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CRITIK

Crime Boss: Rockay City

Name: Comprehensive Review and Analysis of Crime Boss: Rockay City
Item: Crime Boss: Rockay City
Author: Critik Editorial Team

2023

GenresAdventure, Action, Shooter, Comedy, Crime, RPG, Single Player, Multiplayer, First Person Perspective

AvailableMar 28, 2023

PlatformPC, Xbox Series X, PlayStation 5

DeveloperInGame Studios

Overview

Crime Boss: Rockay City is an organized crime game combining first-person shooter action and turf wars, playable solo or with friends. Take on the role of Travis Baker – a man with his sights set on becoming the new King of Rockay City, one crime at a time…

Elsewhere

5.6

Game analysis

Critik Scorecard

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Story and Narrative

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SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR STORY

Story Score

Positive (80-100)

Mixed (50-79)

73%

Negative (0-49)

27%

Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the story and narrative.

The opinions of the critics regarding the Story of Crime Boss: Rockay City are quite diverse. Some critics, such as Comicbook.com and GamersRD, appreciate the game's rags-to-riches story of a crime boss trying to build their empire and become the dominant name in Rockay City. They find the concept interesting and engaging. Additionally, GameGrin and Softpedia highlight the game's roguelike campaign, which follows the rise of the main playable character as they take over the crime world. This adds a unique element to the gameplay and provides a sense of progression. However, the majority of critics express negative opinions about the story of Crime Boss: Rockay City. Attack of the Fanboy, CD-Action, and GamingBolt criticize the writing and dialogue, describing it as bad, cheesy, crass, and misogynistic. They argue that the writing lacks depth and fails to provide clear indications of satire, leading to moral grayness and poor representation. Game Informer, Inverse, and MGG also criticize the story, stating that it is predictable, drab, and lacks believability. They mention hollow performances, poor execution of cutscenes, and underdeveloped characters as major drawbacks. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that the story of Crime Boss: Rockay City is lacking. The negative aspects, such as poor writing, predictable plot, and uninteresting characters, outweigh the positives. Critics like GLHF on Sports Illustrated, Metro GameCentral, and Screen Rant highlight the wasted potential of the star-studded cast, as the writing and dialogue fail to match their talent. The narrative is often described as disjointed, confusing, and lacking depth. While some critics appreciate certain elements of the story, the overall sentiment suggests that the game falls short in delivering a compelling and engaging narrative experience.

TL;DR

story and narrative

Opinions on Crime Boss: Rockay City's story are split. Some like the rags-to-riches concept and roguelike campaign, but most critics criticize the bad writing, cheesy dialogue, and lack of depth. The predictable plot, uninteresting characters, and wasted potential of the cast overshadow any positives. Overall, the consensus is that the narrative fails to deliver a compelling experience.

Gameplay Mechanics

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SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR GAMEPLAY

Gameplay Score

Positive (80-100)

12%

Mixed (50-79)

58%

Negative (0-49)

30%

Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the gameplay mechanics.

The opinions of the critics regarding the gameplay of Crime Boss: Rockay City are varied. Some critics, such as Attack of the Fanboy and GLHF on Sports Illustrated, highlight positive aspects of the gameplay. They mention that the gameplay loop and flow of the campaign are intriguing and innovative, with action-packed and exciting activities. GGRecon also praises the single-player campaign, particularly Baker's Battle, for its replayability and the ability to make choices that result in different gameplay scenarios. Additionally, GamingTrend commends the various types of missions and the competent AI of the crew members, which adds strategic depth to the gameplay. On the other hand, several critics express negative opinions about the gameplay of Crime Boss: Rockay City. Finger Guns describes the combat as dreadful, with melee being useless and shooting being imprecise and ineffective. They also mention that the enemies are bullet sponges, making the game difficult. Game Informer criticizes the unbalanced and repetitive nature of the gameplay, with rote missions and a lack of support for immersive sim stealth and action. IGN highlights the unconvincing shooting and melee combat, as well as the exhausting roguelike approach to the solo campaign. They also mention that the stealth approach is not well-implemented and the AI is lacking. Overall, the consensus among the critics is mixed. While some critics appreciate the innovative gameplay loop, exciting activities, and replayability of the single-player campaign, others criticize the lack of originality, repetitive missions, unbalanced gameplay, and technical issues. The comparisons to similar games like Payday are frequent, with some critics mentioning that Crime Boss: Rockay City lacks the depth, variety, and complexity of those games. The AI of both enemies and allies is also a common point of criticism. Despite some positive aspects, the negative feedback regarding the combat mechanics, mission structure, and lack of depth seem to outweigh the positive aspects of the gameplay, resulting in a mixed reception among the critics.

TL;DR

gameplay mechanics

Critics have mixed opinions on Crime Boss: Rockay City's gameplay. Some praise its innovative gameplay loop and exciting activities, while others criticize the unconvincing combat mechanics and repetitive missions. Despite positive aspects like replayability and strategic depth, negative feedback on combat, mission structure, and lack of depth leads to a divided reception among critics.

Graphics and Visual Design

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SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR VISUALS

Visual Score

Positive (80-100)

17%

Mixed (50-79)

50%

Negative (0-49)

33%

Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the graphics and visual design.

The opinions of the critics regarding the Graphics and Visual Design of Crime Boss: Rockay City are quite varied. Some critics, such as GameGrin and Hardcore Gamer, praise the game's visuals, mentioning well-designed environments, realistic player models, and striking presentation. GameStar also highlights the colorful visuals and the inclusion of well-known actors, adding to the game's appeal. Additionally, TheGamer appreciates the mix of 80s and modern elements in the visual design, creating a unique atmosphere. However, several critics express negative opinions about the game's graphics and visual design. Everyeye.it mentions that the graphics and localization are not particularly impressive, with repetitive character models. Gameblog.fr goes further, criticizing the poorly modeled characters, laughable animations, and unimpressive textures. IGN and IGN Italia both describe the visual design as lacking, with embarrassing performances, wooden character models, and repetitive environments. NME also adds that the gun designs are boring and the overall visual design is dull. Overall, the consensus among the critics leans towards a mixed opinion of the Graphics and Visual Design of Crime Boss: Rockay City. While some critics appreciate the visuals, praising the environments, player models, and presentation, others criticize the repetitive character models, unimpressive textures, and lack of immersion. The game's visual design seems to have its strengths and weaknesses, with some aspects receiving praise while others fall short of expectations. It is clear that the game's graphics and visual design have left a divided impression among the critics, making it a subjective aspect of the overall experience.

TL;DR

graphics and visual design

Critics are divided on the Graphics and Visual Design of Crime Boss: Rockay City. Some praise the well-designed environments and realistic player models, while others criticize repetitive character models and unimpressive textures. The game's visuals have strengths and weaknesses, leading to mixed opinions among reviewers.

Music and Sound Design

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SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR SOUND DESIGN

Sound Score

Positive (80-100)

19%

Mixed (50-79)

44%

Negative (0-49)

38%

Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the music and sound design.

The opinions of the critics regarding the Sound Design and Music of Crime Boss: Rockay City are quite mixed. Some positive aspects mentioned by the critics include the well-crafted soundtrack (MGG), the impressive selection of songs from the 90s (Impulsegamer), and the enjoyable tracks that evoke a nostalgic feeling (Gameblog.fr). The audio quality is also praised by some, with GameGrin mentioning good audio quality and Hardcore Gamer highlighting the good audio quality of notable cast members like Michael Madsen and Danny Trejo. Additionally, the sound design of the guns is described as imposing and the gunplay feels good (TheGamer). On the negative side, the voice acting is heavily criticized by multiple critics. Finger Guns, GGRecon, GameSkinny, GamingBolt, IGN, IGN Italia, NME, and SpazioGames all mention issues with the voice acting. The actors are described as sounding bored (GameSkinny), like they'd rather be anywhere else or being purely hateful (Finger Guns), and delivering inelegant performances (IGN). GGRecon specifically mentions that women are treated as objects of lust rather than actual people in the game, which adds to the negative sentiment towards the voice acting. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that while the soundtrack and audio quality have their merits, the voice acting in Crime Boss: Rockay City is a major letdown. The performances of the actors, including recognizable names like Michael Madsen, Chuck Norris, and Kim Basinger, are consistently criticized for sounding bored, disinterested, or simply not right. This negative sentiment towards the voice acting overshadows the positive aspects of the sound design and music, leading to a general disappointment among the reviewers.

TL;DR

music and sound design

Critics have mixed opinions on the Sound Design and Music of Crime Boss: Rockay City. While praised for its well-crafted soundtrack and impressive selection of 90s songs, the voice acting receives heavy criticism for sounding bored and inelegant. Despite notable cast members like Michael Madsen and Danny Trejo, the negative sentiment towards the voice acting overshadows the positive aspects, leaving reviewers disappointed overall.

Voice Acting

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SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR VOICE ACTING

Acting Score

Positive (80-100)

11%

Mixed (50-79)

22%

Negative (0-49)

67%

Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the voice acting.

Overall, the opinions of the critics regarding the voice acting in Crime Boss: Rockay City are mixed. Some critics highlight the positive aspects of the voice acting, mentioning the inclusion of a star-studded cast of Hollywood actors from the 80s and 90s, such as Michael Madsen, Kim Basinger, Danny Trejo, and Chuck Norris (Everyeye.it, GameStar). Additionally, Impulsegamer notes that the celebrity cast lends quality to the game. However, the positive aspects are overshadowed by the negative feedback from multiple critics. The negative opinions mainly revolve around the performances of the voice actors. Critics such as Finger Guns, GGRecon, GLHF on Sports Illustrated, Game Informer, GameSkinny, Gameblog.fr, Gamereactor UK, GamingBolt, GamingTrend, Hardcore Gamer, IGN, IGN Italia, Inverse, MGG, Metro GameCentral, NME, Screen Rant, Shacknews, Stevivor, and TheGamer express disappointment with the voice acting. They criticize the performances for sounding disinterested, forced, subpar, dull, wooden, and lacking enthusiasm. Some critics specifically mention the underutilization of the star-studded cast, with Comicbook.com describing their performances as weak and Everyeye.it stating that their presence is not fully utilized in the narrative. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that the voice acting in Crime Boss: Rockay City falls short of expectations. While the inclusion of well-known actors may initially seem promising, the execution and delivery of the performances are widely criticized. The performances are described as disjointed, phoned-in, and weighed down by poor writing (Attack of the Fanboy, Game Informer). The varying quality of the voice actors' performances also contributes to the overall disappointment (GGRecon). The negative feedback from multiple critics highlights the lackluster nature of the voice acting, with only a few exceptions such as Daimon Poitier's performance (GameSkinny). Ultimately, the voice acting in Crime Boss: Rockay City fails to capture the charm and quality that the star-studded cast might have brought to the game.

TL;DR

voice acting

Critics have mixed opinions on the voice acting in Crime Boss: Rockay City. While some praise the star-studded cast of Hollywood actors, including Michael Madsen and Kim Basinger, many criticize the performances as disinterested, forced, and lacking enthusiasm. Overall, the consensus is that the voice acting falls short of expectations, with poor execution and writing overshadowing the potential of the celebrity cast.

Technical Performance

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SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR TECHNICAL PERFORMANCE

Tech Score

Positive (80-100)

20%

Mixed (50-79)

20%

Negative (0-49)

60%

Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the technical performance.

In terms of technical performance on PC, there are mixed opinions among the critics. Some reviewers, such as Gamereactor UK and GamersRD, mention that the game runs well on PC with solid and fluid frame rates, indicating a positive experience. Additionally, Hardcore Gamer states that the game is well optimized with minimal bugs, running smoothly at high graphics settings. These positive aspects highlight that the game can provide a satisfactory technical performance on PC for some players. On the other hand, several critics express concerns regarding technical issues on PC. GGRecon mentions frequent FPS drops, stuttering, and long load times, which can significantly impact the gameplay experience. Game Informer and IGN Italia also mention bugs, such as invisible enemies, repeating cutscenes, and optimization issues. These negative aspects highlight the presence of technical flaws that can hinder the overall enjoyment of the game on PC. Overall, the consensus among the critics regarding the technical performance of Crime Boss: Rockay City on PC leans towards the negative side. Multiple reviewers, including Game Informer, GamingBolt, and Metro GameCentral, mention various bugs and glitches that significantly impact the gameplay experience. Additionally, Everyeye.it and Games.cz highlight issues with AI behavior and lack of cooperative gameplay options, further contributing to the negative sentiment towards the technical performance on PC. While there are positive mentions of smooth frame rates and solid optimization, the overall impression is that the technical performance on PC falls short of expectations. (Note: Due to the limited information provided, the analysis for other gaming platforms could not be conducted.)

TL;DR

technical performance

Critics have mixed opinions on the technical performance of Crime Boss: Rockay City on PC. Some praise smooth frame rates and solid optimization, while others criticize frequent FPS drops, stuttering, and bugs like invisible enemies. Overall, the consensus leans towards the negative side, with technical flaws impacting the gameplay experience.

Replay Value

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SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR REPLAY VALUE

Replay Score

Positive (80-100)

Mixed (50-79)

55%

Negative (0-49)

41%

Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the replay value.

The opinions of the critics regarding the replay value of Crime Boss: Rockay City are varied. Some critics, such as Attack of the Fanboy and CD-Action, mention the presence of a roguelike mode that adds excitement and replayability to the game. GGRecon also highlights the replayability of the single-player campaign mode, Baker's Battle, due to the ability to complete goals in different orders and make choices that result in different gameplay scenarios. Impulsegamer appreciates the learning curve and different approaches to heists that contribute to the game's replay value. On the other hand, several critics express negative opinions about the game's replay value. Comicbook.com, Everyeye.it, GLHF on Sports Illustrated, Game Informer, Gameblog.fr, GamingBolt, GamingTrend, Hardcore Gamer, Metro GameCentral, NME, Screen Rant, Shacknews, and SpazioGames all mention repetitive gameplay and lack of variety as major drawbacks that hinder the game's replayability. Some critics, like GameSkinny and MGG, mention that even the cooperative mode, which is considered the most enjoyable way to play, still suffers from repetition and irritation. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that Crime Boss: Rockay City lacks lasting appeal and replay value due to its repetitive missions, lack of variety in tasks and locations, and shallow gameplay mechanics. While the game incorporates roguelike elements and offers different modes, the negative aspects outweigh the positives for many reviewers. Critics such as Inverse and TheGamer emphasize the limited appeal and lack of depth in the game, while others, like SECTOR.sk and Softpedia, suggest that it may be more suitable for players new to cooperative action games. Despite the mixed opinions, it is evident that the game falls short in terms of providing a compelling replay experience.

TL;DR

replay value

Critics are divided on the replay value of Crime Boss: Rockay City. Some praise its roguelike mode and varied approaches to heists, while others criticize its repetitive gameplay and lack of variety. Overall, the consensus is that the game lacks lasting appeal due to its shallow mechanics and limited depth, making it a mixed bag for players looking for a compelling replay experience.

Overall Verdict

CRITIK

OVERALL SCORE DISTRIBUTION

Critik Score

Positive (80-100)

Mixed (50-79)

61%

Negative (0-49)

35%

Based on analyzing all available reviews that scored and critiqued the game.

Crime Boss: Rockay City has received a range of opinions from videogame reviewers, with some positive aspects highlighted. Attack of the Fanboy commends the game for its innovative roguelike campaign, which adds a unique element to the gameplay experience. Everyeye.it also praises the game for its engaging and diverse gameplay, capturing the spirit of the cinematic genre it draws inspiration from. Impulsegamer highly recommends the game as a great heist experience that requires more thinking and planning than other popular titles in the genre. GameGrin describes the game as a pleasant surprise, with good graphics and simplified turf takeover management. These positive aspects indicate that Crime Boss: Rockay City has some redeeming qualities that appeal to certain players. However, the overall sentiment towards Crime Boss: Rockay City leans towards the negative side. CD-Action and Comicbook.com both express disappointment with the game, stating that it fails to deliver on its potential, feels rushed, underdeveloped, and mediocre. Finger Guns goes as far as describing the game as a "turgid waste" with little to recommend. Game Informer describes it as a miserable and painfully dull game that fails to capture attention in a meaningful or memorable way. GamingBolt points out the combination of poor writing, unbalanced difficulty, and immersion-breaking bugs as factors that contribute to a disappointing experience. These negative assessments highlight various flaws and shortcomings within the game. Taking into account the opinions of the different critics, the overall consensus is that Crime Boss: Rockay City falls short of expectations. While there are positive elements such as the innovative roguelike campaign and engaging gameplay, the negative aspects outweigh them. The game is criticized for its underdeveloped ideas, average gameplay, unimpressive story, graphics, and voice acting. Repetitive missions, outdated mechanics, and technical issues are also mentioned as detractors. The lack of depth, lasting appeal, and failure to fully realize its potential are recurring themes among the critics. The game is often described as a disappointment, failing to stand out among similar titles in the genre. However, some critics acknowledge that it may still hold some value and entertainment for specific audiences or fans of the genre.

TL;DR

Crime Boss: Rockay City receives mixed reviews from critics. Positive feedback highlights its innovative roguelike campaign and engaging gameplay, while negative reviews criticize its underdeveloped ideas, average gameplay, and technical issues. Overall, the game falls short of expectations, failing to stand out in the genre due to various flaws and shortcomings.

CRITIK

Reviews

73 reviews found

Impulsegamer

Apr 10, 2023