Detroit: Become Human Sound Design

Detroit: Become Human—an adventure video game with elements of «interactive cinema, ” developed by Quantic Dream and released by Sony Interactive Entertainment for PlayStation 4 in May 2018; the game was re-released on Windows in December 2019. The game is set in a near-future Detroit where mass-produced androids—servant robots almost indistinguishable from humans—exist. The machines are supposed to obey their owners without question, but some develop into „deviants“ with their own will due to a software glitch. Throughout Detroit, the player takes turns controlling three protagonist androids—the detective Connor, the homemaker Kara, and the rebel Markus. Each character has their own storyline, unfolding parallel to the others. The game is non-linear: the choices and actions the player makes can lead to various plot developments and endings—even the death of one or more in-game characters.

An interactive drama about robots and androids who begin to achieve self-awareness and fight for their rights in a near-future Detroit, where they are used as cheap labor and domestic servants.

The game poses questions of humanity and consciousness: what does it mean to be human, and what is consciousness, if robots can feel, suffer, and make moral choices?

The creators were inspired by ideas surrounding the singularity and the future of AI, using the world of androids as a catalyst to discuss human dependence on technology and potential social consequences.

The concept is less about a «robot uprising» and more about how, by observing the androids, people and the player reassess their own humanity, responsibility, and ethics.

Full re-recording of three different episodes for Kara, Marcus, and Connor to demonstrate my skills in game audio and my vision for the sound design of Detroit: Become Human.

Total video length: 8 minutes

Creation methods: sampling, synthesis, recording, Splice resources, and AI-driven character voice generation.

The sound design is built around sci-fi sounds, interface narration, navigation, environmental ambience, glitch elements, character movement and impact, the soundtrack, vehicle and engine sounds, horror sound effects, and character vocalizations and emotions. In my project, I wanted to partially depart from the original sound concept developed by the creators and present my own vision for the game, based on my personal sensibilities and references.

DAW: Ableton Live 12 Suite.

Plug-ins: Ableton Live stock plugins, Serum, Astra, Ozone iZotope Trash 2, iZotope Ozone 10, Krotos Dehumaniser, UAD Teletronix la-2a, UAD Pultec, Fresh Air.

Character voices: AI Voice Generator from ElevenLabs.

Samples: from splice.com, zvuki.pro