RoboCop: Rogue City Reviews
Robocop: Rogue City is an argument that not only can licensing IP work well in smaller-scale games, but given the right combination of creativity and focus a more dormant IP can be especially effective. A property like Robocop does not have a clear position in pop culture right now, beyond the obvious late-80’s movie nostalgia. But the team at Teyon, with a combination of awareness and sincerity, definitely found one. I had so much fun blasting through waves of jabronis and laughing at Robocop’s earnest policing antics. In a crowded year like 2023, Rogue City is an unexpected gem.
Robocop: Rogue City brings the world of Old Detroit back to life with a slightly populated slum of a city while keeping the soul of the Robocop franchise intact. Placing Robocop: Rogue City between Robocop 2 and Robocop 3 was a risky move that paid off for Teyon. If nothing else, you deserve to give Robocop: Rogue City a try in a world where nothing else from the 1980s seems to be allowed to be revived and enjoyed.
When looked at as a whole, RoboCop: Rogue City is a shockingly complete package with terrific gameplay and level design that offers room for player agency. Its presentation belies its budget in spots (although the actual levels and pieces of geometry are solid), but this is some of the most fun I’ve had gaming this year. Fans of first-person shooters or lite-RPGs along the likes of Fallout will likely have a blast cleaning up the streets of Detroit.
With a fantastic blend of 80s/90s action and storytelling, RoboCop: Rogue City raises the bar for what a RoboCop game can be, while delivering an unforgettable gaming experience in the dystopian city of Detroit.
RoboCop: Rogue City is the best RoboCop game created to date. Teyon's good work has managed to reproduce the Detroit of Paul Verhoeven's film in a totally convincing and even cinematic way. A first-person shooter awaits us, quite entertaining due to its peculiarities and confrontations, although as the adventure progresses the spark fades. There are several things that could be improved, that's true, but that doesn't mean we can't stop recommending this great game, especially if you like RoboCop.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
I feel like RoboCop: Rogue City is a terrific game. To use the obvious reference: I’d buy that for a dollar. I can see myself playing through its 15-20 hours again, not necessarily to check out things I may have missed, but simply to re-experience the world it presents. I know that it almost looks like something that belongs in the scrap heap, but if you’re able to look past its rough exterior and exposed seams, you might see the heart that beats underneath. Teyon did a fantastic job with the resources they had, but they’re only human.
Robocop: Rogue City is an absolute gem of a game. While not as polished as a AAA title, it still manages to look great in motion and function just as well. The bugs I found were minimum and usually happened when I killed an enemy near a guardrail, for some reason they are all programmed to fall over no matter how far away from the rail they may be. But I never ran into any real issues here, Rogue City is as solid as Robocop himself. I would be remiss if I didn’t shoutout the excellent audio in Rogue City, from the excellent Peter Weller reprising his role as Alex Murphy/Robocop to the inclusion of an EXCELLENT piano version of the classic movie theme if you are a fan of Robocop, Rogue City has been made for you. Playing Rogue City, I couldn’t help but think that Teyon has done for Robocop what Rocksteady did for Batman. They managed to highlight another side of the character in the interactive space by allowing players to really embody the ‘cop’ part of Robocop.
Admittedly, many of the ratings that Robocop: Rogue City has earned are based more on the objective than the subjective. For that very reason, I think the game deserves a much better score, because it is (yes, I'm going to say it), a love letter to Robocop fans, which really no one who has loved the character at some point in their life should miss. I even recommend watching the first movie at least before starting the game, as there are so many references, that you will enjoy it much more.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
RoboCop Rogue City pays homage to its source material like no other. A faithful recreation of a beloved character and world over 30 years in the making. At its core, it’s a fantastic over-the-top 80s action shooter but dig a little deeper and you’ll find a dark, dystopian tale of man and machine more relevant today than ever.
RoboCop: Rogue City is the type of game you get when a developer stays faithful and respectful to the source material without compromising their vision to suit modern sensibilities. It’s a game specifically made with for RoboCop fans by RoboCop fans, and that shows in each and every frame. Rogue City embraces the essence of what makes RoboCop great - be it the social satire, or the power fantasy, adapts it into an entertaining gameplay loop and goes to town with it.
RoboCop: Rogue City is the best video game dedicated to Verhoeven's character, and that alone might be enough of a recommendation for a slice of the old-timers. It is satisfying and brutal, a video game as gory and simple as those of yesteryear, and this is its trump card. What revolves around the shoot-outs is unfortunately not as exciting, but overall it remains a highly recommended game for fans of the film.
Review in Italian | Read full review
An immersive first-person shooter and RPG hybrid experience faithful to the original films while standing on its own two (robotic) feet.
I really like this game, but it could be so much better with a little more polish. I have no doubt that RoboCop fans will have an absolute blast with this game, and Teyon has really excelled in bringing fresh but fitting content to Old Detroit for us to stomp and blast through.
As chaotic as it is repetitive; as satirical as it is hilarious; as vulgar as it is authentic, RoboCop: Rogue City is one of the most sincere licensed games in history. Teyon deftly replicates the series’ explicit satire and retrofuturistic style in a release that, much like its inspiration, is smarter than it initially appears, and has more heart than its violence implies. You now have 15 seconds to go buy.
The only thing malfunctioning around here is the economics of game production. And from that struggle, under circumstances that echo those of the original movie’s troubled production, a brilliant piece of work emerges, that somehow nails every part of the brief and finally proves that Robocop can inspire worthy sequels. And if it didn't look a bit ropey sometimes, I doubt it would feel like Robocop: a stop-motion ED-209 falling down some stairs is goofy as hell, after all, but none of the CGI perfect ED-209s in the 2014 remake ever did anything goofy, and it was crap. So. Y'know.
Despite a few things that might feel off, Robocop: Rogue City is likely the closest we'll ever get to the original movie. Like Robocop, the game has a few issues but ultimately gets the job done.
RoboCop: Rogue City may not boast the high production quality of a top level “AAA” videogame, but it’s more fun and shows more sincerity than most of them put together. What it lacks in polish it more than makes up for in its provision of fuss-free action with immensely satisfying weaponry alongside the occasional glimmer of witty writing. It’s nowhere near as beautifully satirical as the film from which it sprung, but it’s still made with clear love for the original, as well as a ton of sincerity.
Just like RoboCop himself, Rogue City is only human, but it's still pretty great. With an intriguing narrative and stellar side missions, exploring Old Detroit is a real treat. Gunplay feels heavy, and engaging your friends and opponents with words as well as bullets is satisfying. In a year filled with blockbusters, this is a cult classic.
Despite performance issues, stiff animations, and a general lack of real difficulty, RoboCop: Rogue City succeeds at being a faithful adaptation of the movies. It's packed with fun action sequences and amusing dialogue with an entertaining storyline that makes you feel like you have stepped into his world. It's a must-buy for RoboCop fans while being a decent weekend romp for casual FPS fans.