Robocop: Rogue City Review | Only Robofans

Robocop: Rogue City Review Overview

Robocop: Rogue City Pros & Cons

Pros	Cons
Robust Robocop Experience Immersive Environment Delivers Laughs	Subpar as an FPS Game Bugs and Crashes

Robocop: Rogue City Overall - 72/100

Robocop: Rogue City is a decent first person shooter, but fails to put itself above its competition. The game excels in putting you in Robocop's shoes and features a pretty good story paired with nice graphics and great voice acting. However, its gameplay doesn't feel nearly as good as the top FPS games of the last decade.

Robocop: Rogue City Story - 8/10

Rogue City features a decent storyline befitting our favorite police cyborg. It’s set in the crime infested streets of Old Detroit and features a bunch of interesting plot points about crime and Robocop’s humanity, much like the original 1987 film.

Robocop: Rogue City Gameplay - 6/10

The game undoubtedly makes you feel like the titular hero. You’ll feel powerful, durable, and slow, much like how he is in the film. However, other than the Robocop theme, it’s just like any other FPS game. Movement and gunplay feels significantly worse in comparison to the top games of the same genre.

Robocop: Rogue City Visuals - 8/10

Robocop: Rogue City is a visually appealing game. It looks nice, and the environment in-game is true to its time. The retro 80s noir aesthetics were on point. While the game definitely looks nice, it pales in comparison to the visual masterpieces we’ve seen in some of the best games in recent years.

Robocop: Rogue City Audio - 8/10

Similar to its visuals, the audio in this game is pretty good. I found the voice acting to be very good, but the voices aren’t always in sync with what you see. The sound effects aren't fantastic by any means but are decent enough. On a cooler note, though,, the soundtrack fits very well with the game and sounds like something straight out of the original movie.

Robocop: Rogue City Value for Money - 6/10

Priced starting at $49.99, Robocop: Rogue City isn’t as expensive as the $70 AAA titles we’ve come to know. However, it’s only good as a Robocop RPG, and not as a shooter. Its subpar gunplay significantly lowers its value, hence the 6/10 rating. There are far better shooters than this game.

Robocop: Rogue City Review: Only RoboFans

Robocop: Rogue City lets you enforce the law in the Gotham-like streets of Detroit as Robocop. Like the titular hero in the films, Robocop is almost literally a walking tank. You’ll be extremely durable and more than capable of soloing armies of criminals. You’ll be extremely strong and you’ll have all the advanced tech the cyborg comes with.

The game’s attention to details is surely commendable. The environment gives off the 80s aesthetic the film was shrouded in. You’ll encounter CRT monitors and TVs, old school cars, cassette tapes, and the like. The game isn’t an open-world game, but it does let you explore large and detailed areas of Detroit that you’ll have access to in certain parts of the game.

The game also nailed its story and it’s a pretty good extension of the original Robocop plot. You’ll be taking on violent drug dealers and their goons all while you explore your humanity as a dead cop resurrected in a steel shell. The side quests are also pretty fun. Instead of just shooting more criminals, you’re tasked with other less violent police work such as catching vandals and issuing tickets to other misdemeanors you’ll encounter. These offer a nice change of pace to an otherwise repetitive supercop simulator.

Where the game lacks lies in its identity as an FPS game. While you do feel strong and durable, you’re also extremely slow and immobile. It makes sense because Robocop really does just walk slowly towards his adversaries, but it would’ve been nice to be able to move quicker. You’re able to push a button to walk a bit faster, but it’s more like a slightly faster brisk walk rather than a run, or jog even. Gunplay in this game feels exponentially inferior to established shooters like Call of Duty or Apex Legends. It just feels so clunky in comparison and doesn’t feel nice at all, especially as an FPS veteran who’s played it all.

Overall, I believe that the game is great for big fans of the Robocop franchise. As a game, it remained faithful to its source material, and really immerses you in its fictional version of Detroit. Moreover, Robocop is voiced by the original actor of the 1987 movie. However, its lackluster FPS gameplay holds it back from being a game I’d recommend to people who aren’t too big on Robocop.

Pros of Robocop: Rogue City

Things Robocop: Rogue City Got Right
Robust Robocop Experience Immersive Environment Delivers Laughs

Robust Robocop Experience

The game is an adaptation through and through and really puts you in the crime fighting robot’s boots. Like the film version of your character, you’ll be equipped with a ton of different things, like a high tech visor that automatically spots and highlights enemies for you. You’ll have the same high caliber automatic pistol which he’s armed with in the original movie. You’ll be ridiculously strong, being able to pick up grown men by the neck with one hand, and then toss them ten feet away like it’s nothing. It lets you do things that only Robocop can do. Other than combat, your abilities and the technology you have access to also help you in your detective work as your visor is able to scan for clues and analyze them.

The RPG style progression in this game is also pretty good. Every mission you do will give you EXP, which you can turn into upgrades for Robocop. There are a bunch of attributes you’re able to upgrade, such as Combat, which increases your damage, and Psychology, which is this game’s version of Charisma that opens up new dialogue options.

Every 2nd, 6th, and 10th upgrade on an attribute will grant Robocop new abilities or mechanics, like automatically reloading all your weapons when you land a punch on someone, or bullets ricocheting off your armor and potentially hitting your opponents instead.

You won’t be limited to dealing with violent crimes as you’ll also be doing side quests like issuing tickets to illegally parked cars or dealing with some annoying idiots blasting music outside a convenience store. It sounds rather boring on paper, but it’s actually great in making you feel like you’re playing the role. These, paired with the game making you feel exactly like Robocop, makes this game a truly immersive experience.

The game is also full of references to its films, which is sure to add to the nostalgic experience it already is.

Immersive Environment

Detroit looks great in this game–not in the traditional sense though as it's beautiful in a dark, twisted way like Gotham. It’s full of retro 80s stuff that we don’t come across anymore 40 years later. The character models, their outfits, their hairstyles, and even their cars are all directly inspired from the 80s. It’s easy to get lost in time as you venture into the depths of the crime hotspot it’s set in. As you do though, expect an abundance of side quests which further puts you in Robocop’s shoes.

Delivers Laughs

The game is actually pretty funny. There were a couple of times I laughed out loud. I noticed that these funny scenes tended to occur during side quests or cutscenes. For instance, there was this one time where this officer asked you to help him talk to the civilians in the precinct with concerns. One of them has had complaints from his neighbors. When asked about it, he reveals that his dog’s name is Fire, and whenever he’d call out to his dog, people would freak out. Another one is a guy attempting to get the cash reward for information on a suspect. He then reveals that it’s him on the poster and he has the information, so he’s asking if he could have the reward.

Cons of Robocop: Rogue City

Things That Robocop: Rogue City Can Improve
Subpar as an FPS Game Bugs and Crashes

Subpar FPS gameplay

While the game thrives on its Robocop roleplaying aspects, it fails to provide a decent FPS experience. Gunplay is extremely clunky when compared to established FPS titles like Call of Duty or Fallout. The sound of gunfire tends to be underwhelming and stale when firing automatic rifles. The slow movement, although Robocop really does move slowly in the movies, is kind of irritating as it feels like there’s no sense of urgency at all. The fun in this game isn’t in firing weapons or shooting bad guys, it’s in solving crimes, tossing people around, and blowing things up.

Bugs and Crashes

The game is extremely fresh so these are bound to be present. However, it did really annoy me whenever I encountered some. There were times where I couldn’t shoot, there were times where I couldn’t stop shooting, and there were times where the game straight up crashed. They wouldn’t necessarily cause you to rage quit, but it’s worth mentioning as a con.

Is Robocop: Rogue City Worth It?

Only if you’re a Robocop fan.

Robocop is an excellent RPG and game adaptation of a film series. It features an immersive setting and it doesn’t stray from its source material. It’s filled with nostalgia, easter eggs, and references to the original movies. However, it’s a pretty bad FPS and I don’t recommend it at all to people who wouldn’t consider themselves fans of the franchise.

Robocop: Rogue City Overview & Premise

Uphold the law as Robocop, the part-man part-machine police officer. Set in Old Detroit some time between the second and third Robocop movies, you investigate a new criminal mastermind whose ambition is to become the city’s new crime lord. Delve deeper into Robocop’s psyche as he attempts to comprehend his humanity, or the lack thereof.

Robocop: Rogue City FAQ

Is Robocop coming to Xbox Game Pass?

No. There has been no news on this, so it won’t be on Xbox Game Pass anytime soon.

How long does it take to beat Robocop: Rogue City?

It takes roughly 20-30 hours to finish the game.

RoboCop: Rogue City System Requirements

RoboCop: Rogue City Trailer

RoboCop: Rogue City Product Information

Title	ROBOCOP: ROGUE CITY
Release Date	November 2, 2023
Developer	Teyon
Publisher	Nacon
Supported Platforms	PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
Genre	First-person Shooter
Number of Players	1
ESRB Rating	Mature 17+
Official Website	RoboCop: Rogue City Website

Michael Mendoza Ab..

Reviews video games by day, tries to write novels by night. He's a sucker for open-world games (Bethesda Fallout titles, Mount and Blade Bannerlord, Grand Theft Auto), CRPGs (Planescape: Torment, Disco Elysium), and First-Person Shooters (Call of Duty, Battlefield, and immersive sims like Bioshock..