Our next podcast recording (14.6.25) - 674: RoboCop

[JaySevenZero]

Here's where you can contribute your thoughts and opinions for RoboCop (1988) for potential inclusion in the forthcoming podcast.

A friendly reminder that where the feedback for the podcast is concerned, we love it - but keeping it brief is appreciated. We do want to include a breadth of opinions where appropriate, but no-one wants a discussion podcast that’s mostly reading out essays. Better to save yourself time and cut to the chase if you can.

[Kentish1973]

My recollection of Robocop in the arcade was that it was a brutally difficult game that exposed my very limited skills and shallow reserves of 10 pences. Thankfully, there was also a rather more forgiving home conversion of the film through which I could continue to 'serve the public trust'. And, from the moment my Speccy 128k recited Robocop's directives, you just knew this was another weapons-grade example of the OCP production line - Ocean Consumer Products!

Was there any safer 8-bit bet at that time than the Manchester-based movie tie-in masters? From The Untouchables to Hudson Hawk, Darkman to Batman, and Cobra to Navy Seals, there seemed to be no blockbuster they couldn't process through their multi-stage sausage factory, with near-guaranteed results of slick graphics, solid platforming, and satisfying shooting. Robocop was among their best, and even came in a gigantic carboard box to add to its premium presentation.

[BearFishPie]

I have very little experience with this, but it firmly deserves a spot in the gaming pantheon solely on the strength of Jonathan Dunn's staggeringly evocative and melancholy C64/Game Boy title theme.

Three Word Review: That Title Music

[caponeadam]

For some reason I read this thread as Robocod and got excited. Why has there not been a robocod episode yet? Also my yearly reminder to add skooldaze whilst I'm at it. Cheers.

[Kinketsu]

As.a child growing up in the 80s who loved films, this was especially designed to eat my money. I would stand and watch the attract mode for ages after I had ran out cash, listening to the voice sample and the cool animation of Robo's gun coming out. Actually the in-game animation of him drawing his gun was pretty cool too.

Touches like that, the samples, the thump when he drops off a ledge, the scan lines at the start of level, the kidnapped women etc. all worked together to make it feel like an authentic representation of the movie, even if there wasn't exactly a scene in the movie in which Robocop moves down the street a foot at a time, punching hordes of tough guys in the crotch. I put me being rubbish at it down to being a kid.

My Spectrum version, while a bit.easier, obviously had very little of the same appeal points of the arcade but I was just happy to have it. These were the days of "Well, what do you expect?"