RoboCop: Rogue City Review (PC) | Nostalgic And Beautifully Crafted Homage With Minor Letdowns | Sponsored

In RoboCop : Rogue City you play police officer called Alex Murphy, a half human, half machine police officer who operates in the service of Detroit City, with only the well-being of humanity in mind, and dedicated to upholding justice. But there is more to it, right? Absolutely!

Murphy, the titular RoboCop, died during a mission and got resurrected by the government in a once-in-a-lifetime project, keeping the human brain alive, while creating a mechanical body. Murphy must confront himself with the question: Am I a human with needs and desires, or merely a machine without feelings?.

RoboCop draws from a franchise that invokes nostalgia in many of us, myself included. Therefore, let's explore together whether Rogue City offers more than that and if taking a look at the game is worthwhile!

RoboCop Rogue City: The Bottom Line

• A playable movie with lots of nostalgic charm
• Feeling of playing a powerful machine is omnipresent and awesome
• Many decisions question what existence means for both robot and human alike
• Detroit City feels alive and invites thorough exploration as there's always something new around every corner
• Musically, both new and revamped songs were used, maintaining the overall sci-fi charm
• Boss fights later in the game felt uninspired, tedious, and repetitive
• The iconic Auto 9 (Beretta 93R) steals the spotlight, making other weapons almost unnecessary

The Boundaries of Justice and Injustice in Detroit City

I found myself in the dark, dirty, yet lively city of Detroit City. The introductory sequence showed the normal chaos everyone has to deal with on a daily basis. The overall communication between the townspeople is rough, and everyone must look out for themselves in order to survive this madness.

Amid all the uncertainty, darkness, and violence in Detroit, everyone is hoping for a hero to come and rescue them from these troubles once and for all. This is where I come in as RoboCop, aiming to defend the vulnerable and uphold justice. But there is more to it than meets the eye, isn't it?

The story of RoboCop: Rogue City is pretty straightforward: Detroit City is filled with corrupt individuals who prioritize their own interests and need to face the consequences of their action. However, I hadn't expected more than the standard storyline of a cop upholding justice.

Amidst the conflicts I must decide whom to protect and support, whose side to take, or whether to take any side at all, and what kind of justice I wish for this town...

Powerful Action Meets Decisions With Consequences

RoboCop is nobody you should make fun of. His footsteps are loud, mechanical, and powerful, opponents are sent flying meters away when I attack them, and the splatter and gore elements are prominent, especially when using my fists. Using sheer force or my iconic "Auto 9" often resulted in limbs or even entire brain parts scattered across the room - certainly not something for the faint-hearted!

However, headshots were always immensely satisfying due to the excellent feedback! Even shooting in the lower body parts made enemies react realistically and collapse almost instantly.

Aside from the intense action, numerous cutscenes use "CinemaScope", giving you the feeling of watching a '90s movie - a delight for nostalgic hearts! Additionally, there are plenty of conversations with key figures in the main story and side characters that can change the whole story plot.

The focus here is on decisions, which carry deeper consequences in the later part of the game, and how the people react to your actions. Conversations between characters were refreshing and giving the perfect balance from action-packed shooting. The side quests were sometimes delightfully comical and then serious - a well-rounded mix of everything.

The story is divided into numerous missions, shuttling between various locations in Detroit and the police station. At the beginning of each mission, I received an evaluation of the previous chapter and the associated experience points. This allowed me to fill the rather large skill tree with new points, offering new gameplay possibilities.

These included new dialogue options, the option to crack safes, regenerating health at power stations, or expanding my slow-motion ability. The skill tree provides ample room for development and numerous ways to experience the story of RoboCop: Rogue City.

The most significant negative aspect I encountered during testing the game, was the recycling of previous bosses and the fact that some enemies were just bullet sponges. The fights lacked sophisticated mechanics or techniques to enhance the combat.

Even evading or "running away" was difficult without the "Dash" ability, since RoboCop moves slowly and running didn't help much. Fortunately, these encounters were infrequent and only slightly detracted from my nostalgic journey.

RoboCop Shines While Supporting Characters Lack Depth

Detroit City is visually captured as dirty, grimy, and full of life. Whether it's the skyscrapers in the distance or the destroyed buildings in run-down areas, the game nails the visuals wonderfully. The effects during action sequences are powerful and always fit the setting perfectly. While occasionally over-the-top and exaggerated, they seamlessly integrate into the game's overall feel.

However, a closer look reveals numerous strengths and weaknesses. The attention to detail in settings is really appealing, and fans of the movies and series will definitely notice lots of Easter Eggs. On the other hand, character facial expressions appear wooden, staged, but still somewhat authentic. Moreover, facial features are occasionally blurred and unclear. Hence, RoboCop shines throughout the whole time, and not only because of his shiny and radiant armor.

Technically Good But With FPS Problems

From a technical standpoint, the performance heavily depends on the available hardware and the area I was in. While I achieved a minimum of 75–90 FPS in enclosed buildings, it dropped in open areas with lots of action to 45 FPS or fewer.

However, this didn't significantly impact the enjoyment, as it somewhat added to the game's charm, transporting me back to the '90s. Moreover, there were no stuck enemies, disappearing weapons, game crashes, or corrupted saves during my time with the game. Overall, a solid result with some room for improvement.

Verdict

RoboCop: Rogue City is a loving and beautiful homage to a bygone era. With a high level of attention to detail dedicated fans and newcomers alike will be pleased with the result. It's a bit rough around the edges, but overall, it's a great FPS game to enjoy.

However, it does have its own set of strengths and weaknesses. With about 20 hours of gameplay, I had a great time as RoboCop, often pleasantly surprised as I had initially expected a basic shooter. But I was proven wrong, thanks to numerous gameplay mechanics like the skill tree, upgrading my "Auto 9" through a sophisticated chip system, and the decisions in conversations, making the whole experience special for me.

The fights were powerful, engaging, and seldom exaggerated. Landing headshots on enemies with the "Auto 9" was incredibly fun, sending anything in my way straight to oblivion. However, the mechanical boss fights felt tedious, as they were simply bullet sponges that diminished the fun. Fortunately, other game elements dominated the experience in Detroit City! It was intriguing to witness the impact of decisions and the direction in which RoboCop alias Alex Murphy develops. I thoroughly enjoyed my time as a machine, well done!

Rating: 77/100