"Unfinished Business" is an expansion that inspired me to write over two thousand words on RoboCop as the American Jesus. You can read that HERE. You can also read my review of the main game "Rogue City" over HERE.
As for the expansion itself, it truly leans into the run-and-gun aspect of the main game. You'll find yourself in loads of scenarios where mercs, thugs, and new enemies are eager to meet the business end of whatever weapon you're wielding. In many ways, this game feels like a throwback to PS3 and Xbox 360 mechanics, and I mean that as a compliment. You're largely plowing forward, not constantly backtracking across a mini-open world to mop up loot and the like.
However, it's not an all-out shooter. You also get to uncover a couple of mysteries during your time in the Omni Building and lend a helping hand to the innocent.
The Dungeon Crawler Conundrum
This brings me to something I personally struggle with: I'm not, nor have I ever been, a "dungeon crawler" fan. This probably goes back to my days playing Shining Force on the Sega Genesis; it's just not a gameplay type I enjoy. "Unfinished Business" takes place almost entirely within one structure – the Omni Building. You spend over 10 hours navigating its dark, mazy, mall-like environment, going up and down its various levels.
Moments of Brilliance: Escaping the Tower
There are two memorable breaks from this singular setting, and both elevate the game far beyond what anything in the tower manages to do, making the expansion genuinely worth the price of admission.
One such moment puts you in the shoes of a scientist caught out in the city at a bad time. You're forced to try and escape a couple of thugs armed with knives who are out to get you. They eventually succeed, and you are viscerally attacked and (presumably) raped – the scene ends after you are slashed with knives. After the incident, you regain control of the shaken and scared character. This is a bold creative decision for a video game, and while it's never explicitly mentioned again in the story, it undeniably lingers in the air whenever the character is on screen.
The second time you are mercifully taken out of the Tower is a true game high point. You play as Alex Murphy himself in a flashback, alongside a handful of other police officers. It feels like an entirely different game, one that should have been a much bigger part of the experience. You don't realize how refreshing it is to play as a normal cop with a normal sidearm. It's the complete opposite of playing as Robo, as you're with a group, working together. It feels amazing. The environment is bright, the gun pops perfectly, and you're not facing a hailstorm of mercs and gunfire. I'd honestly pay full price for a Detroit Police game in this style. It comes out of nowhere, and unfortunately, it's short-lived.
What's Missing and Visuals
As you move up (and down) the Tower, things don't improve significantly. It's fun filler, but it feels more like the weaker parts of Rogue City compared to policing the city and finding diverse things to do. You also never return to your precinct to level up, chat with co-workers, write up some criminals, or talk with your therapist. That social hub aspect is very much missed.
The game looks and "feels" amazing, just as the main game did – that is, the parts you can actually see. Late in the game, I found myself resorting to playing with my night vision on the entire time. I don't think that's what the developers intended, but it forces you to mess around with sliders and/or your TV. Even then, it doesn't feel quite right. Perhaps it works if you play in a darkened room, which might have been their intention. It felt very Rainbow Six: Las Vegas-like, but without windows and pretty scenery. Again, this is all within a purposefully windowless building (as discussed in my American Jesus article).
Final Verdict
B-
What keeps it from being a C or worse (it gets buggy near the end) is undoubtedly the Alex Murphy section. I gave the main game a high "91." This expansion is worth a buy, but missing many of the things I like. That's personal preference. If you enjoyed the run-and-gun power fantasy parts? This is your game.
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Director
Piotr Latocha
Writers
Julia Czernikowska, Agata Degen, Mateusz Dzialowski
Stars
Peter Weller, Adam Sims, Bruce Lester Johnson
Publisher(s)
Nacon
Producer(s)
Tomasz Dziobek, Mariusz Sajak
Programmer(s)
Piotr Derkowski