RoboCophas been protecting the innocent, upholding the law, and serving the public trust in video games since 1988, a year after the lethal lawman made his silver screen debut in an ultra-violent modern movie classic. As with any long-running franchise centered around an iconic character, video game developers were quick to see the commercial potential.RoboCopappeared in a slew of video game tie-ins, and over the years these titles have featured more ups and downs than Omni Consumer Products’ stock price.
With the recent announcement byPolish video game developer Teyon that they are working on a newRoboCopgame, fans are hopeful thatRoboCop: Rogue Citywill finally bring the definitive incarnation of Detroit’s cyborg protector to their PCs and consoles. This reveal makes it a great time to look back at every video game appearance that Alex Murphy has made since his arcade debut.
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RoboCop: Guns, Gore, and Successful Licensed Titles
RoboCop’s video game career began with a 1988 arcade machine called, unsurprisingly,RoboCop. The movie had taken the box office by storm during the previous year, so there was understandably a rush to cash in on the craze. Unexpectedly, the game was actually good, and the side-scrolling shooter was a critical success, as well as selling over one million copies following its port to home computerhardware like the ZX Spectrum.
Sequels inevitably followed, and 1990 saw the release ofRobocop 2, another side-scrolling shoot em' up, to accompany the movie sequel of the same name. As with many video game follow-ups that stick to the formula of a successful original, the title received similar praise to its predecessor, but was also criticized for a lack of innovation.
This didn’t stop Ocean from publishing a third installment in 1991, once again mirroring the title of the latest movie withRoboCop 3. Despite the rapidly dwindling popularity of the films, the game was once again well-received, this time appearing on new consoles like theSega Genesisand SNES that enabled it to elevate its graphics and sound to previously impossible cinematic heights.
The finalRoboCoprelease of the last century was a fascinating franchise crossover.RoboCop vsThe Terminatorwas released in 1994, once again appearing on the Genesis, SNES, and various handheld consoles. The game revisited the side-scrolling shooter mechanics of earlierRoboCoptitles, and again cast the player in the role of the titanium-plated titan.
This time, Murphy faced off against waves of criminals and invading Terminator machines, as well as some of the most popular villains from his own movies, includingED-209, and the mechanized version of drug lord Cain. The gory and action-packed title was once again well received, but signaled the end ofRoboCop’s gaming career until the new millennium.
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RoboCop in the New Millennium: A Hero in Need of a Polish
The next twenty years were not kind to theRoboCopfranchise, either cinematically or in the gaming world. After Titus Interactive acquired the video game rights, a 2001 Game Boy Color game appeared, but the planned Game Boy Advance version was cancelled before its intended 2002 release. The developer’s next attempt,2003 gameRoboCop,was critically panned, and is considered one of the worst movie tie-ins ever made. Aside from a 2004 mobile phone game, the souped-up cyborg did not appear in video games for another decade.
2014 promised a revival in the shape of a movie reboot, but the film was criticized for eschewing the original’s graphic violence, as well as its wit and social satire. A free-to-play shooter was released to accompany the movie, but received mixed reviews, with critics calling it boring and repetitive. Particular criticism was also directed at itsaggressive monetization, as some of the most powerful weapons cost over $100 in in-app purchases.
It seemed as though the mechanized superhero was destined for the scrap heap, but recent developments have given hope toRoboCopfans. Alex Murphy’s appearance as aguest character inMortal Kombat XIwas a success, with the game perfectly matching the over-the-top gore of the original movie and allowing him to indulge in some hilariously gruesome gun-based fatalities.
The announcement by Teyon of the newRoboCop: Rogue Citygame is also great news for fans, although the developer’s last movie tie-in received a mixed response.Terminator: Resistance, a first-person shooter featuring heavy story components including a brand-new narrative set during John Connor’s war with the machines, was released in 2019 for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
Although the Steam version of the game received “very positive” reviews from users, ports of the title to other platforms were heavily criticized due to glitches and gameplay that some players found generic and unoriginal. Nonetheless,Terminator: Resistancehas received a 2021 PS5 upgrade, andRoboCopenthusiasts will be hoping that Teyon can learn from the title’s missteps to craft an experience worthy of the originalRoboCopmovie masterpiece.
RoboCop: Rogue City’s teaser trailer was vague enough to generate more questions than answers, with some YouTube commenters ridiculing the video for its lack of content. With a 2023 release date set for the title, fans of Alex Murphy and his battles with Detroit’s criminal underworld — and the sinister corporation seeking to profit from it — will need to be patient before they learn whether the iconic character has been successfully rebuilt.
RoboCop: Rogue Cityis currently in development for PC and consoles.
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