Geek Review – RoboCop Rogue City

The perception through rose-tinted glasses often dilutes the impact and influence of the past, but there is no doubt that the RoboCop franchise remains an essential pillar of the action movie genre circa the late ‘80s and early ’90s. The over-the-top gore and violence, along with the cynical atmosphere and worldbuilding, merged with the spectacular special effects of that era, meant viewers were taken on a futuristic ride unlike anything else. That is, until Teyon and Nacon’s RoboCop: Rogue City arrives on the scene, determined to take no prisoners when it comes to authenticity. 

This first-person shooter has no qualms about embracing everything awesome about the concept of a cyborg law-enforcement officer delivering justice in the most visceral way, as bad guys are beyond redeemable. Everywhere Robocop goes, there are meat puppets that need to be pumped full of lead from his signature Auto 9 pistol, as players explore the city of Old Detroit, a conundrum caught between glacial advancement and utter dilapidation, and a jarring reflection of how progress can be discriminatory and unfair to the general population.

While the story won’t win any prizes for staying within the confines of typical action fare, of pitting the future of law enforcement against a new bad guy in town trying to run things as OCP waits nefariously in the shadows, the game does provide ample opportunities for players to roleplay as RoboCop and become a part of this universe in often surprising and pleasant ways. 

Serving the public trust and upholding the law comes with the territory, yet RoboCop: Rogue City also goes down the road of exploring the humanity of our hero beyond his shell, diving deeper into the things that drive Alex “Robocop” Murphy in measured ways.

But first, let’s talk about the action that shows no sign of running out of ammunition, from both sides of the law. The key difference is that the cyborg, affectionately known as Robo, is made to brave danger and come out relatively unscathed so forget about taking cover or being wary of ambushes; every encounter is the perfect stage to live out a power fantasy as a literal walking tank.

The Auto 9 feels suitably powerful to use, especially with infinite ammo, but players can also rely on dropped weapons like rifles and submachine guns to bring on the pain. Throw in environmental objects like explosive barrels, vehicles, and even enemies themselves, and the fun ways to eliminate the opposition will only increase.

The Torch Heads, Street Vultures, and other enemy factions are never as powerful as Robo, relying on sheer numbers and an occasional weapon advantage to try to stem the advance of the cyborg. And the accompanying shower of blood and detached body parts make for a truly enjoyable romp, capturing the magic of the movies and never feeling too gratuitous. 

Destruction is truly at the core of the enjoyment, with Robo capable of dismantling concrete and other materials with his weaponry to remove enemy cover, or even obtain upgrades that enable ricocheting bullets that stack the odds even more in his favour. It never gets old being this powerful instrument of savage justice, and when the slow motion kicks in when you breach a door or wall, that kind of rush is intoxicating. 

That said, being a police officer in this dystopian world is more than just eviscerating baddies in a crimson shower. Gameplay sections focusing more on the world and its people are where RoboCop: Rogue City lets players truly live out the cop experience. You could look out for infractions and serve tickets to offenders for a variety of offences, join in on emerging situations to help out other officers, or go on side quests that reveal the realities of living in the city and trying to make things work. The latter provides most of the mileage here, with memorable dialogue and encounters that elevate the roleplaying aspect of things, a bonus for those willing to put in the time.

There will also be occasions where dialogue and choices made can have an impact on the world, albeit in various ways. Choose to uphold the law and fine a graffiti artist, and check out the anti-RoboCop mural the next time you’re in town, or believe in the goodness of people and reap the rewards of a timely helping hand; some situations are more significant in terms of the future scenarios they set up, but none will move the needle much in terms of the overall story.

All of that hard work put in will accrue XP, feeding into the progression system that allows RoboCop to upgrade its functions. Players can choose to pursue better protection or damage potential, or non-combat functions like engineering or psychology, opening up new ways to interact with people and objects in the game. Every few points spent in a branch will also grant a useful perk, giving players more incentive to explore and jump into side quests, as well as seeking out incriminating evidence for a nice XP boost.

The entire experience is tied together by an unwavering commitment to transport players straight into the movies. For fans, this is an amazing opportunity to explore the likes of the Detroit West precinct and Detroit in person, taking a walk in the clunky shoes of RoboCop himself. 

The iconic look of the hero is brought to life quite impressively in RoboCop: Rogue City as well, with the reintroduction of Peter Weller returning in his iconic role, as the cherry on top of this unmistakable sheen of cybernetic enhancements. Having Officer Anne Lewis and Sergeant Reed along for the ride is great as well, even if their facial likeness is not matched by the replacement voices behind the characters.

However, there is only so much the game can depend on nostalgia to cover some of its cracks, even if they are not exactly consequential in the grand scheme of things. Lower-quality textures and pop-ins do appear from time to time, the lighting can be better,  and characters can often appear in T-poses in the distance before reverting to the norm once players get nearer. Enemy designs are also not that varied, and there can be problems with audio and video syncing in cutscenes. 

Together with era-appropriate technology and environments, the game does feel a little as if it all came together like OCP and corporate exploitation. Perhaps more time spent on polishing would have been nice, though the final product does exude a kind of B-movie charm that somehow works for this particular game. It is not excusable, but it can be a good thing when viewed through this particular lens. It is not often that scan lines are a brilliant touch in a game, but its inclusion, along with other small touches, goes a long way in making sure this is an unabashed trip down memory lane. 

For what it’s worth, RoboCop: Rogue City takes no prisoners when it comes to translating the old action movies onto modern gaming platforms, matching the violence with the kind of attention to detail that makes us believe in the existence of this crime-riddled future Detroit. Being RoboCop is a fantasy that comes to life in all the best ways, delicately balancing the combat-heavy sequences with an interesting levity that comes from more routine police work. While it may lack the cutting edge when it comes to visuals and technical polish, this is still a machine that will get the job done, and that is the perfect encapsulation of RoboCop as a whole.

RoboCop: Rogue City is available on the PSN Store for S$80.64.