RoboCop: Rogue City was one of the surprise hits of 2023. Ever since then, we’ve been clamouring for more. If you’re after more of the same, RoboCop: Rogue City – Unfinished Business offers it in spades, but it does little to change up the formula. The Raid was a movie that clearly inspired Teyon’s follow-up standalone expansion. You travel up the floors in OmniTower killing hundreds of gun-toting enemies with all the carnage of the original. It never changes the game, but it provides a substantial amount of time for you to enjoy what made the previous title so much fun.
No matter if I was shooting the heads of mercenaries with my Auto-9 or clearing out rooms filled with cyborgs wielding katanas, I rarely got bored. The action is always so satisfying. RoboCop: Rogue City – Unfinished Business embraces the gunfight and cranks up the blood and bullets to eleven. There is such a satisfaction in focusing in on enemies and watching their bodies explode with the sheer impact of your guns. It’s gruesome and cathartic, and I loved it. While there are plenty of weapons to pick up, none feel as good as the Auto-9.
It almost renders every other weapon pointless. That’s not to say I didn’t pick up a sniper rifle or shotgun when I had the chance; however, they all have limited ammo capacity. While the new Cryo Cannon lets you blast enemies with explosions of liquid nitrogen before smashing them into tiny pieces, your arsenal remains unchanged. Grabbing enemies and launching them off balconies or into electrified panels is satisfying, but it’s all similar to its predecessor. Those looking for new ways to kill may be disappointed, but I never got bored with the means to kill I was given.
Some new enemy types like the cyborgs with katanas are easily killed. There are also drones that will fly at you and fire as well as roll along the ground and blow up on impact. This forces you to use your bullet time ability more often, but never do you feel like they make a huge difference to how you play. While this may seem like a criticism, I was so happy to be back as RoboCop. Impact feels so weighty, and you have multiple means to turn each battle scenario into a playground of gore and metal that plays into the enjoyment of the original.
The story isn’t exactly revolutionary, but hey, it’s RoboCop after all. That 80s vibe is sewn into every second. Whether it’s corny dialogue or over-the-top action, Teyon gets it right consistently. The vibe is old school for sure, but with it comes some pretty rough voice acting, specifically from the NPCs. Peter Weller does a solid job of dropping sarcasm as RoboCop in a way only he knows how, but the same can’t be said for the residents of OmniTower. You roll your eyes, but you accept it because Unfinished Business isn’t supposed to be serious.
One section I loved was when you get to play as Alex Murphy before the tragedy that befalls him in the original movie. It’s not a long sequence, but it gives you background on one of your former colleagues who plays a role in the expansion. You’re only given a pistol in this section, and your health regenerates. It seems odd for saying RoboCop, a walking tank and multi-gifted robot has to rely on med packs or fuse boxes to recharge his health. Regardless, it’s a cool break in the action and offers some exposition along the way.
RoboCop: Rogue City is just as much about fan service as it is about introducing new people to the franchise, and one late-game scenario in Unfinished Business gave me chills. As someone who grew up loving RoboCop, getting to play as ED-209 while wiping out enemies like they are nothing was euphoric. I would have loved to have seen more of it, but doing so may have made the robot outstay its welcome. There are various nods to the source material, and for someone who is old enough to remember, it’s so cool to see.
Despite seeing enemies fly into the air and sink into the scenery, Unfinished Business is a great-looking game. Sure, it has some bugs and glitches, but visually, it rarely misses. Occasionally the environments feel repetitive, but there’s plenty to love as you progress up OmniTower. The arcade was a particular highlight, and the character design for RoboCop during cutscenes was always impressive. The bullet and blood spray is incredible, as is watching the environmental damage. It’s a bit janky at times, but you learn to accept it.
RoboCop: Rogue City – Unfinished Business is a decent expansion that offers a lot of the same with sprinkles of newness along the way. It doesn’t change up anything too much, but it doesn’t need to. The new setting is great, and I was invested in the story. While some bugs break the immersion at times, the gunplay and excitement is always pushing you to keep going. Playing as ED-209 is a particular highlight, and getting to play more RoboCop is always going to be something I will never turn down.
