In the ever-evolving landscape of video games, a new contender has emerged, poised to take the gaming world by storm. “RoboCop: Rogue City,” developed by Teyon and published by Nacon, has transcended the boundaries of virtual reality to offer players a gripping and immersive experience. Released in November 2023 on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S, this game represents the pinnacle of innovation, storytelling, and gameplay. This article delves deep into the world of “RoboCop: Rogue City,” exploring the plot, characters, and the enthralling journey that awaits you.
Plot
After the events of “RoboCop 2,” the city finds itself in the clutches of a new wave of criminal activity, fueled by rumors of a mysterious crime boss known as the “New Guy.” As this enigmatic figure rises to power, the Torch Heads gang seizes control of a news station to draw his attention. RoboCop, accompanied by Anne Lewis, embarks on a mission to thwart the gang’s plans and rescue the hostages. However, this is just the beginning of a series of events that will challenge RoboCop in unprecedented ways.
RoboCop begins to experience haunting auditory and visual hallucinations from his past life, casting doubt on his ability to save a hostage. Back at the Police Department, Max Becker, a crooked OCP employee, is assigned as RoboCop’s overseer. Engineer Morgan and psychologist Olivia Blanche collaborate to enhance his performance, installing a chip to facilitate upgrades. Throughout the game, RoboCop encounters a cast of intriguing characters, including the homeless police informant Pickles, OCP police recruit and dispatcher Ulysses Washington, and reporter Samantha Ortiz.
RoboCop’s pursuit of the Torch Head leader, Soot, leads him to an arcade and eventually to a gang gathering in a slaughterhouse. Lewis is taken hostage by the “New Guy,” revealed to be Wendell Antonovsky, who claims to be the brother of one of the criminals responsible for RoboCop’s initial transformation. He taunts RoboCop, citing his humanity as a weakness, and shoots Lewis, leaving her hospitalized and in a coma.
RoboCop’s quest for answers unravels a complex web of criminal activity, leading to the Street Vultures biker gang. His journey takes him to their territory near a quarry, where he encounters a missing officer and discovers unsettling evidence of preserved bodies. RoboCop, accompanied by a police squad, confronts the gang, but an ED-209 unit malfunction turns the situation dire. RoboCop is forced to fight and ultimately destroy the rogue ED-209.
Returning to check on Lewis in the hospital, RoboCop stumbles upon a stolen morgue with intact brains, pointing to Wendell’s involvement. He aids OCP SWAT teams in retaking the OCP Bank from the Vultures, who had severed ties with Wendell. Here, he meets the Old Man, the elderly CEO of OCP, who has a history linked to Old Detroit’s ruins and the planned Delta City.
RoboCop’s investigation eventually uncovers the connection between Wendell and Project: Afterlife, a sinister initiative with a hidden agenda. A riot breaks out, orchestrated by Wendell, and RoboCop fights his way through it. Armed mercenaries arrive to assist Wendell, who escapes, leaving RoboCop to fend off both the rioters and the mercenaries.
In a dramatic turn of events, RoboCop finally corners Wendell at an abandoned mall. The confrontation triggers a worsening of RoboCop’s hallucinations, culminating in a vision of his former self. Despite the internal turmoil, RoboCop apprehends Wendell, and the game takes a significant twist. Lewis awakens from her coma, and the Old Man, OCP’s CEO, has a heart attack that places him in the hospital, revealing his fear of OCP’s decline at the hands of individuals like Becker.
As the narrative unfolds, suspicions arise that Wendell has a connection with someone within OCP. Becker is initially the prime suspect, manipulating RoboCop into a live-fire exercise involving his Urban Enforcement Droids (UEDs). RoboCop emerges victorious, impressing the next OCP CEO who witnesses the spectacle. Becker announces his plan to replace the police force with his UEDs.
Heading to the city prison, RoboCop interrogates Wendell, who unveils that his crimes are intricately linked to “Project: Afterlife.” Chaos erupts as Wendell instigates a riot, and mercenaries arrive to facilitate his escape. RoboCop rushes to the hospital to protect Lewis, who narrowly survives the encounter. Dr. Blanche contacts RoboCop, suspecting her work computer has been hacked to access his psychological profile and research. Meeting her at a hotel, RoboCop defends her from mercenaries sent to eliminate her.
Delving deeper into the heart of the mystery, RoboCop follows a signal from Blanche’s work computer, leading him into the sewers. There, he discovers the extent of Wendell’s involvement and his ties to the Old Man. Arriving at OCP, RoboCop learns that the Old Man has passed away, and Becker has ascended to CEO, implementing his robotic forces to replace the police. He cancels the Old Man’s ambitious Afterlife project, aimed at creating cyborg citizens to escape death.
At the OCP Arms EXPO, Wendell hijacks the UEDs through Becker’s remote, sabotaging an EMP device and unleashing chaos in Detroit. RoboCop’s internal glitches leave him incapacitated, and Wendell seizes the opportunity to steal the remaining robots and weapons. He reveals that the chip installed in RoboCop is a jammer connected to a trigger in his lighter, inhibiting his ability to confront Wendell.
Upon removing the chip, RoboCop, along with his allies, collaborates to restore order in Detroit. RoboCop plays a vital role in quelling the chaos, saving civilians from a fire set by the Torch Heads, thwarting the Vultures’ bridge-bombing scheme, and destroying an ED-209 unit used by the mercenaries.
In the course of his investigation, RoboCop discovers a laboratory managed by Wendell, the hub for Project: Afterlife, where stolen brains and research are channeled to further the project. The journey leads him to Delta City’s under-construction district, where he confronts Wendell, battles mercenaries, and faces the UEDs.
As the game approaches its climax, the mercenaries abandon Wendell, who is left without funding following the dissolution of Project: Afterlife. RoboCop confronts and ultimately defeats Wendell. The aftermath of this confrontation determines the fates of various characters, depending on RoboCop’s actions.
The game’s conclusion is not set in stone and depends on the choices players make throughout their journey. The fate of characters like Pickles, Ulysses, Samantha Ortiz, and Dr. Blanche is in the hands of the player. Meanwhile, OCP’s future is uncertain, with hints of a potential buyout by the Japanese corporation Kanemitsu, setting the stage for events that could lead to the third film.
