RICO: London Review Summary

Fun fast-paced gameplay, rich weapon variety, and stylish comic-book presentation are undermined by a repetitive loop, bugs, technical issues, and a downgrade from the previous game.

Fun fast-paced gameplay: Players consistently describe the core gameplay as fun, satisfying, and fast-paced, with many noting it remains enjoyable across multiple playthroughs. The action is easy to jump into and provides short bursts of excitement.

Rich weapon variety: The game offers a large arsenal with many different weapons, attachments, and skins, encouraging players to constantly try new guns. Enemy weapons progress from pistols to heavy machine guns, adding to the variety.

Stylish comic-book presentation: The cel-shaded XIII-style graphics, comic-style cutscenes, and UI elements are widely appreciated for their charm and coherence. The art style fits the game's tone and is seen as more pleasant than cheap 3D.

Improved gunplay and controls: Reviewers highlight that shooting and movement feel vastly better than in the first game, with fluid and precise controls. The dive mechanic and refined animations contribute to excellent control feel.

Sharp and appealing graphics: Multiple reviewers note that the graphics are sharper, prettier, and visually appealing compared to the original. The cartoon style has its own merit and is well-liked.

Repetitive gameplay loop: Players repeatedly clear similar rooms and move to the next, making the game feel monotonous. Many note the loop becomes boring quickly, with little variation.

Bugs and technical issues: Players encounter numerous bugs, including getting stuck in walls, crashes, and invisible enemies. These issues significantly impact the experience and sometimes make the game unplayable.

Downgrade from previous game: Fans of the original RICO note that this sequel removes many features, such as objectives, map mechanics, and destructible environments. It is seen as a step back in terms of content and polish.

Poor level design and variety: Levels are repetitive, with identical rooms and corridors that lack variety. Many feel the design is careless, with dead ends and uninteresting layouts.

Too short and lacks content: The game is criticized for being very short, with a single playthrough taking only a few hours. It has few levels, modes, and overall content compared to expectations.

Slow-motion door breaching: Kicking doors triggers bullet time, giving players a few seconds to clear rooms and land headshots. This mechanic is central to the combat loop.

Weapon pickup and swapping: Players can pick up enemies' weapons, which often come with limited ammo, encouraging constant swapping. This ties into the scoring system and resource management.

Co-op and split-screen support: Players highlight co-op play, including local split-screen on consoles and online on PC, as a core feature. This enables shared door-breaching action with friends.

Upgrade shop between levels: Between levels, players spend points or medals on upgrades, weapons, ammo, health, and revives. This progression system includes perks and character enhancements.

Procedurally generated levels: Levels are randomly arranged from repeating rooms, with randomization on restart. This roguelike structure creates varied playthroughs but also repetition.

Mixed performance experiences: Some players report smooth performance and better visuals than the first game, while others experience terrible optimization and frequent frame drops. This inconsistency suggests performance varies significantly by hardware or platform.

Unstable servers cause co-op lag: Servers are unstable, leading to lag in co-op sessions, and Asian servers are particularly affected. This connectivity issue hampers the multiplayer experience.

Loading hallway frame drops: Frame rate drops noticeably in loading hallways, which is jarring but generally not game-breaking except on the Switch version. This specific performance issue affects the flow of gameplay.

High-end PC performance solid: On a high-end system with an RTX 3090, i9-11900K, and 64GB RAM, the game runs above 200 FPS at near-4K max settings. This indicates good scalability for powerful hardware.

Acceptable Unity optimization: The game is built on the Unity engine and its optimization is considered acceptable by some players. This suggests that performance is generally adequate, though not exceptional.

Deep discount required: Many players only recommend buying the game at a significant discount, often specifying very low prices or bundle deals. The consensus is that the full asking price is too high for the amount of content or quality offered.

Not recommended at all: A substantial group of reviewers outright does not recommend the game at any price, citing lack of fun, poor value, or dissatisfaction. Some explicitly advise against purchasing or playing it.

Worth recommending overall: A few players give a positive recommendation, describing the game as fun, unique, or worth playing. They often highlight specific appealing aspects like easy jump-in or comic style.

Better with friends: Several reviewers recommend playing the game in co-op with a friend, suggesting that the experience is more enjoyable in multiplayer. However, some note that even co-op doesn't salvage the fun for them.

Short but worth one play: Some reviewers find the game worthwhile for a single playthrough or a short session, but not for extended engagement. They caution against expecting more than a brief experience.

Community fair range: $3.00 - $5.00.

Game completion: 2.0h.

Story completion: 1.8h.

Session length: 0.3h.

Players mostly report that the game does not become fun: repetition, ammo frustration, weak gunplay, and missing onboarding dominate. A few find brief intense fun or co-op value, but no consistent later turning point is reported.

Friction: Repetitive rooms and enemies; Ammo shortages; No tutorial or visible controller bindings; Weak gunplay and bullet-spongey enemies; No map with multiple room entrances, hurting co-op; Same-looking randomized levels.

Unlock drivers: Power-ups that make combat easier and potentially more frenetic; Co-op play with a friend; Reduced loading screens and whole-floor runs.

Co-op Tactical Breacher: Plays online co-op with a partner, communicating to breach rooms and clear enemies together. Motivation: Coordinated co-op breaching and tactical shooting with friends. Stance: sale.

Solo Mastery Gun Collector: Runs solo levels on normal difficulty, learns enemy layouts, and experiments with weapons and perks. Motivation: Mastering challenges and unlocking perks while using varied guns. Stance: buy.

Discount-Only Bargain Hunter: Waits for sales, buys at a low price threshold, and may use refunds if unsatisfied. Motivation: Getting a small, cheap game with acceptable value for money. Stance: deep sale.

Unfavorable comparison to RICO 1: Many reviewers feel this does not feel like a proper sequel and is a downgrade from the original RICO. Some note missing features and reduced variety compared to the first game.

Very short campaign and content: Multiple reviewers report the game can be completed in roughly 1-2 hours, with one citing 1.8 hours on normal. The campaign is described as very short overall with little to do afterward.

Price too high for content: Reviewers consider the full asking price unreasonable given the limited amount of content. Several state the game is only acceptable at a very low price or in a bundle.

Comic book style presentation: The story is presented in a comic style with comic-style cutscenes and UI. The story is voiced in English and described as a generic cop story.

Obtained through bundle deals: Several reviewers acquired the game in Fanatical bundles or other bundle deals. This suggests the game is often purchased at a discount rather than full price.