[Crime Boss: Rocky City]New action game compatible with CO-OP where you aim to become a crime lord

“Crime Boss: Rockay City” is a PC game work developed by INGAME STUDIOS and published by 505 Games, which has been officially distributed on the Steam store since June 18, 2024. It is a crime action game work that is set in a fictional American city inspired by the 1990s and unfolds activities while aiming to become the top criminal.

Its main features include a first-person view that increases the sense of immersion, a worldview in which the main character, Travis Baker, rises to the top in a crime city, a play style in which he aims for the top while committing crimes such as turf wars and robberies, and a multiplayer mode in which up to four players can work together online in addition to solo play.

This is a new work recommended for people who like thrilling crime action games that allow you to commit criminal acts, people who are looking for a game where you can play online games with close friends while experiencing PvE, people who are looking for a sensational game work that depicts the dangerous darkness of America, and people who want to experience the thrill and excitement of a game.

Crime action game set in America

“Crime Boss: Rockay City”, which is currently being distributed on the PC game portal site “Steam” store, is a recommended new game where you can act as a “criminal” set in Florida, USA. Although the work has already been released on other platforms, the long-awaited Steam version is now available.

This work was released to the world on March 28, 2023, and is a multi-platform title that has been distributed for the next-generation consoles PS5 and Xbox Series X|S in addition to the PC version. The world-famous 3DCG tool “Unreal Engine 4” was used to develop the game, and the fictional crime city Rockay City, which is the setting, is realistically reproduced.

Players step into the game world as a person who aims to become the top criminal in this dangerous city, taking action using an impressive first-person view and taking on a variety of missions such as infiltration, theft, conflict, and robbery. It's an excellent title with a worldview setting in which the player aims to be number one in a world of darkness.

At the time of writing, there are a total of 608 user reviews on the Steam store, and the overall rating is “very positive”, indicating that the game is off to a good start. This work had a rough history with mixed reviews when it was released in 2023, but I would like to examine the critical opinions and reviews in detail in the general review below.

“Crime Boss: Rockay City” was developed by indie game developer “INGAME STUDIOS” and published by veteran Milan-based studio 505 Games. This is a new PC game created by a publisher with a solid track record, so you have the advantage of being able to play it with peace of mind.

The basics of the game are “challenging missions with four members,'' and the work supports online multiplayer in addition to solo play. When playing solo, the AI ​​controls other companion characters, and when playing in co-op, close friends and players from around the world can be your allies and enjoy the “PvE” element.

This is a work that can be recommended for those who are attracted to a “dangerous way of living'' that, if executed in the real world, will definitely result in death or ending your life in prison, and you should be able to enjoy playing while fully enjoying the charm of being a bad guy. During multiplayer, you can communicate with each other using microphones, so you can enjoy the game in a fun way.

Features and appeal of the game

“Crime Boss: Rockay City'' was developed keeping in mind the worldview of the crime action movies that were popular in the 1990s, and some of the settings and scenes that appear in the 1995 movie “Heat'' are similar, so if you are a fan of that work, you will be able to enjoy the game.

The game is set in the 1990s rather than the present day, allowing players to dominate the city in a single-player roguelite campaign, while also taking on online co-op multiplayer heists to enjoy the gameplay of being the king of the criminals.

By the way, the fictional crime city “Rocky City” that is the setting of the game has depictions that are reminiscent of the legendary drama “Miami Vice,” which has received high praise, and the more familiar people are with foreign crime dramas and movies, the more fun it will be to explore the “original story.” The development members must be fans of these works.

As for game-wise similarities, you can feel the influence of Rockstar Games' representative work “Grand Theft Auto'' series and “Payday,'' a co-op bank robbery action game, so it may be a work that can be recommended even to those who have played the same series. The influence of the GTA series can also be seen in the game's artwork.

In terms of gameplay, the “heist'' mission has many random elements, making it replayable, and the player has the choice of whether to try to force their way through the game head-on using firearms, or proceed peacefully by taking actions that are carefully prepared and undetected. This is a must-see game title that lets you try out various approaches.

The modes that can be played in the game include Big Heist, Medium Heist, Multiple Quick Jobs, and Turf War, and the difficulty can be adjusted in three levels depending on the player's skill. Once you get used to the game, you can gradually increase the difficulty level and fully enjoy the charm of this work by playing through the modes that are divided into solo and multiplayer.

In terms of customization, you can unlock weapons, equipment, skins, and teammates using XP earned by completing single-player and multiplayer missions. The more you play, the more you'll be able to customize your character to your liking, so you're sure to be immersed in crime action for a long time.

The fact that many actors appear in the game is also a big attraction of the work, and the main character, Travis Baker, is played by Michael Madsen. Additionally, the cast includes Michael Rooker, Kim Basinger, Danny Glover, Damion Poitier, and more, making it a style that will appeal to Hollywood movie buffs.

The “Grand Theft Auto'' series, which this work is thought to have been heavily influenced by, also has actors who used motion capture to shape the appearance of their characters, but this work differs in that it employs actors who are well-known around the world. It can be said that it is a recommended PC game that fans of the above actors and actresses should not miss.

Another feature is that the only online multiplayer mode that can be experienced in the game is “PvE'', which eliminates “PvP'' which often causes various troublesome problems, so it has the advantage of being able to match with peace of mind. PvP in crime action games tends to be rough, so this may be a welcome consideration.

The play screen of this game, which was developed using Unreal Engine, is quite beautiful, and the point is that you can play with a completely immersive feeling. The transparent interface allows you to see and act on the characters, making it easy to understand, and it's fun to play while familiarizing yourself with the map structure. To put it simply, it is a new game with level design that takes replayability into consideration.

Compatible with Japanese interface

The selling price on the Steam store is 2,300 yen, and you can currently purchase it for 20% off at the “release commemorative sale price” of 1,840 yen (limited time price until July 12, 2024). The game supports a Japanese interface and subtitles as standard, making it easy to play even for people who are not good at foreign game works. By the way, English is the only option for the audio, but this should create a better atmosphere.

The Steam version of this game comes with downloadable content divided into Crime Boss: Rockay City – Cagnali's Order, Crime Boss: Rockay City – Dragon's Gold Cup, Crime Boss: Rockay City – Heavy Hitters Pack, and Crime Boss: Rockay City – Tactical Weapon Pack, so it's a game that feels like a good deal even though it's a latecomer.

By the way, this downloadable content bundle is scheduled to be available for a “limited time”, making it a once-in-a-lifetime chance. Although the exact end date has not been determined, if these bundled products become paid later on, you will probably feel like you've lost out, so if you're interested in the game, get it now and you won't regret it.

Compatibility with Valve's portable game console “Steam Deck” is determined to be “playable”. The reason that full compatibility was not achieved was the small text font size, which could cause some text to appear unreadably small when playing with Deck. Steam Deck users should consider purchasing this item with due care.

There are 45 types of Steam achievements that can be unlocked. This is an action game title that can be recommended for those who are “achievement hunters” who have unlocked achievements in all the games they have purchased so far, and it should be fun to continue playing solo and multiplayer every day while aiming to unlock all the Steam achievements implemented in the game.

System requirements

Crime Boss: Rockay City has medium to low system requirements. The graphics board presented in the recommended requirements is NVIDIA's GTX 1070, AMD's Radeon RX Vega 56, or Intel's Ark A770 class parts, and the amount of VRAM installed is 8GB/8GB/16GB, respectively.

The minimum graphics card requirements are NVIDIA's GTX 1650 or AMD's Radeon RX 570, and the required amount of VRAM is 4GB for each. It is a work that can be fully played if you have a current low-end to mid-spec gaming PC, and the graphics rendering seems to have been well-optimized.

The recommended CPU model is Intel's i5-10600K class or AMD's Ryzen 5 3600XT class, and the model presented in the minimum operating environment is Intel's i7-4790K or AMD's Ryzen 5 1600 class processor. The barrier to entry is low in terms of CPU, but the Direct X version is “12”, so keep this in mind.

Direct Version 12 only works on Windows 10 and later OSes, so people whose OS version is 8.1 or 7 will be stuck. If you want to play, upgrade your OS to version 10 or 11.

In addition, when using Full HD or higher, WQHD, or 4K monitors at native resolution, the load will be placed on the graphics board depending on the resolution, so it is best to prepare parts with performance higher than the graphics board presented in the recommended requirements. Even if you want to stabilize the fps with the graphics quality set to the highest setting, the performance of the parts will be tested.

Also, if you are thinking about streaming game play videos in real time, please consider replacing your CPU model with a high-performance one. Basically, actions that are distributed while processing game images place a large burden on the processing performance of the processor, so it would be a good idea to consider purchasing by looking at the recommended model that is most suitable for each location.

“Crime Boss: Rockay City,'' a crime action game set in a fictional city inspired by the 90s, where players aim to become the top criminals, is currently available on the Steam Store. Although the Steam version of the title was released late, it has received high praise from users.

The appeal of this movie is that you can experience many criminal acts that should never be committed in the real world in a realistic first-person view, and it is definitely recommended for those who want to experience dynamic action scenes similar to foreign dramas and movies. If you are interested, please visit the Steam store now and check out detailed information about the game.

[Recommended points]A new action game where you can become a crime lord!

Overall review: Can you tolerate unoriginal ideas?

“Crime Boss: Rockay City” is a new PC game that can be said to be a collection of various cultures. The influence of crime action movies that were born in the 90s can be seen in the worldview of the work, and the influence of certain popular crime action games can be seen in its visual style and game system.

I think there are three main vectors for game works, especially those that have been created in recent years. One is a “completely original style,'' which is common in games created by independent game developers, and the other is “a style that makes you feel like you've seen or played it somewhere before.'' And it's a “style that has a self-cover-like feel.''

It is no exaggeration to say that games are currently defined and controlled by “genre.'' Subgenres such as “FPS,'' “survival,'' “open world,'' “climb,'' “Metroidvania,'' and “horror'' have emerged even within action games, and these serve as a major clue in developing works targeting specific fan groups.

When a game becomes a major game company, there is a strong tendency for an analyst's perspective such as “market analysis'' to come into play, and for development to proceed with analysis such as “this genre is popular right now, so we should be able to secure this amount of sales.'' The current situation is that “specific content'' that does not fit into a genre can be imitated if it becomes popular.

When development members present data about their new game development at a game production meeting attended by executives, the second vector is the easiest to pass, which is “a style that makes you feel like you've seen it somewhere or played it before.'' If the company has a hit game in the past, a third option is to remake that game and make it modern.

The more picky a company is about sales numbers, the more likely it is to require “some sort of guarantee'' for its products, and games with a “completely original style'' are likely to be rejected. There are many recent Hollywood movies that are similar to each other, and there are also many revivals and remakes of past works, but the entertainment industry often tends to follow vectors 2 and 3.

In other words, the current situation in the major game industry is such that it is difficult to produce game works that bring “fresh surprises,” and truly unique works are often created by individual indie game developers who “don't go through meetings.” There is a risk in being able to act without having to ask upper management, but the honor of success would be immeasurable.

So, under what circumstances did INGAME STUDIOS, the creators of “Crime Boss: Rockay City,” develop this work? I get the impression that the members who came up with the idea of ​​developing this game were relatively straightforward in reflecting what the subcultures they were influenced by into the game, but I'd like to think about their true intentions here.

INGAME STUDIOS is an indie game developer based in the Czech Republic with approximately 70 employees. He has been involved in the production of Vietcong, Hidden & Dangerous 2, Mafia series, Arma series, Kingdom Come Deliverance, Dead Trigger, Shadowguns series, UFO, Silent Hill: Downpour, etc.

The studio's official website describes four philosophies. The first is “we aim to be the best in the Czech Republic, the best in Europe and the best in the world'', and the second is “to have a clear creative vision and communicate directly with everyone on the team''. Regarding these two things, he has a very good mindset, and there are no complaints.

The third principle is that “business is driven by stable funding, development know-how, and proven development planning expertise, based on individual ownership and responsibility.'' And number four: “Our games are built on Unreal Engine, the best commercially available engine and toolset.” Am I the only one who thinks “huh?” here.

The studio's philosophy that we have seen so far does not include the word “original” at all, and the third philosophy simply says, “We will complete the work within the deadline.” It should be noted that the fourth philosophy only refers to the production environment, and which tools are used has no bearing on determining the “fun of the game.''

After all, INGAME STUDIOS is more like a subcontractor, and they themselves did not take the lead in creating the games listed above. It can be said that this work was created by them from beginning to end, but the rest of their career has mostly been in a “supporting role,” and their third philosophy can be seen as a “statement to partner companies.”

Many of the cutting-edge and original indie game developers who create “completely original styles'' always write “we create games that we think are interesting'' in their development and management philosophy. This is their greatest identity, and their philosophy and behavioral principles are the exact opposite of those of people who work for major companies and meet deadlines.

To sum up everything so far, INGAME STUDIOS is a studio that has developed in an environment that is unrelated to a “completely original style,'' and this can be seen from its corporate philosophy. And there are no original systems or ideas in Crime Boss: Rockay City, everything is borrowed from somewhere.

I don't want to unilaterally criticize the development attitude of these games, but this game was created based on the budget, and the team went back and forth in meetings to figure out what kind of game would be popular. And just as they envisioned, people who like the original game are now intrigued.

A conversation that often comes up among gamers is, “Are there any games like 〇〇?'' This happens when you play a game you like and then move on to a similar game, but in the case of a truly interesting and original game, I don't think a similar thought process will occur when it comes to “cheating”. Because the real thing never gets boring.

If I were to be harsh about this game, I would say that if you want to enjoy robbery action, you should play the “Payday'' series, and if you want to experience the fun of a crime action game, you should play the “Grand Theft Auto'' series, especially in the online multiplayer mode. These are works that require no substitute.

Some people think that the more similar products appear, the more the “genuine value'' diminishes, but this author has a different opinion. “It's only true if there's a fake,'' and popular games are destined to have their style and atmosphere ripped off. This is a phenomenon that has been occurring not only in the game industry but in many other fields for a long time, and is a common method of people who make money by taking advantage of the spoils.

As someone who values ​​originality, I believe that the current state of the game industry is that only companies adopting Vectors 2 and 3 above are left behind, and the spirit of challenge is left only to indie game developers. It would be unreasonable to expect “originality'' from a work like this one produced by a studio that makes its living subcontracting to large corporations.

As a result, the people who can recommend “Crime Boss: Rockay City'' are those who want to play “wide and shallow'' games that are being released one after another, and who are not particularly interested in “originality'' or “the essence of the game.'' All other users should be quiet and play the original game.

When we talk about the source material, we tend to think that it is the original, but it is extremely difficult to trace the source. In the world of music, many bands have appeared that imitated the style of the Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin, but they too have their roots in the “blues'' music they imitated, and are by no means completely original bands.

The “Grand Theft Auto'' series and “Payday'' series, which this work heavily references, also have detailed sources, and it can be said that it is extremely difficult to find original works in subculture and consider their influence. When viewed from a positive perspective, culture has a history of developing through mutual influence.

The above impressions and opinions are solely the author's personal views, and are not necessarily correct. It is up to the individual to decide how they evaluate a game, and it is natural for each user to have different views, impressions, and opinions. In that sense, the correct answer is to just play the game without thinking too much about it, and then decide for yourself whether or not it's interesting.

“Crime Boss: Rockay City,'' a crime action game set in a fictional city inspired by the 90s, where players aim to become the top criminals, is currently available on the Steam Store. This is a work that was probably developed while thinking about what makes a game that sells, and that consideration is clearly reflected in the results.

Whether or not this game will remain popular for a long time will depend on whether measures are taken to keep players from getting bored, but the developer INGAME STUDIOS has also presented a detailed roadmap for the future, so it is likely that it will be a hot topic and a game that many players will participate in for more than a year.

If you are interested, please visit the Steam store now and check out detailed game information.

[Recommended points]Whether you enjoy it or not depends on the user!