Have you noticed the scarcity of what we used to call "AA" games? Nowadays, it seems like you're either dealing with a massive AAA title like Starfield or stumbling upon a surprise indie hit like Unpacking. Games are either made with colossal budgets or on a shoestring, and there's seemingly nothing in between.
However, there was a time, especially in the 2010s, when AA games were quite prevalent. Think of them as the "direct-to-video" version of the gaming world. I'm talking about games like NeverDead, where you control a decapitated head for a good portion of the gameplay, or Rogue Warrior, a game that somehow got Golden Globe and BAFTA-winning actor Mickey Rourke, breaking records for virtual cuss words.
RoboCop: Rogue City, although looking much better than those titles, falls into the AA category. If it were 1995, you'd probably be renting it from your local Blockbuster. Fortunately, it's 2024, and I've been thoroughly enjoying this surprisingly good tie-in to one of the most beloved action films of the '80s, playing it through the Epic Games Store on my high-end gaming PC.
And boy, is it a pleasantly violent surprise. Despite having a relatively low budget, the game looks beautiful, using Unreal Engine 5 better than any other title I've seen so far. It puts you in the metallic shoes of one of the most iconic movie characters ever.
This is unmistakably the RoboCop from Paul Verhoeven's legendary action flick. Developer Teyon managed to get actor Peter Weller to reprise his role, giving Rogue City an instant authenticity most licensed games lack. You sound like RoboCop, look like RoboCop, and truly feel like RoboCop.
Controlling "OCP Crime Prevention Unit 001" makes you feel like a powerful walking tank. While not as nimble as Sonic the Hedgehog, Rogue City feels refreshingly smooth in its moment-to-moment gameplay.
A big part of that smoothness comes from the constant barrage of enemies the game throws at you, and thankfully, you can throw them straight back, literally. I've lost count of the times I've tossed a mohawked baddie in a denim vest through a 20th-floor window.
RoboCop's iconic Auto 9 service weapon is a major factor in making Rogue City so enjoyable. The rapid-fire sensation of emptying clips into goons always brings a smile, and the bonus is that the default gun never runs out of ammo.
But this isn't just a mindless shooter. Teyon wisely spices things up with sandbox-style side missions involving solving crimes scattered throughout sections of Old Detroit.
In these moments, RoboCop can act like an actual policeman, albeit one more heavily armed than The Terminator. Oddly enough, these optional tasks remind me of the indie hit Papers, Please. Bureaucracy takes center stage in these civilian-focused distractions. Murphy is all about upholding the "Public's Trust," and you can either boost or tank this in-game meter by strictly following the rules or letting offenders off easy.
Whether you decide to be a by-the-book officer or a more aggressive one, Rogue City stands out as one of the best-looking games I've ever played. It runs smoothly on PS5 and Xbox Series X in performance mode and looks exceptionally buttery on my RTX 4090-powered PC.
Considering Teyon didn't have Rockstar Games' budget, it's incredibly impressive to see RoboCop: Rogue City employing advanced Unreal 5 graphical features, such as Nanite geometry for detailed backgrounds and Lumen GI reflections. This game legitimately looks better than Starfield, and it was made for a fraction of Bethesda's somewhat divisive sci-fi epic.
While review scores may vary, I highly recommend giving Rogue City a chance. It's an old-school shooter using cutting-edge tech, often a delight to play. The only downside? It's left me yearning for a decent single-player Predator game.
Topics:
arnold schwarzenegger logan 2 paul mccrane red forman clarence boddicker
Information presented elegantly
ReplyDelete