Co-op Shooter 'RICO' Gets PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and PC Release Date

UK-based developer Ground Shatter and publisher Rising Star Games have revealed that their arcadey [...]

By Tyler Fischer

rico
(Photo: Ground Shatter)

UK-based developer Ground Shatter and publisher Rising Star Games have revealed that their arcadey first-person cooperative shooter, RICO, will release next month.

More specifically, the indie shooter will hit PS4 on March 12, Xbox One on March 13, and PC and Nintendo Switch on March 14. At the moment it's unclear how much the game will cost when it does launch, but expect a budget-friendly price-point.

RICO -- an abbreviation for "Racketeer Influence and Corrupt Organizations" -- is pitched as an over-the-top shooter where the gameplan is to kick down doors, and go in hot shooting every bad guy you can see while dodging bullets. Some have pointed out the game has a bit of a Max Payne and F.E.A.R feel.

In RICO, it's all about exploiting the element of surprise, which means doing things quickly and with no second-thought about whether it's a good idea. In other words, it looks like improvisation will be your best strategy.

What will perhaps sell gamers most on the title though is that you can play it with a friend via split-screen (or with someone online). Together, you'll play a pair of loose-cannon police buddies who have just 24 hours to crack a case involving an elite organized-crime task-force. As you can probably tell from the premise, RICO is much, much more about gameplay than story.

Speaking of gameplay, Ground Shatter describes the game's gunplay as "punchey and impactful." And this is backed up by a robust destruction system, and procedurally generated levels to keep things feeling fresh through multiple playthroughts. Like the levels, cases and operations are also procedurally generated. Leaderboard support, light RPG elements, and daily challenges have all also been confirmed.

Personally, I think RICO looks like a lot of fun, though I'm a bit worried it could get old quickly. It's also releasing right between Devil May Cry 5 and Tom Clancy's The Division 2, which is a tough sell for any game to make, let alone one without a big marketing budget behind it.

Anyway, as always, feel free to leave a comment letting us know what you think. Will you be picking this one up?

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