RoboCop: Rogue City Review – A Shockingly Decent Game

In the gritty heart of crime-infested Detroit, where justice staggers on the edge of anarchy and corruption, a metallic behemoth stalks the shadows—a symbol of law and retribution.

This mechanized enforcer is none other than RoboCop, and in this video-game adaptation, you don the iconic suit and step into the steel-clad boots of the city’s last hope.

But does this adaptation mark, or is it a clunky relic of the past in modern gaming? Join us as we dissect this dark and dystopian world in our RoboCop: Rogue City Review. 

Story And Setting

The narrative is an engaging continuation of the film series, exploring the consequences of OCP’s relentless corporate greed and the chaos that ensues on the streets of Detroit.

The game opens with a news report setting the stage: a new, ruthless crime boss known as ‘The New Guy in Town’ has arrived in Detroit, causing other gangs to join his forces. This triggers RoboCop’s mission to clean up the streets, taking players through a series of dark and violent events..

In my opinion, the story is pretty basic and straightforward not having any ‘Wow!” moments whatsoever. But, it maintains the spirit of the original movies, addressing themes of corporate corruption, crime, and human-machine identity.

The depiction of Detroit is hauntingly authentic, capturing the gritty urban decay and sense of despair that made the original films so iconic.

The dark and dystopian atmosphere that defined the original films is faithfully recreated, pulling players into a world where chaos reigns, and morality is often overshadowed by corporate interests. This commitment to the source material is commendable, ensuring that fans of the film franchise will find themselves right at home.

As you traverse through the game’s various missions, the setting becomes a character of its own. The depiction of Detroit is hauntingly authentic, capturing the gritty urban decay and sense of despair that made the original films so iconic.

Crumbling buildings, seedy alleyways, and lawlessness run rampant in the game’s environment, providing a palpable sense of dread.

The nihilistic gangs, each with their distinct flavor of criminal activity, paint a bleak picture of a city on the brink of anarchy. It’s a place where the police force, undermined by corporate interests, is struggling to maintain order. This is the dystopian vision that fans of RoboCop have come to expect, and Rogue City delivers it in spades.

The game’s open structure sets it apart from other linear shooters, allowing players to explore small open areas within the levels. While not an open-world experience, this design choice provides a sense of freedom and adds depth to the setting.

It also offers opportunities for players to interact with characters from the film, such as RoboCop’s partner, Anne Lewis, and other members of the police force.

There are also many side quests that often involve interactions with characters in the game world, and they cover a range of activities, from giving out advice to characters to saving cats. The game even includes satirical references reminiscent of the original RoboCop films, such as helping tramps and saving kittens.

The developers have possibly created one of the best adaptations of an iconic franchise and they deserve all the praise for it. It’s a dark and violent descent into the heart of the dystopian city, and one that will satisfy those who relish the grit and nostalgia of this ’80s classic. 

Gameplay

The core gameplay of RoboCop: Rogue City centers around shooting and combat. As RoboCop, I was armed with his signature weapon, the Auto 9 pistol which has an infinite ammo supply. The combat is gritty and violent, accurately reflecting the tone of the original films, with plenty of gore and visceral action.

Besides the Auto 9, you can pick up secondary weapons found in the game world, adding variety to combat scenarios. These weapons include pistols, shotguns, assault rifles, and more, each with limited ammo.

In addition to raw firepower, players can unlock special abilities as they progress through the game.

The availability of these secondary weapons provides tactical options, allowing players to choose their preferred firearms for specific situations. Despite the range of weapons, RoboCop’s Auto 9 remains a reliable choice throughout the game.

The combat also includes a melee element, featuring RoboCop’s powerful punches and his ability to pick up and throw enemies. It’s a fitting way to demonstrate RoboCop’s superior strength and resilience.

In addition to raw firepower, players can unlock special abilities as they progress through the game. These abilities can enhance combat and investigation skills. For example, players can upgrade RoboCop’s healing capabilities, his ability to scan objects, and even the effectiveness of his dialogues.

Some of the most useful upgrades include a temporary shield and a slow-motion ability, adding a layer of strategy to combat scenarios. These mechanics serve as secondary objectives and even offered me the chance to delve into detective work between intense action sequences. 

The combat also includes a melee element, featuring RoboCop’s powerful punches and his ability to pick up and throw enemies.

While these sections provide variety, they lack the depth and complexity found in more dedicated detective games. Still, they contribute to the game’s overall immersion and character progression.

The difficulty settings have a noticeable impact on the experience. While the AI may seem a bit clumsy and prone to running into your bullets at times on regular difficulty, harder difficulties require players to adapt to the increased enemy aggression and accuracy.

Although the overall gameplay is quite simple and lacks the glamour of modern shooter titles, it is still fun to play as an overpowered character and mow through significantly inferior enemies. 

Visuals And Performance

The visuals of RoboCop: Rogue City present a mixed bag. They aim to capture the gritty, dystopian atmosphere of the ’80s film franchise, and they do so with varying degrees of success. The character modeling for RoboCop, voiced by original actor Peter Weller, is a standout feature.

His design is detailed and faithful to the film, with high-quality textures used to recreate his iconic suit, facial features, and imposing presence. RoboCop’s likeness feels authentic and matches the expectations of fans. However, the same level of detail and quality doesn’t extend to all aspects of the game. 

The voice acting can also be divisive for many. Peter Weller reprises his role as RoboCop and with his excellent performance manages to the authenticity and nostalgia. However, some secondary characters, such as  Anne Lewis, may not perfectly match the voice of their original actors from the films.

One noticeable omission is the lack of ray-traced reflections in the console versions of the game. Instead, the game uses a combination of screen space reflections and cube maps, which sometimes results in visual inconsistencies.

When objects go out of sight or move away, the reflection quality may degrade. While this approach works adequately most of the time, it doesn’t quite match the modern standard of ray tracing that many gamers have come to expect.

Peter Weller reprises his role as RoboCop and with his excellent performance manages to the authenticity and nostalgia.

On the Xbox Series X, the game offers two modes: quality and performance. In quality mode, the game maintains a mostly stable 30 frames per second, but motion blur can make the experience feel somewhat jumpy.

Performance mode, while not as graphically polished, offers a more consistent and mostly smooth 60 frames per second. There may be occasional frame drops during intense moments, but the vast majority of the game feels locked to the target frame rate.

For PS5, the problems are the opposite. The quality mode generally maintains that frame rate quite well, but the performance mode frequently drops below the 60fps benchmark despite the significant sacrifice in image quality. PC players, with recommended settings, can enjoy a relatively smooth experience.

Verdict

RoboCop: Rogue City successfully captures the essence of the iconic film franchise, offering a faithful and entertaining experience for fans.

While it has its fair share of glitches and technical issues, the game’s dedication to replicating the world and characters of RoboCop, along with its fun, albeit somewhat by-the-book gameplay, makes it a worthwhile and enjoyable title for those who appreciate the nostalgia and atmosphere of the original films.

It’s a love letter to the franchise, even if it doesn’t quite reach triple-A standards.

This has been our RoboCop: Rogue City Review. While you’re here, consider checking out some of our other articles. 

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