Crime Boss: Rockay City

77%
Game Brain Score Based on 2,312 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • optimization
Crime Boss: Rockay City Game Cover
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Buy Crime Boss: Rockay City on PlayStation Store. A '90s-inspired organized crime game starring some of the biggest names of the era.

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Reviews

77%
Audience ScoreBased on 2,312 reviews
story113 positive mentions
optimization61 negative mentions
  • Fun and addicting gameplay with a unique roguelite campaign.
  • Better AI compared to previous heist games, allowing for more strategic gameplay.
  • Great voice acting from a star-studded cast, adding a humorous charm to the game.
  • Frequent bugs and crashes, leading to loss of progress and frustrating gameplay.
  • Repetitive missions and lack of variety in heists can make the game feel stale.
  • Poor optimization and performance issues, even on high-end PCs.
  • story844 mentions

    The story in "Crime Boss: Rockay City" is often described as shallow and poorly executed, with many reviewers noting its cheesy dialogue and lack of depth. While the game features a roguelite campaign with randomized missions and some character-driven storylines, the overall narrative is considered disjointed and lacking coherence, often feeling like a collection of unrelated heists rather than a cohesive plot. Despite its shortcomings, some players find the campy tone and B-movie vibe entertaining, making it enjoyable for those who don't take the story too seriously.

    • “The story is well done, simple, a bit tongue-in-cheek, and with some easy-to-recognize characters that don't take themselves too seriously.”
    • “The roguelite campaign is a mix of different types of missions and gameplay, combined with having to manage your gang, team, and finances in order to complete your ultimate goal.”
    • “The story allows for all play styles, and while some missions throw you into no-stealth combat, most heists can be done fully stealthed, and it's so rewarding to do an entire heist in stealth.”
    • “The story is laughably cliché, the cast's voice acting is some of the worst I have ever heard in all my years of gaming or even watching movies, but somehow that adds to the charm.”
    • “The story is non-existent, just click on the map for your next job and spawn on the map.”
    • “The story and voice acting are notably poor, yet they don't detract significantly from the overall fun if you don't take them too seriously.”
  • gameplay469 mentions

    The gameplay of "Crime Boss: Rockay City" has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its fun mechanics and engaging heist experience reminiscent of the "Payday" series, while others criticize its repetitiveness and technical issues. The game features a blend of stealth and loud gameplay, with a roguelite campaign that adds depth through resource management and character progression, though some mechanics feel underdeveloped or frustrating. Overall, while the core gameplay loop is enjoyable and offers a unique take on heisting, performance issues and a lack of polish detract from the experience for many players.

    • “The gameplay is amazing.”
    • “The gameplay loop is fun and satisfying, feeling like an evolution of the heist game genre while not having eyes bigger than its stomach in terms of what they could accomplish with their budget, the gunplay is snappy and fantastic and the fact that it can be entirely singleplayer is phenomenal and really helpful for me and a game of this price point.”
    • “Gameplay and mechanics carry this game and make it extremely enjoyable.”
    • “Runs really poorly, the game is always kind of blurry for some reason and the gameplay feels like a discount PS2 game.”
    • “I was bored within 30 minutes because it’s just the same repetitive gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay loop is boring and not fun at all.”
  • optimization198 mentions

    The game's optimization has received widespread criticism, with many players reporting severe performance issues such as stuttering, frame drops, and crashes, even on high-end systems. While some users noted improvements after updates, the overall consensus is that the game requires significant optimization to provide a smoother experience, particularly in multiplayer modes. Despite its fun gameplay and engaging mechanics, the poor optimization detracts from the overall enjoyment, making it a frustrating experience for many players.

    • “The game's optimization is commendable, delivering stable fps with high-quality graphics in single-player mode.”
    • “While the single-player experience is robust and engaging, multiplayer optimization needs improvement.”
    • “The updates have fixed performance issues, eliminated bugs, and added fresh content.”
    • “Completely unplayable due to constant stuttering.”
    • “Never met a game so horribly optimized before (my PC can run all games I played so far on ultra presets).”
    • “The only reason I'm writing a negative review is because of the poor optimization.”
  • graphics118 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players praising the vibrant visuals and art style, while others criticize the performance issues, including stuttering and long loading times. Many comparisons are made to other titles like Payday, with some stating that the graphics are decent but not groundbreaking, and others noting that they feel dated or unoptimized. Overall, while there are moments of impressive design, the game's technical performance detracts from the visual experience for many players.

    • “The graphics look really good, and the game feels alive since guards can whistle and AI teammates will actually look around in stores while not in combat, which is always a nice touch.”
    • “The graphics are gorgeous and vibrant, the gameplay is simple, and the guns are stupidly addictive to shoot.”
    • “The visuals are beautiful and appealing, worthy of a modern game.”
    • “The game performs terribly, even on the lowest settings, and doesn't have the visuals to justify it.”
    • “Cutscenes often play with multiple voice tracks overlapping each other, graphics look extremely muddy - overall it just has a very cheap feel to it.”
    • “Weird low res/blurry visuals (native 1440p) even at max ultra settings.”
  • humor94 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by its intentionally cheesy and often poorly executed voice acting, which many players find amusingly bad, reminiscent of 80s and 90s action films. While some criticize the awkward dialogue and lackluster performances from celebrity voice actors, others appreciate the unintentional comedy it brings, leading to a fun and entertaining experience during gameplay. Overall, the game's humor is a mix of self-aware absurdity and nostalgic charm, making it a highlight for many players despite its flaws.

    • “It's funny, it's probably worse than Payday 3 but it's cheap and gives you the DLC instead of gouging you for it, so people are way more positive towards it.”
    • “The writing and voice acting are simply hilarious and it’s clearly intentional; the whole thing feels like someone watched an 80s/90s action movie while high on something strong and turned it into a game.”
    • “The cutscenes with their voice acting delivery, odd animations, and batshit dialogue have me laughing often.”
  • stability89 mentions

    The game's stability has been widely criticized, with numerous players reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and performance issues that significantly detract from the overall experience. Many have encountered game-breaking problems, such as freezing, stuttering, and AI malfunctions, making it difficult to recommend the game despite some acknowledging its potential and fun elements. Overall, the consensus is that the game is in dire need of extensive patches and optimization to address its myriad stability concerns.

    • “Crime Boss seems almost entirely bug-free and it has great performance and stability.”
    • “It runs great on the Steam Deck.”
    • “This game blends different elements from different genres really well, and the experience is mostly bug-free.”
    • “Encountered glitches requiring restarts and shader compilation.”
    • “It's janky, it's buggy, the voice acting is terrible, the script is awful, the cutscenes are bad.”
    • “The reason why I don't recommend buying this game is mainly because of its performance; regularly the FPS drops, game freezes, and stutters a lot.”
  • replayability77 mentions

    The game features a highly replayable roguelike campaign with randomized elements and varied heists, ensuring that each playthrough feels unique. While the single-player experience offers significant replay value through persistent progression and diverse scenarios, some players express concerns about the long-term appeal of multiplayer content. Overall, the combination of randomization and a fun, engaging gameplay loop contributes to a strong replayability factor, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of the genre.

    • “The roguelite nature and a great progression system also brings a lot of replayability.”
    • “The heists are good and every time you do it, it is different since it has many versions, and that encourages replayability.”
    • “There's a lot of replayability which is great, and enough content for now - excited for more.”
    • “In reality though, for others... if you're expecting 1,000+ hours of dopamine-fueled replayability; that might not be enough for you.”
    • “Large heists were a bit disappointing, objectives generally felt too simplistic from the ones I played and the random variation seemed much lower than the variation found in the smaller heists, so I'm doubtful about their long-term replayability.”
    • “Simply put, this game just doesn't have that replayability factor it was going for because the core combat of the game is tedious, slow-paced, and just all around not satisfying.”
  • music62 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising the nostalgic licensed tracks and original soundtracks that reflect the 90s aesthetic, while others find it mediocre and forgettable. Many players appreciate standout tracks but criticize the overall lack of immersive soundscapes and memorable compositions, often comparing it unfavorably to the iconic soundtrack of Payday 2. Overall, while there are highlights, the music is seen as a significant area for improvement.

    • “Payday 2 has a lot going for it: years worth of content updates, a compelling story, interesting characters, probably one of my favorite progression systems in a video game, satisfying combat, an incredible soundtrack, fun heists; the list goes on.”
    • “The music in Crime Boss varies between really good and forgettable, though it's unfair to directly compare it to Payday 2's iconic soundtrack.”
    • “When all is said and done, Crime Boss: Rockay City feels like a very polished product with a great soundtrack, some fantastic appearances from actors such as Norris, Glover, and Trejo along with some incredibly fun gameplay that can be enjoyed both solo and in coop.”
    • “One or two banger soundtracks, but it doesn't have that exhilarating vibe while going loud or that ominous stealthy aspect when going quiet.”
    • “The game lacks any immersive soundscape, and the music is subpar.”
    • “The music is very mediocre and generic; they are pretty short loops and aren't all that interesting.”
  • grinding33 mentions

    Overall, reviews indicate that the game's grinding mechanics are a significant drawback, with many players finding the experience tedious and frustrating, particularly in multiplayer modes. While some appreciate the streamlined approach compared to similar games like Payday 2, the lack of meaningful rewards and the slow pace of progression detract from the enjoyment, leading to a consensus that the game can become boring quickly. Despite some fun elements, the grind often overshadows the gameplay experience, making it less appealing for long-term play.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “The game is fun at first, but expect it to get really tedious and boring very quickly.”
    • “Single player portion of the game is very well rounded and has enough content and variation to keep you going without too much grind, but then they made the multiplayer portion so grindy it's not even fun.”
    • “The missions and campaign and gameplay are simply not interesting enough to warrant me grinding through this artificial 'replayability' roguelite attempt.”
  • monetization22 mentions

    The monetization model of the game has received mixed feedback, with many players appreciating the absence of microtransactions and the ability to unlock content through gameplay, which contrasts with the prevalent cash grab tactics in modern gaming. However, some users remain skeptical, perceiving the game as a potential cash grab despite its fair pricing and lack of in-game purchases. Overall, the consensus leans towards a positive reception of its monetization approach, highlighting a refreshing change in the industry.

    • “Fair pricing: no microtransactions and a reasonable price point.”
    • “Unlocking stuff ranging from weapons to cosmetics without microtransactions is a breath of fresh air within the stink of modern gaming.”
    • “No paid microtransactions; you earn everything by playing the game and unlocking the stuff!”
    • “Said it was a goofy cash grab, and why would I play it when Payday 3 is coming out.”
    • “At this point, it still feels like a total cash grab by Starbreeze/Deep Silver to bankroll their next game.”
    • “Next we will get a sequel to this game with live service because Gen Z loves to throw money away on nonsense like microtransactions.”
  • atmosphere5 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is characterized by a tense and stylish environment, reminiscent of classic crime dramas, which many players find immersive and captivating. While some reviews suggest it may not be groundbreaking, the combination of strong character presence, engaging gunplay, and diverse missions contributes to a compelling overall experience that keeps players returning.

    • “[i] Immersive atmosphere - captivating environment.”
    • “The atmosphere is thick with tension and style, reminiscent of classic crime dramas.”
    • “The atmosphere, the actors, the gunplay, and the variety in missions create a game full of character that keeps me coming back for more.”
  • emotional4 mentions

    Reviews indicate a lack of emotional depth in the game's voice acting, with some players feeling that the performances are flat and uninspired. Additionally, while the community surrounding the game is described as wholesome, frustrations with gameplay mechanics detract from the overall emotional experience.

  • character development2 mentions

    Character development is highlighted by unique and fantastic character designs, contributing to an engaging experience. However, the overall environment outside the mission areas is criticized for lacking detail, which detracts from the immersive quality of the game. The variety in missions and gameplay mechanics, such as the roguelike mode, adds depth to the character experience.

    • “The character designs are quite unique, adding depth to the overall experience.”
    • “The character development is engaging, with a good amount of mission variety that keeps things fresh.”
    • “The guns feel good, and the stealth mechanics allow for a forgiving yet challenging gameplay experience.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Buy Crime Boss: Rockay City

Play time

16hMedian play time
64hAverage play time
7-30hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 21 analyzed playthroughs

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