Retro City Rampage

 PlayStation 3
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

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  1. TheQuietGamer
    Feb 17, 2014
    6
    With it's 8-bit graphics and constant retro-throwbacks, this is sure to please the right crowd who are looking for something to bring on nostalgia. Those with more modern tastes should probably look elsewhere, because nostalgia is the only thing that will keep gamers from overlooking the many flaws this game has. I tries it's hardest to bring both new school and old school style gameplayWith it's 8-bit graphics and constant retro-throwbacks, this is sure to please the right crowd who are looking for something to bring on nostalgia. Those with more modern tastes should probably look elsewhere, because nostalgia is the only thing that will keep gamers from overlooking the many flaws this game has. I tries it's hardest to bring both new school and old school style gameplay together in order to please gamers from all generations, but in the end I feel like this will only truly please those who grew up in the 80's. For the rest of us it is a minor distraction at best.

    It's mix of open-world and twin-stick shooter gameplay ultimately comes together to create a solid experience, but nothing you do in the game is particularly impressive or memorable. It can be mindless fun to shoot bad guys and mindlessly run over civilians, and the throwback levels will bring a smile to the face of those who played the games they are based off of, but ultimately the affair seems rather mindless and an unfair difficulty spike at the end of the game means that some might not finish the game.

    As far as presentation goes it is straight- up old school, which isn't a bad thing. The 8-bit graphics are charming and the retro tunes and sound effects are appreciated even by me who did not grow up in the 80's. The game constantly tries to bring laughs with it's references to things like "Back to the Future, or just with it's immature sense of humor. The problem is that the game can be downright painfully unfunny at times. Because of this lack of humor a lot of the references are just end up basically becoming the game saying "Hey, remember the Ghostbusters? Yeah, they were awesome. Here's a lame parody".

    The game's issues ultimately end up sucking a lot of the life out of what would have otherwise been a good experience. It's still not a bad game, just a game that will only please a specific audience. Even as someone who is not a part of that specific audience, I still found myself mildly entertained. In the end I found myself wanting more from the experience, but there are those who are just going to be blown away by this. So if you were a child of the 80's this game just might be worth your time.    … Expand
  2. the_blueprint
    Dec 18, 2013
    6
    Fun at first but it gets boring after while and the game is just too long. The 8 bit graphics get tiresome after a while to. If you can get this for free it's worth your while.
  3. mongoman
    Aug 4, 2013
    5
    This is a classic example of three things: retro graphics (8 bit) suck and indie games are grossly overrated and over priced. I did not like anything about this game. I gave it a 5 cause in the beginning I enjoyed it but then it got highly aggravating (much like the classic GTA games). This should've been a free download for smart phones, not a PSN game.
  4. 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. 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 isRetro 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.… Expand
  5. 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 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 II'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.… Expand
  6. 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.

    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    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.    … Expand

Critic Reviews

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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. 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]
  2. 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]
  3. 3DJuegos
    Feb 3, 2013
    82
    Retro City Rampage is a game that fans of retro gaming should play.
    Read full review
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