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Crime Boss: Rockay City - B-Movie Heist Review

Crime Boss: Rockay City, a title launched in 2023 with a mixed reception, has grown in popularity thanks to a string of significant updates and fixes released with the Steam version. We revisit the game to see if these updates addressed the core issues and transformed it into the gangster simulator it aspired to be.
The core gameplay of first-person shooter action remains. You'll mow down waves of rival thugs and security forces, but the updates have refined the experience. Weapon handling feels tighter, with improved recoil patterns and responsiveness. Stealth mechanics have also been overhauled, making viable alternative approaches to loud, explosive entries. The addition of gadgets like lockpicks and throwable distractions opens doors (literally and figuratively) for strategic planning before a heist. While not the deepest stealth system, it adds a welcome layer of choice and replayability.
From Chaotic Fun to Strategic Planning:
Characters have perks and weapons that can be tailored for a mission. For example, "The Peak" comes with a sniper rifle that can make assassination missions simpler, while Runaway is hard to detect and she has a silencer pistol that can save a run after a guard grabs you by surprise. Your mercenaries also get permanently killed should they die in missions, making you value them as assets that can bring you fortunes if you use them adequately.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3279719054
Details can be crucial in certain missions, for example, you might need to hack a computer to access a hidden vault, and if you access the wrong one you can get locked out of it failing. Due to how punishing it can be to miss a detail, the difficulty of the game can be brutal during the most important heists, and some enemies can take you out in seconds even in the normal difficulty. Careful planning is not necessary at the start but is mandatory as you progress through the campaign.
Building Your Criminal Empire – Turf Wars:
Rockay City, your criminal HQ, has also seen significant improvements. Areas provide bonuses and passive income that can be used to upgrade your army, an arsenal of weapons, and collections that grant experience. Likewise, the turfs that can be obtained by force (or by smarts) can be used to deter enemy factions by surrounding them or weakening them in missions. In the battle for Rockay City, knowing where to make truces and when to expand is a mind game that keeps you invested during your whole planning.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3279718204
Turf wars feature a minigame of sorts, where you and an enemy try to kill several soldiers and sometimes bosses before your army gets wiped out. While these battles start simple and a bit boring, they quickly ramp up to become ordeals as each side gets upgraded and geared up to decimate the opposition.
Cheesy Dialogue and Escalating Heat:
The voice acting by Danny Trejo and Chuck Norris remains a quirky highlight. Their B-movie charm is undeniable, and the cheesy dialogue can be a source of amusement (or groans, depending on your taste). The main antagonist played by Chuck Norris Sheriff Norris is obsessed with getting Baker caught red-handed.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3279719595
As you progress through the game, you can constantly feel his presence as the investigation meters fill up, threatening to end your run. The police start simple like the turf wars, but eventually escalate to using robots with firearms, turrets in banks and even setting up heists that are traps. You can go on a mission, open a van full of money, and find not a single dime but a massive force of cops. It keeps the stakes high and keeps you thinking about which heist to tackle near the endgame.
Repetitive Missions Still Linger, But There's More to Explore:
While the core gameplay loop is more enjoyable now, the issue of repetitive mission design persists to some extent. You'll still find yourself infiltrating buildings, eliminating targets, and escaping with loot, albeit with more strategic options at your disposal. However, the 2024 updates have introduced new features that help alleviate this.
The "Shuffle Mode" randomizes the objectives and layouts of existing missions, offering some variety on subsequent playthroughs. Additionally, the introduction of "Urban Legends" – short, narrative-driven missions with unique objectives – provides a refreshing change of pace and delves deeper into the lore of the Rockay City underworld.
The Verdict: A Reborn Gangster Experience (With Room for Improvement):
Thanks to the updates, crime Boss: Rockay City has transformed from a rough diamond into a more polished experience. The core gameplay loop of chaotic action and strategic planning is now more engaging, and the improvements to city management and crew mechanics add depth to your criminal mastermind aspirations. While repetitive missions remain a minor concern, introducing "Shuffle Mode" and "Urban Legends" helps alleviate this.
Multiplayer is an enjoyable experience, featuring missions and goals to accomplish with friends or random players. Don't expect to customize your character easily, however, as most skins require you to beat the main campaign multiple times, which ends up being a questionable design choice when you find yourself beating it eleven times for a single skin.
Is it a perfect gangster simulator? Not quite.
But for a co-op heist game with a budget price tag and a B-movie flair, Crime Boss: Rockay City offers a significantly improved experience compared to its initial launch. If you're looking for a chaotic good time with friends and can appreciate the cheesy charm, Crime Boss might be worth a second look. However, if you crave a deep and strategic criminal empire simulation, you might still want to look elsewhere.
Score: 7/10, A Solid Choice for B-Movie Fans
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