involves a lot of walking simulator portions. This is a minor element by the last portions of the game. Before that, Death Stranding is a horrifying, story-driven experience where you explore and interact with the world and the survivors.
Outer Wilds
The Outer Wilds was the 2020 Bafta Best Game. Many fans and reviewers consider it one of the greatest indie titles. We also tend to recommend it as it’s a wholly unique time loop indie adventure game. You play as an Outer Wild Venture recruit, a space program trying to solve the mystery of a solar system trapped in a time loop. You’re to explore a massive open world with no clues, no map markers, and no clear goal other than solving the mystery. So, the gameplay is about exploring and interacting. There’re many secrets in the world, and there’re also many ways to solve the time loop. Until then, though, you’re in a rush to find as many clues as you can before the loop resets you back to the starting position. The Outer Wilds has various planets rich in landscapes and hidden locations. There’re underground cities, crumbling planets, frozen tundras, hazardous environments, and more. You also get to use high-tech suits and gear to explore different environments.
Life is Strange: True Colors
Life Is Strange: True Colors is an episodic adventure game. It’s part of the wide Square Enix’s catalog of published games. The complete entry consists of five episodes, and the latest one debuted in September 2020. The gameplay relies on a graphic adventure with a third-person perspective. You can explore Haven Springs, interact with NPCs, and make dialogue choices. These mechanics follow Alex Chen, the 21-year old protagonist. He’s investigating the mysterious death of his 8-year old brother. Because he refuses to believe it was an accident, he uses psychic powers to read and manipulate other people. The Ultimate Edition bundle packs the five episodes plus a bonus story. You play as another character a year before the tragic death on the extra content. It’s a stand-alone story that happens in another scenario, the KRCT radio station. Overall, Life Is Strange is a thrilling interactive mystery game. The best part of the game, though, is the character. Chen is willing to use his “cursed” powers to manipulate others’ emotions. It’s a heavy burden to carry, and it’s sadly the way he thinks could lead to the truth. And the truth, as you’d expect, is a rollercoaster secret that takes you across the whole town.
The Walking Dead: The Telltale Definitive Series
The Walking Dead is an episodic interactive series. It uses The Walking Dead set, familiar faces, and original characters to deliver a dramatic, choice-driven interactive story. The game includes 4 seasons, and each season has five episodes. There’s also an additional DLC episode with three episodes plus a further season. Overall, the game is lengthy and offers over 60 hours of gameplay. These games work in a unique manner, compared to other choice-driven experiences. The game has a main character that goes towards a single ending. However, your decision affects the lives of secondary characters. That said, the choices are tough, moral decisions mostly about the good of one, versus the good of many. These games offer strong narrative and interaction with other characters as well. There’re also quick time events to cover the action and some puzzles. Still, the overall experience is like watching a spin-off show where you get to decide who lives and who dies. Moreover, the series represents a high mark for the interactive adventure genre.
Heavy Rain
Before Two Souls and Become Human, Quantic Dream was a way smaller studio. Heavy Rain was their first take in the interactive drama department. Yet, the title proved story-driven games relying on quick time mechanics can be fun. That said, this game is a bit old, and it shows. If you can deal with the less advanced formula, give it a try. If anything, as a Detroit: Become Human fan, you should be willing to see where the newer game came from. Also, I would say the visuals still hold very well. In Heavy Rain, you play as a detective. You’re trying to find the Origami Killer, a serial murderer who’s continuously evading the police. The evildoer only carries his “duties” when it rains. The setting delivers a psychological thriller full of danger, twists, turns, and darkness. And as you go along the journey, the game will force you to make fast choices and move quickly. It’s the game’s choice mechanics with consequences and branching paths. Heavy Rain is not Quantic Dream’s first game, but it’s probably their most important title. It won multiple awards in 2011, including technical, interactivity, and score awards. Omit, the entry brought the story-driven movie-game dramas to new heights.
A Way Out
It Takes Two creators have been creating co-op adventure titles for a while. A Way Out focuses on interactive gameplay, in particular. That said, it is a co-op-only adventure game where you and a friend control two prisoners trying to escape prison. The gameplay is about following the two characters on their increasingly difficult tasks. Frequently, they go in separate ways, each one performing a particular task for the goal. Their breakout plans soon spiral out of control, and you get to play it with various mechanics. You can explore, interact with the environment and other NPCs, and perform quick actions in A Way Out. They’re also light melee combat segments, puzzle sections, and shooting segments. All of these happen through the eyes of Leo and Vincent. And, as I said, you need another player online or locally to complete the game. Overall, A Way Out is an interactive thriller about escaping prison. The characters face the odds, dangerous circumstances, and self-doubt. So, this is a story about freedom, trust, and teamwork.
Nancy Drew series – The Silent Spy
The Nancy Drew video-game series is a long-running list of games. They follow Edward Stratemeyer’s original character (1862 – 1930). Every game follows similar formulas, interactive mystery experiences with puzzle-solving and interaction. Silent Spy is one of the latest entries and one of the best titles in the saga. The game packs challenging puzzles, many dialogue lines, and a compelling voice-over. The game follows a personal story that develops Nancy so both series newcomers and followers can enjoy it. As usual, you play as Nancy Drew. She discovers her mother, Kate Drew, was an event that went missing a decade ago in Scotland. Nancy’s journey is about finding the truth about her mother in a personal, emotional adventure. The gameplay is very light. You interact with the environment as well as other NPCs. You can pick up items and then use items to solve mysteries. You also tinker with high-tech gadgets to find new leads and gather intel. These tools deliver a story about family, heritage, and responsibility.
Little Nightmares 2
Little Nightmares 2 is a 2D side-scroller with limited gameplay mechanics. You play as two young kids lost in a nightmarish world. To survive, you interact with objects, hide, and wait for the monsters to go away. It’s a prequel to a cult-following indie title. In the second entry, you play as Mono, and your companion is Six, the protagonist of the previous game. Both are exploring a distorted world, and they must find a distant tower to stop its humming transmission. Mono and Six are mostly helpless. You play the entire game, as there’re not many scripted or cinematic cuts in the game. Still, the experience feels cinematic and slow. That said, the journey is not easy: the world’s residents are cruel and eager to kill you. Overall, Detroit: Become Human fans would also love games like Little Nightmares. That’s because thriller, horror, and interactive experiences are very close-by. For example, House of Ashes is an interactive horror game you may want to check.
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition
“Does this unit have a soul”? It’s a similar question, a core moral dilemma within the Mass Effect universe. Although the ME games are third-person RPG shooters, the saga focuses heavily on choice-driven mechanics and NPC interaction. Moreover, it explores the same topic: the consciousness of artificial beings. The Legendary Edition is a recent bundle/remaster by Bioware. It packs the three games, plus its many DLCs. The story follows Commander Shephard, a human soldier who leads a group of humans and aliens against an ancient AI threat. The squad has the mission of saving the Galaxy from another cycle of AI eliminating sentient life. There’re three gameplay loops in the game. First, the third person is shooting. You find and upgrade weapons, upgrade your skills, level up your character, fire, and use powers. Then, there’s the exploration and interaction on the many world hubs. Here’s where you can explore plot details, lore information, and more across hundreds of voice lines. Thirdly, there’s the choice mechanics, as most quests and side quests will force you to make tough choices. The three games evolve and tweak the combat but keep the other mechanics intact. That said, the three games have branching paths. These branching paths lead to different endings for each significant sub-plot and a side character. However, the game’s overall ending feels one-dimensional and not as good as the rest of the package.
