Retro City Rampage

 PlayStation 3
Metascore
71

Mixed or average reviews - based on 13 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 13
  3. Negative: 0 out of 13
  1. 3DJuegos
    Feb 3, 2013
    82
    Retro City Rampage is a game that fans of retro gaming should play.
  2. Playstation Official Magazine Australia
    Nov 9, 2012
    80
    Beyond the addictive action, where RCR really shines is with its irreverent comedy and fan-service references. Expect to snort milk out of your nose when The Player randomly codecs a Solid Snake wannabe who responds in broken English. Even if you weren't gaming back then you'll get a grin when you're given a DeLorean and asked to run over 88 people to fill your Flax Combobulator. [December 2012, p75]
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  3. Hardcore Gamer
    Oct 15, 2012
    80
    If you grew up in the '90s, you'll easily get $15 out of it just for the trip down memory lane. Younger players who like open-world games and have an appreciation for that time, even if it's just for ironic purpose, will like it as well.
  5. Eurogamer
    Oct 15, 2012
    80
    It's an adventure built of other adventures, then, and its originality comes from the manner in which everything comes together. If you love old games - and old movies and all that other old jazz - there's a good chance you're going to love this, too. It has an ancient heart, shot full of bullets and criss-crossed with tyre treads.
  6. Play UK
    Feb 28, 2013
    78
    The passion is clear, the charm magnetic and the gameplay enjoyable, but Retro City Rampage does fall back on weak gags a little too often to achieve greatness. [Issue#228, p.80]
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  7. Official PlayStation Magazine Benelux
    Mar 14, 2013
    77
    Joking about how players have to ride from point A to B all time, is not funny, it is bad game design. You can argue for ages about the quality of the jokes and gags, but lets not forget that this high-speed roller-coaster of parodies has some unique and interesting gameplay mechanics to offer. [February 2013, p.94]
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  8. GameTrailers
    Oct 15, 2012
    77
    For all its snark and irreverence, Retro City Rampage is pretty earnest in terms of what it's all about: take a gander at all the rampage events and the dizzying array of display modes available, and it all becomes clear. If you have a soft spot in your heart for classic games and an appetite for open-world destruction, you'll be able to overlook the knee-slappers and mechanical mishaps that occasionally mar this expansive pastiche.

User Reviews

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User Score
7.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 34 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 22 out of 34
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 34
  3. Negative: 6 out of 34
  1. monosyllabical
    Oct 14, 2012
    8
    Retro City Rampage is a must-own game for any gamer who grew up in the 80's. For everyone else I would suggest trying before buying. TheRetro City Rampage is a must-own game for any gamer who grew up in the 80's. For everyone else I would suggest trying before buying. The initial charm of the overworld graphics fades pretty quickly, but it never gets in the way. Everything is rendered well enough that you can easily distinguish everything from one another. On the plus side, the cutscenes are well illustrated. The music is vintage chiptune, which isn't for everyone; but, what's there is well done, if not entirely memorable. The real draw of the game is the sheer volume of content. The game plays out very much like an NES version of GTA 3 (complete with an almost identical map layout at times), but with far more structure. Remember the morbid fun you would have trying to survive with a 5-star rating in GTA 3? Well, RCR provides that very same experience (and intensity) while also providing a competitive goal. In fact, any activity you created in GTA 3's sandbox is here, except with an emphasis on leaderboard support. Like the best arcade games of yore, RCR compels you to strive for an ever higher score in several dozen short, simple, and fun mini-games. The crude graphics diminish the sick nature of some of these games, which actually works to its' benefit. It wouldn't be very fun if it didn't control well, but from driving to head-stomping and everything in between (except the needless cover system), RCR handles just fine. All of this is packaged into a ridiculous story, with an absolutely ludicrous amount of references ranging from Duck Hunt to the Virtual Boy and even Minecraft. It's a treat if you're in on the joke, but only passable if you're a bit more casual about your entertainment trivia. In the end, I would sincerely recommend this to anyone who grew up playing the NES, absolutely loved GTA 3, and/or enjoys leaderboard competition. To everyone else, try before you buy.… Full Review »
  2. IrishChai
    Dec 28, 2012
    5
    I'm not big on games based entirely on nostalgia. I usually don't play old classics re-released so my opinion on this game will be prettyI'm not big on games based entirely on nostalgia. I usually don't play old classics re-released so my opinion on this game will be pretty obvious. It's not for me. However if you like playing old classics, and enjoy funny references to tons of 80's pop culture movies, tv shows, etc. than you'll want this game. I admit it's pretty funny and well made where 8 bit games are concerned, but I rather spend my money on more recent releases. This is a very niche game for nostalgia junkies only. If you don't get all the nostalgia jokes than it's even worse.… Full Review »
  3. HeartlessNinny
    Oct 13, 2012
    2
    This game is truly awful. Think all the frustration of old-school GTA with none of the refinement or fun. Worst yet are the 'hilarious' jokes.This game is truly awful. Think all the frustration of old-school GTA with none of the refinement or fun. Worst yet are the 'hilarious' jokes.

    You can't just say, "Remember Duck Hunt?" That's not parody. That's not a satire. It's not a joke and it's not funny. It's just a reference with no context or humour, and ultimately it's just riding on someone's coattails. For some reason this game gets credit as a love letter to old school gaming but it's really just a shameless rip off. Just asking the player to remember classics of yore while doing nothing to live up to their standard is incredibly annoying in my book.

    It's also a very ugly game. I have nothing against retro-style graphics -- in fact I like 'em more than the next guy -- but this game is artless with its tiny sprites with no detail. Worse yet there is no style or whimsy to them, which is why we loved those old games. This game looks like the worst NES games that we've all forgotten, and rightly so. Of course in the end it really comes down to gameplay, and in that area this game is terrible as well. There's a cover mechanic, but it's utterly useless. The lock on makes it hard to target the enemies that are the biggest threat, but aiming manually is sloppy and difficult. You can take a ton of gunfire but explosions are pretty much an instant kill. Speaking of which, thrown weapons like dynamite and grenades are as likely to blow up in your face and kill you as they are to kill your target -- actually, you're much *more* likely to kill yourself. I could go on. All in all this game is a disaster. I read that the guy who made it took 10 years to do so. If that's true, he wasted his life. Next time join the Peace Corps or something.    … Full Review »
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