It’s been a long time since we’ve had a proper RoboCop game, and RoboCop: Rogue City looks to deliver on almost every aspect of the first person shooter genre. Developed by Teyon, known for the underrated Terminator Resistance, Rogue City sees RoboCop fighting crime as he does. However, police squads are disappearing, and the mysterious Project Afterlife is stirring behind the scenes.
RoboCop: Rogue City launches on November 2nd for Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC. Here’s what you should know before picking it up.
Aesthetic
Those who have seen the RoboCop films can take heart, as Rogue City’s presentation looks great and on almost on par with modern first person shooters.. The subtle scan lines that appear when viewing the world through RoboCop’s visor, the bright green indicators when scanning and targeting, the look of its characters and environments – it’s all here. If that weren’t enough, the developers have promised more gameplay mechanics for that authentic gaming experience.
Combat
If you’ve seen any footage, then RoboCop: Rogue City may appear to be a straightforward first-person shooter. While hunting criminals is only one aspect of the gameplay loop, it’s also the most glorious, as you gun down enemies, punch them and even activate slow-mo to more accurately line up shots. You can also pick up things, like mini-cylinders and even motorcycles, and throw them for explosive effect. You can also grab and throw enemies, destroy parts of the environment (which helps against certain enemies) and much more.
Over 20 Weapons
RoboCop: Rogue City offers over 20 weapons, including some really solid ones. While developer Teyon hasn’t provided a comprehensive list, we’ve seen a shotgun, uzi, micro SMG, what seems to be an MP5, an M60 and even the Hawk MM1 Grenade Launcher. It wouldn’t be surprising to see other weapons appear, maybe with a twist and inspired from other first person shooters. An enemy has been seen wielding the Barrett M82 (the Cobra Assault Cannon) while an allied officer uses the Steyr Aug, so maybe RoboCop can get his hands on both at some point.
Open Areas and Exploration
While the city of Detroit isn’t an open world by any means, Rogue City does feature open areas to explore during missions. You can walk around, take in the sights, converse with and help NPCs, and maybe give out some parking tickets. There are secrets to discover, evidence to collect and much more as you uphold the law.
Scanning and Investigation
Another major part of the gameplay is investigating crime scenes and gathering clues. RoboCop will scan the environment for evidence, follow blood trails, analyze bodies and even solve puzzles to further your investigation. These will be important for nabbing criminals, which also goes a way towards upholding the “public order.”
Public Order
The “public order” aspect of the game is interesting because it hinges on decisions made during cases. You could opt to release someone with sensitive documents seemingly working for the greater good and serving the public trust. Detain them, and you uphold the law, though what impact these choices will have – especially since some characters will appreciate what you do for them – remains to be seen. Still, it’s an interesting wrinkle and perhaps plays into the man vs machine aspect of RoboCop’s character.
Mission Results and XP
While completing missions, your mission rating changes based on specific actions. Investigating and discovering secrets is one thing, but you can also earn XP based on the number of hostages saved in different locations, evidence gathered, etc. You’ll want to go for the highest possible rating since more XP means more Skill Points, which means more upgrades.
Skills and Upgrades
There are eight Skill branches in RoboCop: Rogue City – Combat, Armor, Vitality, Engineering, Focus, Scanning, Deduction and Psychology. Placing a Skill Point in a branch will grant an immediate bonus, like 30 percent weapon damage in the Combat branch, 25 percent damage reduction in Armor, 40 percent more HP in Vitality, and more. Investing more Skill Points in a specific branch will unlock subsequent Skills at certain points.
For example, invest two Skill Points into Combat to unlock Shockwave, which can stun nearby foes for a brief period, while six Skill Points unlock Reloading Strike, where punching an enemy will reload all of your carried weapons. The Armor branch offers Skills like Shield, which reduces damage by 80 percent for a short time, and High Damage Reduction, which reduces damage from explosives and high-calibre weapons. You can even unlock some powerful Skills like instantly killing enemies with a Shockwave, auto regeneration and even ricochet bullets to hit enemies from behind cover.
Allied AI
RoboCop won’t always be fighting crime on his own. Along with his partner Anne Lewis, allied police officers will also appear in certain missions. They seem to go about their business, gunning down enemies without requiring too much direction, so that’s nice. The real question is whether they can hold their own against certain enemies.
Enemy Types
It wouldn’t be a RoboCop game without enemies going around, causing mayhem. The majority of your threats will be human, though, and aside from typical grunts, they’re categorized into different types. Fast Movers use motorcycles for high mobility and attacking from various directions. Broadcasters radio for reinforcements if given time and promptly withdraw. Snipers hide and deal massive damage from long-range despite low mobility. We’ll have to wait and see if other types are present to provide tougher challenges.
PC Requirements
While it may not seem like it, RoboCop: Rogue City is a pretty demanding game on PC. The installation size is unknown, but a 64-bit CPU and Windows 10 are mandatory. The minimum requirements include an Intel Core i7-4790 or AMD Ryzen 5 2600, 16 GB RAM and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 or AMD Radeon RX 480 with 4 GB VRAM. The recommended requirements are a Core i7-10700K or Ryzen 7 3800XT, 16 GB RAM, and a GeForce RTX 3070 or Radeon RX 6800 with 16 GB VRAM. Sure, they’re not the craziest system requirements we’ve seen this year, but they’re not the most lenient. Teyon did note that these may be subject to change before release, so keep that in mind.
4K Ultra HD and Ray Tracing on Xbox Series X
The frame rate and resolution for the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions have yet to be officially confirmed. However, on the Xbox Store listing for the game, 4K Ultra HD and ray tracing are listed as supported (though whether that applies to Xbox Series S remains to be seen). Again, official confirmation is required, so hopefully, we learn more in the weeks leading up to release.
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