For most millennials, RoboCop represents a considerable chunk of their action-centric childhood, along with the likes of Die Hard, Speed, and more. That’s why when news came about that our favorite cyborg cop was getting his own video game, most of us were excited, if apprehensive about the prospect of it being pulled off.
On the basic side of things, RoboCop should be an easy adaptation to a video game, with the main character a walking, sort-of-talking cyborg that can take massive amounts of punishment and deal out exponentially more, wrapped in a shiny, blood-filled package, but does it work like that?
RoboCop is in Good Hands
Developer Teyon is at the reins for the upcoming RoboCop adaptation, and they’re well-versed in what it takes to develop a video game based on a famous sci-fi franchise, with their previous game being Terminator: Resistance. While it may not have blown any doors off regarding the gameplay, the dedication to representing the universe was undeniable, and I’m glad to say that even the smallest of details in the RoboCop universe are present, and the gameplay is far better than that of its predecessor too.
During my hands-on with the game, I was accompanied by Piotr Latocha, Game Director of RoboCop: Rogue City, who spent his time diligently pointing out the finer details I may otherwise have missed. The hands-on was a fresh load of a new level, previously unseen and unplayed, where RoboCop is tasked with working his way through a bank that has an active hostage situation, as well a seemingly unending array of bad guys.
Related: ‘Robocop’ Sequel Possibly In The Works
Thankfully, being RoboCop, my handling of the situation went rather well, with bodies and body parts strewn across the bank floor and vault, offices covered in viscera, and arterial spray galore. Just like the franchise it is based on, the game is less about apprehending and more about mass murder under the guise of justice, or at least, this level was.
During my time in the bank, I experienced an array of different enemies, although they tended to act incredibly similar, as well as the opportunity to disarm a bomb strapped to the manager’s chest. This was the first point Latocha really chimed in. With the game’s upgrade system, there are a variety of skill sets to put points in, from intelligence to armor and more besides. This represents the game’s attempt at a very surface-level RPG element, but for good reason.
Latocha said that in the full game if I’d put my skill points into armor, for example, I’d be able to rip the bomb from the manager’s chest and absorb the explosion. If I didn’t have enough points for intelligence, I wouldn’t be able to disarm it and it’d explode taking the bank manager with it.
There are countless opportunities like this apparently, and whilst the game doesn’t have the same freedom or branching opportunities like Baldur’s Gate 3, no one was expecting any of this, so it is only a positive, and it does add replayability. It is also in this variety that the game does draw the end results for the endings, which Latocha said there are “several”, but obviously wouldn’t explain further.
Whilst during your time with the game you are able to pick up a variety of other weapons, from assault rifles to shotguns, to .50 caliber LMGs, you’ll be spending the majority of your time dispatching justice with the Auto 9, arguably the most iconic of weapons in the RoboCop universe.
It may sound boring primarily focusing on a single weapon throughout the game, but the uniqueness of the upgrade system around the Auto 9 will quickly dispel that, and result in your pistol being very different to mine by the game’s end, if Latocha is to be believed. From extra damage to speed and much more, there is enough variety here to keep everyone engaged – and if not, pick up a shotgun and go ham with that.
As Expected, RoboCop Moves like a Tank
There’s no getting away from it, RoboCop as a character is slow. He is looming, heavy, moves awkwardly, and is a cyborg. This is replicated to a degree in-game, and it is both impressive to the level of dedication to the universe, but also frustrating at times with the lack of maneuverability usually required in a first-person shooter. The health and armor afforded to you as you play do offset this, but for those who primarily play Call of Duty and the like, it is a shock to the system for sure.
That specificity to the RoboCop universe’s rules is present throughout though, and my favorite little tidbit of information I can bestow to you? The ED-209s present in the game still cannot master the stairs, and as such, just like the films, they are thwarted by them. When you come to the bank level in the full game, keep an eye out for your backup as they stand motionless, a ways back, unable to get involved in the ensuing mayhem.
RoboCop himself is very true to form, with his strength being a huge positive in attack. Later in the hands-on, after the bank heist but during the same level, you’ll find yourself surrounded by a biker gang, and tasked with dispatching them with wanton abandon.
You can do this in a number of ways. You can use one of your many skills to slow down time and aim manually with your pistol. You can meet them as they ride towards you and punch them off their motorcycles, resulting in a shower of gore, or you can pick up unwieldy objects like dumpsters and their own motorcycles, and through them at them. This never got old. Ever.
Latocha mentioned that the game was designed for those die-hard fans of the franchise, so there are easter eggs littered throughout your play-time, which again according to Latocha will last for twenty hours for those just wanting to get through the game, and nearly forty hours for the completionists among us.
Related: Teyon’s RoboCop: Rogue City Has Been Delayed Two Months for Improvements
As a whole RoboCop: Rogue City felt fun, and with the recently announced delay, there will be more time to polish the final product, which did look and feel rough on occasion, but that’s to be expected for what they’re trying to accomplish. The game isn’t just an FPS either, with levels and scenarios dedicated to investigative work, as well as exploring the semi-open world, reminiscent of the likes of Deus Ex. There is a lot on offer here, and all of what I played was fun. The added bonus that Peter Weller is back reprising his most iconic role is even better, although some may feel bad for Joel Kinnaman for not getting the call – we don’t.
Are you excited to get your hands on the first, next-gen offering of RoboCop: Rogue City? Let us know in the comments!
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