Review: Rico (PlayStation 4)

by Jim Smale · March 20, 2019

Two cops, one case and only 24 hours to bust the bad guys! Become a loose cannon police detective and face off with criminal gangs in this procedurally-generated action movie FPS. Join forces with a friend and take down those crooks, buddy-cop style!

Pros:

Cool cell shaded graphics.
4.52GB download size.
Platinum trophy.
FPS tactical shooter roguelike.
Tutorial video with a tutorial style practice level.
Online and local co-op support.
Goal-breach doors by kicking them down which triggers slow down, kill enemies and do missions.
Earn EXP and level up to earn permanent buffs like faster reload times or carry more grenades etc.
Load out-pistol, tactical, grenade slots. You can customize each gun with attachments.
3 difficulties-easy, normal and hard.
Can slide and shoot.
Map-shows exit, pickups, and any unopened doors.
Weapon skins to unlock with RP points you earn by doing the daily missions.
Daily run mode for each difficulty and a handful of levels.
Decent loading times.
4 characters–Sofia, Christine, Travis, and Frank.
Traits-you can equip 3 at any time and traits are the permanent unlocks you get when leveling up.
Clear easy to read Hukd-shows missions, side missions, health, ammo, and armor.
Story- huge Web of levels, you can choose your path. Your goal is to get from one side to the other.
Death is game over and you start again from scratch.
The room cleared pop up notification.
Health and ammo pickups.
Can ping a marker.
End of mission breakdown.
Reinforcements show up as you do missions, side missions and later on in the game, at the end when en route to the exit.
Online Leaderboards.
Operation mode-random case or enter a level I’d number.
Training room. Practice area with targets.
Lockdown- horde mode.
The co-op has no friendly fire.
Splitscreen/Co-op each player has their own rank. Local co-op supports the second players own psn profile.
Easy to get into.
Fast action.
Tight level design.
Fun to play.
Can get addictive.
Everything randomization of levels.
Many task types from destroying assets to defusing bombs (you have a timer to find them all) killing a target etc.
A handful of gun types from shotguns to SMG.
Environmental factors like blowing up gas canisters and fire extinguishers that blind and burn enemies.

Cons:

Clunky UI.
Guns in the armory to unlock between missions is random, usually for the worst. Like attachments for guns, you’ve not seen yet.
No proper tutorial.
Gunplay feels very floaty.
Bad AI pathfinding. A lot of running into walls, getting stuck in doorways.
Clipping through walls.
Modes are not explained on the main menu.
Hit detection issues especially with furniture and railings.
Dubious sound effects and grunts.
Slow to get the fun toys.
Small hit markers.
Hard to read mission text, even more so in split-screen.
Few screen tearing issues.
Had the randomness of room layouts bite me in the ass within passable hallways and rooms with unattainable loot.
At the level end, you are wide open to being shot when it’s out of your control.

8/10
Graphics - 8/10
7/10
Sound - 7/10
8/10
Accessability - 8/10
8/10
Length - 8/10
9/10
Fun Factor - 9/10

8/10

Summary

Rico is not your average roguelike, in fact, it looks nothing like that type of game. Going for an almost Borderlands style with a Cs Go mode, Rico is, in truth, a solid Co-op shooter. I like that it supports both on and offline but online does turn into a race for kills and loses a lot of its appeal and atmosphere. Also at least in Co-op, it’s easier to find and help each other. You kick down doors and kill bad guys is the assignment here, they clearly what you to proper Rainbow Six your way into rooms and do all the tactical jazz, the thing is the game just boils down to a straight shooter with speed or at least no tactics approach every room. It only gets interesting when ammo and health are scarce, or you are clinging to life. Rico is a lot of fun and I do prefer it solo, I like the armory of weapons and perks and despite taking many levels to get going, Rico does offer a lot to the player. They do their best to add in a handful of modes and tying in special skins or unlocks to the modes, it’s just the game can be accused of being easy and the skins are not worth the hassle. I look forward to Rico 2 where hopefully we get mare variations and modes.