Rico
By Marc Saltzman,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Ambitious but flawed (and violent) buddy cop shooter.
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Rico
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What’s It About?
In RICO, you're a "loose cannon" police detective and you've got 24 hours to solve a case. Up for the challenge? In this first-person "buddy cop" shooter, you team up with someone beside you or online to take down a criminal organization. The game features procedurally generated missions and levels, which means it randomizes what you see and what you do, but the activity mostly surrounds taking down a kingpin and his loyal minions. You'll roam from room to room using weapons -- like pistols, machine guns, grenades, and knives -- to eliminate threats, while looking for evidence, diffusing bombs, and unlocking new content. The game can be played solo, if you prefer, but it focuses heavily on the co-op element. There's also a Daily Play mode, which gives you a fresh objective each day, and a ranked leaderboard for competitive types.
Is It Any Good?
While the concept of the game is fun, this shooter falls short due to repetitive play, technical bugs, less-than-smart AI (artificial intelligence), and other assorted issues. While there's variety in Rico's missions, weapons, and building layouts of its four main environments, it really doesn't feel that different. It's usually a combination of "kick in door, clear room with weapons, collect something, and move on." Even the environments tend to look alike.
Unfortunately, there are many technical issues, ranging from "clipping" glitches (where you might see someone stuck in a wall), as well as freezing and crashing, too. A recent update fixed some but not all of these problems. A quick scan of some online forums have many players complaining about connectivity issues that can cause a game to come crashing to a halt. The game also doesn't look so good visually, and without music, it feels empty. The concept is great -- a fast-paced cooperative "buddy cop" movie experience, not to mention, procedurally generated content and a daily challenge -- but the overall experience is mediocre at best.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about violence in video games. Is the impact of the violence in Rico affected by the fact that the visuals are cartoonish, even though there's a lot of brutal action going on? Would the violence be intensified if the visuals were more realistic?
Is it better to play games by yourself or to team up with a partner? What are the advantages and disadvantages of playing a game by yourself? What about with others?
Game Details
- Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One
- Pricing structure: Paid
- Available online?: Available online
- Publisher: U&I Entertainment
- Release date: March 10, 2019
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Topics: Adventures
- ESRB rating: M for Violence, Blood
- Last updated: April 5, 2021
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