Systems: PC, Xbox, and PS5.
When many of us last watched Peter Weller’s RoboCop, he was shamelessly pushing Kentucky Fried Chicken meal deals. Thankfully, Rogue City has arrived to replace our nostalgia for “Colonel RoboCop” with a more melodious farewell to Weller’s titular tinman. Weller makes a second appearance in an original story that takes place in between the events of RoboCop 2 and 3.
With the titles of 2014’s Rambo: The Video Game and 2019’s Terminator: Resistance under its belt, developer Teyon is also no stranger to the world of R-rated 80s action cinema. All in all, none of those films made much of an impression, but Teyon appears to have established a larger presence in Detroit of the near future, with RoboCop: Rogue City providing a considerably more skillful homage to its inspiration.
RoboCop: Rogue City closely resembles Paul Verhoeven’s original classic, from its scene-setting opening newsreel to the meticulously rendered details of Rob Bottin’s iconic suit design. For fans of the franchise, Weller’s straightforward narration is the cherry on top. The main narrative, which revolves around the Detroit Police Department’s battle with The Torch Heads, an anarcho-punk criminal gang connected to the Nuke drug that serves as RoboCop 2’s main MacGuffin, is also woven into the fabric of the show’s current canon.
In this B-movie universe of cyberpunk satire, even the game’s endless stream of corny one-liners, which could come across as tacky and wooden practically anywhere else, seem perfectly appropriate. If there’s something lacking, it could be part of the sociopolitical undertone that gave RoboCop its edge in 1987. This game showcases Alex Murphy’s hilariously techno-fascist approach to justice, but it does so without commentary, allowing players to enjoy his violence without really having to think about the dark causes behind his Prime Directives.
Rogue City is a superior game because it stays true to the spirit of its main character even when it comes to gameplay.
Depending on how well you’ve closed cases, interacted with Detroit’s inhabitants, and upheld public order, you’ll, at the very least, have some agency in determining how those Prime Directives are carried out. There are also different mission outcomes and endings available. However, that attempt at player choice frequently seems at odds with an experience that primarily promotes and glorifies the “shoot first, ask questions later” mentality, leading to a game that occasionally lacks a clear sense of the RoboCop narrative it wishes to portray.
But in terms of gameplay, Rogue City stays true to the essence of its main character and is all the better for it. As expected, RoboCop marches headlong into every combat scenario, stomping through enough gunfire to render hiding virtually useless. Instead of running, or even briskly jogging, towards justice. Rogue City provides a first-person shooter experience that is remarkably different from any other, since it doesn’t so much challenge the genre’s preconceptions as it does smash through them with the same fervor that Murphy uses to plow through concrete, plasterboard, and other roadblocks.
more course, there is still a ton more shooting to be done. With RoboCop’s recognizable Auto 9 machine pistol at your disposal, you’ll be moving around the room a lot, looking for targets (smartly mimicking the first-person HUD in the movies), and quickly taking down any threat. The gameplay loop is enjoyable, however in the later stages of the campaign, its simplicity and ease of use may get monotonous. As you advance, you can earn new weaponry and upgrades for Murphy and his Auto 9, which enhance the gameplay in several ways. For the duration of Rogue City’s twenty-hour adventure, don’t expect too much in the way of expansive combat growth, though there are some satisfying melee abilities.
Apart from combat scenarios, Rogue City also makes use of RoboCop’s investigative abilities by having you look through evidence, talk to people, and draw conclusions about a case before deciding how to proceed. Aside from handling civilian complaints at the office desk and transporting drunken criminals to their cells, players can even engage in some of the routine police labor that you would think to be beneath the salary of a cyborg supersoldier.
Many of these side missions add to the setting or reference previously established series mythology, while others promote exploring Rogue City’s many open areas, which all include well-known spots that have been meticulously and astonishingly detailed recreated. In reality, a large portion of RoboCop: Rogue City is visually pleasing due to Teyon’s ability to capture the gritty grandeur of futuristic Detroit with Unreal Engine 5, with numerous neon lights bouncing off Murphy’s titanium armor and glistening in street puddles.
With just the right amount of uniqueness, it all comes together to provide a hearty serving of virtual tourism that delights fans. There’s still enough of oil left to be extracted from this renowned lawman, as demonstrated by Rogue City’s devoted love letter to this 80s classic, even though the long-awaited RoboCop Returns sequel is currently shelved at MGM.