Confession time: I wasn’t sure what to expect when I heard RoboCop: Rogue City was getting a standalone follow-up called Unfinished Business. The 2023 game surprised me by nailing that satisfyingly heavy, tank-like FPS feel, but it had its rough edges. So, seeing “Unfinished Business” described as not quite a sequel, but more than a simple DLC, immediately made me wonder: is this just a bite-sized cash-in, or does it actually bring something fresh to the franchise’s battered armor?
Key Takeaways
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Nacon |
| Release Date | 17 July 2024 |
| Genres | First-person shooter, Action |
| Platforms | PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S |
Let’s get into the meat of what Unfinished Business actually is. Chronologically, it picks up right after Rogue City, but developers are quick to say it’s a self-contained adventure. That’s marketing code for “you don’t need to remember obscure plot points or replay the last game,” which, honestly, is a relief. The story: OmniTower, OCP’s gleaming utopia project, is overrun by mercs led by Cassius Graves, a former Murphy ally turned villain, with the obligatory mysterious femme fatale pulling strings in the background. It’s classic RoboCop cheese, but that’s kind of the point.
The big departure is the setting. Instead of Detroit’s open, semi-hub world, everything happens inside OmniTower – think Die Hard with cybernetics and more neon. This “bottle episode” approach could be a blessing. Tighter spaces usually mean less filler and more concentrated action, and early previews make it sound like the devs are leaning hard into verticality. Expect ambushes from jetpack enemies, drones buzzing overhead, and level layouts that reward tactical movement (or just wild, cathartic violence).
The arsenal is getting an upgrade with the Cryo Cannon, letting you freeze enemies and mess with the environment – finally, some creative crowd control instead of just lead spam. New enemy types like katana-wielding cyborgs or shielded jetpack goons should force more variety in how you clear rooms. I’m particularly keen on the focus on environmental takedowns. If the finishers are more than just QTE fluff, they could add real spice to the combat – the kind of “holy crap, did you see that?” moments that stick with you.
Flashback sequences where you play as Alex Murphy pre-transformation are a neat touch. If these are more than glorified cutscenes, they could finally give some emotional depth to a character who’s mostly been a meme since the ’80s. And yes, Peter Weller’s back (again), so expect the voice and face you want.
But let’s be real: Unfinished Business is about action first, story second. The devs are dialing back the investigative, almost adventure game-y bits from Rogue City and doubling down on being a cybernetic wrecking ball. Abilities like time-slowing and tactical shields are back, and if the level design truly leverages the tower’s verticality, this could finally deliver those “unstoppable force” power trips the franchise always promised.
On the other hand, if you loved the slower, more methodical cop work of the first game, you might feel short-changed. This feels less like a spiritual successor and more like an interactive ’80s action montage – which, to be fair, is what a lot of the RoboCop fandom wants.
One highlight: they let you play as the iconic ED-209 for a full mission. Giant robot mayhem, screen-shaking firepower – it’s pure fan service, but sometimes that’s exactly what you want between “serious” games.
In terms of presentation, it’s sticking hard to that gritty, neon-drenched ’80s style. No radical overhaul, but if you vibe with RoboCop’s world, you’ll get more of what you expect – pounding synths, chunky interfaces, and a color palette that’s half oil slick, half Miami Vice fever dream.
Unfinished Business looks like a love letter to fans who just want to stomp through waves of bad guys, freeze them mid-scream, and hurl them into sparking transformers. It’s not trying to reinvent the RoboCop wheel, but it does seem determined to fine-tune what worked in Rogue City and trim the fat. The price point is about what you’d pay for a chunky DLC (roughly €30), which makes sense given the focused scope.
If you bounced off the first game because it was clunky or undercooked, this might not win you over. But if you loved the heavy, methodical gunplay and want more, tighter content, this is probably as good as it gets for an ’80s movie tie-in in 2024. The real test will be whether the new mechanics (verticality, environmental finishers, and enemy variety) are meaningful, or just window dressing for more of the same.
Me? I’m cautiously optimistic. Give me a shotgun, a frozen goon, and a neon-lit stairwell, and I’ll probably have a blast – as long as this doesn’t feel like just another shallow cash-in with a retro skin.
TL;DR: RoboCop: Rogue City – Unfinished Business is more of a standalone expansion than a full sequel, doubling down on brutal first-person action, vertical combat, and fan service. It’s not reinventing the franchise, but for fans of the first game’s chunky, cathartic gunplay, it could be a tight, action-packed follow-up – just don’t expect groundbreaking innovation beyond the franchise’s established formula.
Source: Nacon via GamesPress