That’s why RoboCop fans around the world are going crazy right now

In 1987, ‘RoboCop’ caused a stir in cinemas: the film was dark and brutal. In addition, he had a biting sense of humor, was socially critical and asked philosophical questions about people and machines. In short, the film was a cinematic celebration and became a cult.

There were sequels, a TV and animated series, a remake (which no one wants to talk about) and of course lots of licensed software for what feels like every home computer and video game console. Most, however, were quickly programmed and loveless works. The latest offshoot now takes on the difficult task of finally doing justice to the “RoboCop” brand.

Half man, half machine

Alex Murphy becomes RoboCop after an ugly incident. The human remains were supplemented with machine parts to save his life. Now half-man, half-machine, he usually goes on patrol with his partner, Officer Anne Lewis, to maintain order and justice in the dark alleys of Detroit.

But in ‘Rogue City’ we don’t go through the ordeal of becoming a cyborg. The story takes place after the first film. If you take a closer look, after the second film we are already in the timeline, because the new video game references it in terms of content and characters and continues to tell the story.

Hostages in the TV tower

At the start of the game we do exactly what RoboCop is intended for: a lot of cleaning up. In Detroit, crime is quite high and there are numerous violent gangs hanging out in the alleys.

A group immediately advertises itself by storming a live television studio and taking numerous hostages. The goal: to attract attention because a new, unknown crime boss wants to do business in the city. So the freaks make their home in the television tower and we stomp through the building as RoboCops, shooting everything that crosses our path from a first-person perspective.

Like in a shooting gallery

Playing RoboCop and moving him through the areas always feels great. We stomp and shoot our way through the levels like in a shooting gallery and do it without any new-fangled genre ingredients. Aim and shoot, that’s all. We cannot hide behind a device. We may take a break behind a barrier or barrier, but we cannot attack enemies from here. We must always brave open firefights and aim well.

This simple game mechanic perfectly reflects the nature of the police cyborg: Murphy has no fear, no mercy, and no hesitation. The fighting machine is marching forward and is ready to do anything to ensure public order. The brutal feeling is further enhanced by the fact that in certain places we can break through walls like a berserker to surprise our opponents.

We can also grab different objects and opponents and throw them around, creating chaos. You feel almost overwhelming and invincible. But while Murphy can take a lot, he still needs to charge his armor with energy cells or power boxes.

On the other hand, his ammo supply is infinite for his primary weapon (the famous Auto-9), which already packs a punch as a standard pistol. While you can always pick up other weapons like pump guns, machine guns and even bigger artillery pieces, the normal Colt is pretty much enough to cause chaos.

Since there’s a lot of computing power under his skull, RoboCop naturally has some nice extra skills up his sleeve. He can scan his surroundings, know where the bad guys are in the room, instantly see several key items to collect, and use tech tools to search for clues.

Silly and fascinating side missions

Anyone who thinks “Rogue City” is just a boring shooter is wrong. Because Murphy has other things to do besides the usual wonderful action sections. In his hunt for the great unknown who is somehow connected to the disappearance of an officer, he keeps coming across an open part of the game where he can devote himself to various side tasks.

We conduct a short police investigation, we help our employees with their daily lives, we meet informants and become involved in a family drama, we look for a specific car or provide information to concerned citizens. The qualities of the side missions vary widely. Some are incredibly banal and stupid, while others draw us into a secondary drama and add an extra layer of drama to the game world.

However, they all remain voluntary. Anyone who challenges one gets points to level up their robot police officer. If you only follow the main story you will get points credited to your account, but only if you complete all the activities will you be able to invest more in your health, your scanning skills or your armor. And of course, his main weapon can also be upgraded to provide even more penetration.

Dark, dirty and brutal

As befits the brand, ‘Rogue City’ is dark, brutal and cynical. As we progress through the levels and attack the enemies, blood spurts out in gallons. And if you have particularly good aim, you can send a few limbs flying across the room.

In addition to this high level of violence, the world we find ourselves in also makes us feel uncomfortable. Detroit is dark, dirty and completely depraved. Drug addicts hang out in the streets, vomit, break each other’s teeth and riot.

It’s actually no joke at all, but the game makes you laugh at the well-known, cynical latest news on television or radio. If you take a closer look at the game, you will also occasionally come across the popular socially critical advertisements.

Technical problems

The look often leaves you with your mouth open. Not because it’s that great, but because sometimes we’re in the last, and sometimes even the penultimate, hardware generation. If we do not notice this at all during the hectic gameplay, the visual minimalism becomes clearly visible especially in the cutscenes.

In addition, figures and objects were constantly appearing, flickering here and there, and there were also one or two complete crashes. And anyone who takes the trouble to study the level structure more closely (especially in the interior areas) will quickly notice that the copy-paste function has been used once or twice.

I’m RoboCop!

Conclusion: As I stomp through the area as RoboCop accompanied by the famous theme song, mindlessly dismantling rows of bad guys, I’m always aware that the long wait is finally over. Because no other game has captured the brutality and dense atmosphere of the film better than ‘Rogue City’.

Simple game mechanics, genre minimalism, and strict level structure may seem intimidating at first glance. The technical shortcomings and the sometimes very brutal appearance are certainly not tempting. But if you’re looking for an entertaining, no-frills action video game and are also a fan of the franchise, then you’ll have an incredible amount of fun with “RoboCop: Rogue City” and shed a tear or two of joy. the process.

“RoboCop: Rogue City” is available for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC. Approved for children aged 18 and over.