RoboCop: Rogue City Review

When Paul Verhoeven read the outline for the most recent script pitch to hit his inbox, he immediately threw the manuscript in the trash. The proposed film seemed tacky, goofy, and completely outside of his realm of interest as a filmmaker. It was only the intervention of his wife Martine, fishing the pages out of the bin and giving them a once over, that convinced the Dutch director he might have something very special in his hands.

Martine noted that the film, despite its campy, uber-‘80s premise, contained all of the key elements that resonated with her husband’s work: satire, social commentary, identity, and, of course, violence. On second reading of the script, Verhoeven was sold on the premise, recognizing the beating heart that lay at the core of the story - a story which he would later describe as being that of “American Jesus”.

Off the back of the film’s release, (and unbridled success), a pop culture phenomenon was born. One that would include several sequels, a line of comic books, a dreadful cartoon, a bizarre TV series, and a range of video games - including the one we’re covering today. Developed by Polish studio Teyon, this latest adaptation aims to capture the essence of Verhoeven’s picture, distilling its timely themes and its exploitative violence into an explosive, cathartic, and bullet-riddled actioner.

Here at Gamer Guides, we’re projecting better sales for Teyon within 40 days…

There’s a new guy in town… His name’s RoboCop.

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The Future of Law Enforcement returns.

RoboCop: Rogue City is a first-person shooter/RPG hybrid set within the canonical universe. Taking place just after the events of 1990 cinematic sequel RoboCop 2, (but thankfully before the much-maligned RoboCop 3), Rogue City sees Old Detroit struggling to rebuild itself, following the death of crime cultist Cain and the widespread distribution of the designer drug, “Nuke”. The Old Detroit police department remains severely underpopulated and underfunded, while nightmare capitalist corporation OCP is still dead set on gentrifying the burned-out ’berg by any means necessary.

If all that wasn’t enough, a new threat has also appeared on the horizon in the form of the mysterious “New Guy”. This well-off and powerful mystery man is looking to employ the city’s most dangerous gangs for some as-yet-unknown end. With the streets rampant with crime, mayoral elections incoming, and OCP breathing down everybody’s neck, this is a make-or-break situation for the city and its people. The stakes could not be higher.

In Rogue City, players step into the titanium alloy of Alex Murphy/RoboCop, as he and his fellow officers attempt to maintain order in the fast-collapsing community. While the title is very much a first-person shooter - aggressively so - Rogue City is very much driven by its story, placing it more in the genre of action-RPG. This proves to be a wise design choice, as it allows the generally repetitious action that makes up the majority of the campaign to be motivated by strong narrative, fun characters, and engaging dialogue.

As Murphy, players progress through a campaign of story-based missions, investigating Old Detroit’s latest crime spree and ensuring perps land in jail or, more often than not, at the business end of a bullet (or 90). In addition to this central narrative, our boy Robo will also patrol a small, downtown hub, where he will intervene in numerous minor-to-major incidents; from murder and theft to littering, graffiti, and parking violations. While this may read ridiculous on paper, in practice it works perfectly. The blackly comic nature of seeing Murphy write a parking ticket, mere minutes before gunning down a gang of pushers in a sleazy arcade, provides interest from a gameplay perspective lined with thematic commentary.

It’s this juxtaposition of wanton violence and strange bureaucracy that makes Rogue City so unique. Players would probably expect a gunfight in a steel mill, an explosive siege at a bank, and a showdown with ED-209 - and they’ll get all that. But was anyone expecting to fix the lighting system in the police station, or to ensure that everybody signs a Get Well Soon card?

This is what makes Rogue City’s design so superlative. Teyon understands the ridiculous nature of RoboCop as a whole, the vulgarity of its violence, and the relatable theme of capitalism run amok. And so, scenes of rampant police fascism clash with mundane moments of day-to-day existence, showcasing life for the working man. Or android.

How does helping a guy in the street look for a particular movie in a video store lead to 20 dead bodies? It shouldn’t, but it does. And the sick hilarity in this bizarre tonal collision is honest in RoboCop’s staggeringly hopeless universe.

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(1 of 2) As he solves crimes, Murphy can unlock new abilities

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As he solves crimes, Murphy can unlock new abilities (left), and alter the capabilities of his weaponry. (right)

Teyon, previously responsible for the ambitious but ultimately mediocre Terminator: Resistance demonstrates lessons learned from that release, doubling down on the elements that showed promise - lore adherence, world design, and visual effects - while jettisoning aspects that felt unnecessary or underbaked. While this results in RoboCop: Rogue City sporting stripped-down, inarguably repetitive gameplay, the overall atmosphere of the piece is delivered with passion and authenticity, resulting in a game that truly feels in step with the films and, thus, the fanbase.

RoboCop: Rogue City has pathos, heart, and humor in equal abundance, compensating for its less-than-stellar character models with solid dialogue and surprisingly affecting conversation. While at first glance it’s easy to label the game as “janky”, (a term that itself has lost meaning), Teyon clearly cares as much about the portrayal of its world and characters as any developer pushing out overblown “cinematic” adventures. Murphy will engage with new and recognizable allies, and his actions, words, and choices will lead to several outcomes. It soon becomes clear that Serving The Public Trust and Upholding the Law are not one and the same, and the choice to follow one directive over another can have consequences.

This is not RoboTherapist, however, this is RoboCop. And when the time for talking is over, Murphy is quick to start filling the air, (and people’s bodies), with lead. When the call to action arrives, Murphy is an unconcerned walking tank, popping heads and severing limbs with reckless abandon. The player is comically overpowered, tossing punks out of windows, blowing up factories, throwing motorcycles, and giving folks fist-assisted headectomies with nary a sweat.

In addition to his trusty Auto-9, RoboCop has access to a range of automatic and melee weaponry that would make T.J. Lazer blush, procured via helpful donations from his victims. As he solves cases, gathers evidence, and arrests criminals, Murphy also earns development points in various categories - allowing for new combat abilities as well as improved deductive and conversational skills. These upgrades, of course, only serve to make The Future of Law Enforcement 200% more… Enforced.

While the lack of challenge and the repetitious nature of the action could be seen as a negative against the title, (and will certainly not compel everybody), Rogue City plays authentically. If Arkham Knight is a perfect interactive depiction of how it feels to “be” The Batman, then Rogue City essentially does the same for Alex Murphy… It’s just that Murphy has a… more forward approach to dealing with criminals than The Dark Knight, reflected in this one-tone action.

Of course, it’s not impossible to be killed, and certain stages and boss battles provide a much heftier challenge. But, due to the very nature of “RoboCop vs. Meat”, the odds are distinctly, inevitably, in Murphy’s favor. This in itself is commentary, and it’s not hard to read the satire in a full squad of armored, armed-to-the-teeth OCP officers screaming “Stop Resisting!” as they take on a small gang of punks armed with pea shooters.

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Murphy’s words and actions have consequences for his allies and enemies.

Visually, RoboCop: Rogue City is a mixed bag. The character models, though nicely designed, feel several generations old, (save for RoboCop himself, who is suitably majestic). Animation is equally old-school, even clunky, with headshot conversations that recall the comedic stiffness of the original Mass Effect. This is one of several areas where Rogue City is hindered by its budgetary limitations. Fortunately, Unreal 5 saves the day via some excellent world design, with each location suitably realized in grim fashion.

Downtown Detroit is perhaps one of the most miserably atmospheric gaming locations this side of the apocalypse; a drug lab converted from a slaughterhouse is suitably grim, while a chaotic prison breakout features dynamic use of smoke, fire, and debris effects. Franchise fans should also keep an eye out for several locations replicated in their entirety from the films. Somebody want to call a goddamn paramedic?

Audio is another area in which Rogue City fortifies style. Explosions and gunfire are suitably teeth-rattling - Murphy’s Auto-9 delivering its persistent death-drill rattle. Grisly sound effects accompany head, hand, and leg explosions alongside an array of expletive-filled screams. The inevitable appearance of ED-209 is accompanied by its iconic threats and terrifying roars, while the entire adventure is perpetually backed with the ominous, robotic thump of Murphy’s footsteps.

Musically, an excellent, unobtrusive score blends Basil Poledouris’ iconic theme with new tracks, replicating the doomy synth that scored much of 1980s cinema. Rogue City knows exactly when to let the music set the pace and when to dial back and let the natural in-world wretchedness take point. The voice acting is mostly just serviceable - though it’s great to have Peter Weller back on board - but the sharp script allows for genuinely hilarious and legitimately touching dialogue. On a performance front, OCP prick Max Becker - a sort of hybrid of Bob Morton and Dick Jones - absolutely understood the assignment.

More than anything, it’s the commitment to authentication that makes RoboCop: Rogue City such an impressive release. Teyon has gone to incredible lengths to ensure that its adaptation nails not only the key aesthetic of the source material, but also replicates its familiar tone, themes, humor, and soul.

From narrative to dialogue, sound design to visual style, even its repetitive depiction of amoral behavior in an amoral world, Rogue City simply gets RoboCop, weaponizing its ridiculousness, spotlighting its politics, exaggerating its violence, and juxtaposing displays of fascism and capitalism against a backdrop of the downtrodden; the depressing hopelessness of being the poor in a world increasingly designed for the rich.

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In Old Detroit, even VHS rental comes with a body count..

Teyon has crafted a fantastic release. And don’t let people sully your impressions with trendy “So Bad, It’s Good” pontification. RoboCop: Rogue City is legitimately great. It probably shouldn’t have taken this many decades for a developer to so effectively capture the essence of Alex Murphy’s world, but that’s life in the big city.

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.