When RoboCop’s beloved police precinct is ransacked by a mysterious mercenary firm, he has no alternative however to hit up their hideout and put down the inhabitants of a small nation. RoboCop: Rogue Metropolis is again, and it is nonetheless good enjoyable — for essentially the most half.
Unfinished Enterprise is principally a mini-sequel. it is truly fully separate from the 2023 title — you purchase it standalone, and none of your progress from Rogue Metropolis carries over. Its story can be standalone; it takes place after the occasions of Rogue Metropolis, but it surely has little to do with them.
The entire thing is about throughout the concrete partitions of OmniTower, a dystopian dwelling advanced that homes hundreds of civilians. In case you’ve seen 2012’s Dredd film, you recognize precisely what you are moving into, as RoboCop fights his manner by flooring after flooring of gun-toting goons, computerized defence techniques, and boobytraps.
Nonetheless, with out the exploration of Rogue Metropolis’s Detroit to fall again on, Unfinished Enterprise shortly devolves right into a monotonous hall shooter. We like the sport’s punchy gunplay, and a few of the new melee finishers launched listed below are an excellent giggle, however the fight alone is not sufficient to hold this 10-hour killing spree.
Admittedly, we’re a bit torn on this one. On paper, a smaller, action-focused RoboCop marketing campaign sounds proper up our alley, however in apply, it simply goes to focus on how vital the downtime between bouts of violence was in Rogue Metropolis.
Unfinished Enterprise is not fully with out moments the place Robo has to do some detective work, or chat with comically uncouth residents, however the out there facet quests are extremely fundamental, and the rewards for finishing them are barely definitely worth the time it takes to slowly trek between goal markers.
It additionally does not assist that Unfinished Enterprise is a step backwards by way of total high quality. The NPC voice performing — already questionable in Rogue Metropolis — is one way or the other even much less participating, the facial animations are past tough, and textual content typos are shockingly frequent.
Now, nobody’s anticipating AAA high quality presentation from a standalone RoboCop launch after Rogue Metropolis, however smaller, expansion-esque initiatives like this are typically tighter than the primary expertise that spawned them. And that is simply not the case with Unfinished Enterprise, which, paradoxically, does really feel fairly unfinished.
However look, let’s not get slowed down within the particulars. For all the sport’s flaws, we must always reiterate that we nonetheless loved blasting our manner by OmniTower. Listening to determined mercs panic over the “metallic freak” as RoboCop comes barrelling into their den feels incredible, and the squishy sound results that accompany crucial headshots are nonetheless very good.
The act of really being RoboCop stays the primary draw right here, and it is simply sufficient to carry Unfinished Enterprise collectively. Peter Weller’s dry one-liner supply is on level all through, and you may inform that the builders tried to pack as many tacky quips into the script as they probably may. Very like Rogue Metropolis, this follow-up understands what makes the enduring property tick.
With that in thoughts, we have been slightly involved about Unfinished Enterprise’ implementation of flashback sequences, which see you play as Alex Murphy, again when he was only a regular, hardworking cop. Happily, they’re one thing of a spotlight, regardless of getting used sparingly throughout the marketing campaign.
The flashbacks assist break up a few of the title’s extra tedious sections, as they are typically slower-paced, character-driven escapades. Their objective is to offer backstory for each Robo and the sport’s antagonist, and it really works pretty properly, with some decently directed cutscenes giving weight to an in any other case predictable narrative.
Operating and gunning as a human Murphy makes for a refreshing change, too. Whereas he is clearly nowhere close to as tanky as his future self, the easy indisputable fact that he is capable of crouch — and transfer at pace — implies that firefights turn into fairly cover-centric. In reality it is all fairly fundamental, but it surely’s simply good to have some selection in what could be a very one-note launch.
Conclusion
You’ll be able to’t actually go incorrect with Unfinished Enterprise if you happen to loved its underrated predecessor, however expectations should be stored in verify. This standalone follow-up is disappointingly tough across the edges, and though its comically violent fight stays satisfying, it is not different sufficient to raise your entire action-heavy marketing campaign.
Nonetheless, we’re by no means going to say no to extra Rogue Metropolis. Teyon nonetheless manages to seize the campy 80s spirit of RoboCop right here, and that’ll drive most gamers to the highest of OmniTower.
