What may’ve simply been a very forgettable licensed recreation within the conventional model turned out to be a charmingly old-school expertise in all the precise methods. The form of recreation the place the enemies are all the identical three guys on a motorbike and the textures pop in on each body, however you couldn’t care much less as you burn by every thing it has to supply.
That is the product of a centered group making a recreation with an achievable scope that prioritises shocking and considerate interactions over an inexpensive size of time, moderately than stretching a few pedestrian mechanics advert infinitum. And inside that framework, it manages to be the perfect and admittedly solely worthy follow-up to the unique movie that is ever been produced (Sure, RoboCop 2 is bobbins, do not write in). Jim and I collaborated on the video beneath which units out why Rogue Metropolis is so profitable as a licensed undertaking:
It’s a crunchy, satisfying shooter, with a well-realised cyberpunk setting that carries on and extends the themes and satire of the supply materials in a means that truly understands what it’s alleged to be about.
Virtually, it’s mainly the cancelled third recreation within the trilogy after Deus Ex Mankind Divided – simply if it was made by a AA studio in Poland as an alternative of for $100 million.
As an alternative of exploring Prague, fixing mysteries, finishing aspect quests, in RoboCop: Rogue Metropolis, you’re exploring Previous Detroit, fixing crimes and serving to folks discover the precise VHS within the rental retailer.
I’ve seen quibbles about it not having the identical immersive sim parts – it does in a restricted capability the place you burst by partitions or break down doorways if you wish to get pedantic – however philosophically it looks like an immersive sim throughout the confines of the character, that you simply’re attending to grips with the constraints of your mechanical physique as a lot as your exploring its many powers.
It’s simply one of many primary themes of RoboCop that’s barely at odds with the ‘nevertheless you need to method it’ concept of immersive sims, however can be one of many examples of how Teyon has clearly put loads of thought and craft into creating an genuine role-play of the character, moderately than simply slapping a licence onto a run-of-the-mill shooter marketing campaign and calling it a day.
Evaluating this to many AAA RPGs which have blueprinted and bloated themselves into predictability, RoboCop has room inside its remit to nonetheless really feel bespoke and fascinating, like its situations can take unanticipated turns with out crashing into the partitions of its sandbox.
With that each one mentioned, I’m keen to not increase expectations about Rogue Metropolis too excessive, as a result of I really feel just like the air of shock is likely one of the recreation’s greatest belongings. It’s graphically janky in locations, mechanically bizarre in others, and a few of the missions devolve into frustration, however it’s the primary recreation I’ve gotten the platinum trophy for in ages and is unquestionably one of many tough diamonds of 2023.
Once more like the unique movie, I really feel like RoboCop: Rogue Metropolis might be an Arrow Video launch in 10 years time. A cult relic that attempted to do one thing completely different with fascinating recreation design and shall be fondly remembered as greater than the sum of its components
Given the similarities between the characters, and the way the developer has now dealt with two beloved sci-fi properties with grace and talent, we’re making an attempt to manifest from the universe a Decide Dredd recreation from them.
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