Rooftop Cop

About

Rooftop Cop is a single player action game. It was developed by Lawra Suits Clark and was released on March 1, 2015. It received neutral reviews from players.

"Rooftop Cop" is a five-part, endless vignette game series with a 7-track album, examining a metaphysical timeline where police forget their purpose. Games vary in theme from environmental terror to manic industry, each with unique aloof joy. Offering a critique on policing, the game includes sections like "Capture the Flag, for One," "The Datamines," and "Palace of the Organizer."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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53%

Audience ScoreBased on 17 reviews

gameplay3 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

Rooftop Cop offers a unique and abstract experience, with a distinctive 'glitch-grime' art style that creates a rich atmosphere.
The game encourages personal interpretation and contemplation, allowing players to explore themes of corruption and power in a non-traditional format.
The ambient soundtrack enhances the overall experience, contributing to the game's artistic value and emotional depth.

Many players find the game confusing and lacking clear goals, leading to perceptions of it being pretentious or not a true game.
The mini-games are often criticized for being poorly designed, repetitive, and lacking meaningful gameplay or connection to the overarching themes.
The game is seen as overpriced for the quality and content it offers, with some reviewers suggesting it feels more like an unfinished art project than a polished game.

story
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The story in "Rooftop Cop" is presented through fragmented vignettes that suggest a larger narrative, inviting players to fill in the gaps with their own interpretations. While some may find this open-ended approach lacking in a cohesive plot, it encourages personal engagement and contemplation, reminiscent of the subjective storytelling found in "Welcome to Night Vale." However, the game's mechanics may hinder this experience for some players, making it a mixed bag in terms of narrative satisfaction.
- “Neat vignettes hinting at a broader story and world.”
- “Meanwhile, with Rooftop Cop, because it's a video game, I can see the unideal prospect of its mechanics being more of an obstacle; over that of an additional layer for promoting contemplation, at least of the subjective story it evokes in each of us.”
- “More so, if you're someone who holds the expectation of a fully airtight, complete story (or generally dislike making 'narrative hypotheses' and self-constructed story connections), that's not what Rooftop Cop provides.”
- “It's an impromptu for you to fill in the gaps of the story; and that's why I compare it to Welcome to Night Vale because both are subjective to your interpretation, yet in Welcome to Night Vale, the story progresses without input.”
- “Meanwhile, with Rooftop Cop, because it's a video game, I can see the unideal prospect of its mechanics being more of an obstacle rather than an additional layer for promoting contemplation, at least of the subjective story it evokes in each of us.”
gameplay
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
20%
20%
The gameplay of the five games is criticized for lacking depth and mechanical design, often feeling more like obstacles than enhancements to the experience. In contrast, "Rooftop Cop" offers mechanics that evoke a sense of immersion in a foreign realm, encouraging players to engage thoughtfully with its unique operations and social norms, intentionally avoiding hand-holding to promote exploration and understanding.
- “I enjoy the mechanics as they reminded me of the feeling of being placed in a foreign realm whose operations, traditions, and social norms differ from my own. To begin to understand, I had to be observant and employ experiential thought processes. This lack of hand-holding, which several games typically provide, is done intentionally.”
- “With rooftop cop, I can see the unideal aspects of its mechanics being more of an obstacle rather than an additional layer for promoting contemplation, at least regarding the subjective story it evokes in each of us.”
- “The gameplay is engaging and offers a unique experience that challenges players to adapt and think critically about their actions in the game world.”
- “The five games are as absent in gameplay and mechanical design as they are in higher meaning.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
100%
The atmosphere in "Rooftop Cop" is characterized by its abstract and unsettling qualities, enhanced by eerie landscapes and haunting soundscapes. Players navigate through five endless vignette mini-games that collectively create a rich, immersive experience filled with a sense of unease.
- “Rooftop Cop has you exploring five endless vignette games that are abstract and rich in atmosphere.”
- “The game is a collection of five strange mini-games accompanied by an unsettling atmosphere, metaphorically enhanced by eerie landscapes that echo through the ears.”
- “The atmosphere feels disjointed and fails to immerse the player, leaving a sense of detachment throughout the experience.”
- “Despite the potential for a rich environment, the atmosphere is bland and uninspired, making it hard to engage with the game.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
The music in the game is praised for its unique and artsy quality, reminiscent of Simon Fisher Turner's work for Derek Jarman films. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack as a standout feature, suggesting that it is a key reason to experience the game, especially with the added bonus of a downloadable music file.
- “The art style is unique, and I enjoy the artsy soundtrack that is somewhat similar to Simon Fisher Turner's work for Derek Jarman movies.”
- “The zip music file is a nice touch, there, developer!”
- “If you're going to get it, get it for the soundtrack.”
- “The music feels repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged.”
- “While the sound effects are decent, the overall music composition is forgettable.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is likened to a collection of early indie projects, showcasing a playful and experimental tone that reflects the developer's journey in exploring their comedic style.
- “I’d expect to find this on an indie forum from a developer exploring themselves, showcasing what they’d eventually want to create, as this is a collection of their first ever small, funny projects.”
- “The humor in this game is refreshingly quirky and keeps you laughing throughout the experience.”
- “Every character has a unique sense of humor that adds depth and charm to the gameplay.”
graphics
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's graphics are characterized by a unique "glitch-grime" art style, creating a pixelated and oppressive atmosphere. However, players are limited by the lack of control customization and graphics options, leaving them to accept the developer's choices without flexibility.
- “I'd describe the art style as 'glitch-grime', a wasteland of pixels in an oppressive world.”
- “The game lacks control customization and graphics options, so you must accept whatever the developer provides.”