RoboCop: Rogue City

RoboCop: Rogue City brings the iconic half-man, half-machine law enforcer to life in this faithful and fun first-person shooter. Staying true to the violent, darkly comedic tone of the 1987 film, players step into the metal boots of Alex Murphy as he cleans up the crime-ridden streets of Old Detroit.

Like the original movie, Rogue City builds its world with an exaggerated near-future vibe full of corporate greed and rampant gang violence. The campaign follows a familiar plot of taking down a new big bad while tackling some of Murphy's inner conflict about his duality. It would have been great to see some gameplay built around that internal struggle, but the story generally takes a backseat to the action.

Style Meets Substance

Where Rogue City shines brightest is in its moment-to-moment shooting and destruction. Murphy feels like the tank he is, with a heavy, thudding gait and the ability to absorb insane amounts of damage as he aggressively marches toward enemies. The gunplay feels punchy and responsive like Call of Duty, but destructible environments and gibs that explode in gory showers of blood and limbs feels distinctly Bulletstorm.

Teyon absolutely nails the dark humor and over-the-top violence that made the movies so memorable. Upgrades expand your ability to execute stylish skillshots for bonus points, like targeting specific body parts.

Become The Future of Law Enforcement

Slowly walking through a hail of gunfire as you systematically blow off arms and heads never gets old. The wide array of guns, melee takedowns, and unlockable weapon skills means there are plenty of creative ways to dole out justice.

Wiping out waves of enemies with gleeful abandon scratches a very specific overpowered power fantasy itch. Rogue City also nails RoboCop's movement and features a surprising amount of environmental interactivity for an indie game. Smashing through doors, hurling enemies through windows, and watching cinder blocks crumble as you unleash a hail of gunfire makes you feel nearly unstoppable.

A Faithful Resurrection

For fans of the movies, Rogue City is bursting with references and Easter eggs. Levels are littered with nods to iconic scenes and locations. The game seamlessly blends the twisted humor, gratuitous violence, and satirical corporate criticism that made Verhoeven's original film so impactful. Robocop remains a relevant icon and Teyon's authentic approach successfully recreates the vibe that made the franchise so memorable.

Some minor gripes keep Rogue City from being flawless. The story doesn't fully capitalize on the internal struggle concept. Checkpoint distribution can be uneven at times. But none of the cons significantly detract from the sheer joy of embodying RoboCop and laying down the law. Teyon clearly approached this as a passion project, and their love of the source material is evident.

Pros

• Faithfully recreates the franchise tone
• Punchy, gory gunplay
• Great visuals and performances

Cons

• Underutilized story/character arcs

RoboCop: Rogue City is an adventure shooter about a half-robot half-human whose eternal mission is to protect the peace of the citizens of Old Detroit, a futuristic, contrary to its name, city with a high concentration of crime. The dregs of society do not understand or accept any other language than the whistling of bullets over their heads. Use the powerful equipment of the cyborg cop and restore justice as the rules of the streets demand.

Pros of the game:

• Deal with injustice with the perfect cyborg man's equipment
• Explore open areas of the map and prevent attempted crimes