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0 The majority of videogames are all about death and destruction, and it’s not often you play as a character on the right side of the law. That’s why I was so intrigued when developer Fallen Tree Games announced The Precinct. Taking on the role of rookie cop, Nick Cordell Jr., players will attempt to bring peace to the mean streets of Averno. After being officially unveiled last year, The Precinct is now available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. And I’ll be taking a look at the PlayStation 5 version today.
Just like the developer’s previous title, American Fugitive, there’s clear inspiration taken from the early Grand Theft Auto games. But, does upholding the law and bringing criminals to justice make for a fun time?
Welcome To The Precinct, Rookie.
Fresh out of the academy and straight into Averno City Police Department, Nick Cordell Jr. has big shoes to fill. His father was a respected officer killed in the line of duty, and his murder is a mystery left unsolved. Aside from Nick’s day-to-day job on the force, he’ll also be trying to figure out who his father’s murderer is. The Precinct‘s narrative combines police life in the 1980s with a personal murder mystery, and, for the most part, it’s a rather engaging story once it finally gets going. That said, having 2D stills of characters during cutscenes harms the emotional impact. However, it’s still an intriguing tale that made me eager to uncover the truth.
It can, on occasion, rely a little too much on tropes. Your partner is only a few weeks away from retirement, some officers aren’t quite as innocent as they seem, and Nick constantly being compared to his dad to name just a few. It never became overbearing or too stereotypical, and though it does make the game feel more like classic cop shows and films, a bit more originality would have been nice.
Gameplay
The Precinct isn’t too dissimilar to Fallen Tree Games‘ previous title, American Fugitive, at least at surface level. Obviously, there’s no hijacking cars or beating up innocent civilians here, instead you’re constantly graded for your work performance. Played from an isometric viewpoint, you’ll roam the streets both on-foot and in cars and helicopters. Each day gives you an area to patrol around the relatively small city map. Thankfully, this size did allow me to quickly familiarise myself with Averno’s dense streets and back alley shortcuts. Some patrols you’ll walk around a neighbourhood, whilst others will have you driving around, ensuring the roads are safe. Crimes are either found as you explore, or called in via your radio, and you’re never left waiting for too long before the next case comes in.
Nick’s first day on the job involves a bank robbery shoot-out followed by a high-speed pursuit, but don’t expect every day to be quite so action-packed. There are several activities that you’ll come across, from simple parking fines to breaking up fistfights. Of course, there are the missions that further the overarching storyline, which bring Nick closer to uncovering his father’s murderer as well. Everything you do will earn XP, which in turn allows you to unlock upgrades such as the ability to commandeer vehicles.
Shoot-outs and Simulators
What surprised me most is the combination of both action and simulator gameplay elements. Where I’d expected this to be mostly about car chases and shoot-outs, there is actually a lot of detective work and… well, policing, to do. Sounds unsurprising for a game where you play a police officer, but let me explain.
One example is when searching a suspect, you’ll need to be meticulous in finding evidence. Maybe they’ve got a weapon stashed away or dropped a vital clue nearby that will harm your case if you don’t pick it up? You’ll need to be vigilant to ensure you don’t falsely charge someone. Oh, and make sure not to forget to read them their rights! The same applies when issuing tickets, and the right option will need to be selected for a specific crime. You won’t be getting a game over for slapping an “obstructing fire hydrant” fine on a car that’s legally parked, but you will if you decide to start unloading your firearm for no reason. Although, apparently running over multiple civilians is fine, so don’t be afraid to drive with reckless abandon!
A Cop’s Life
Speaking of driving, the arcadey, floaty feel of the cars makes pulling off tight manoeuvres a breeze. Stick close enough to a perp during a pursuit, and a meter will fill that allows you to call in backup. Assistances such as an extra squad car to give pursuit or a spike strip to stop them dead in their tracks are really useful for those cars that just won’t give up!
You are able to use lethal force when necessary, and you’ll use a variety of weapons in order to get the job done. The gunplay works rather well for a game with an isometric view; holding the L2 button aims a weapon, with R2 used to fire it. You’re able to freely aim, though a lock-on system does help in slightly snapping to a target. I did have to restart at checkpoints a few times after firing off one too many rounds in quick succession. Enemies can very quickly surrender, and shooting at them is an instant fail. It was frustrating, and felt unfair to be punished when someone surrendered after I’d already taken a shot, but it thankfully didn’t happen often.
Graphics & Audio
Characters and vehicles have a distinct comic styling to them, with black outlines making them stand out in the environments. Unfortunately, animations on the characters are rather stiff, with running animations looking robotic. The most impressive graphical aspect is the city of Averno itself. It looks and feels downbeat, and is a very appropriate environment for the story The Precinct tells. This is a city rife with crime, and the visuals reflect that. That’s not to say it’s all browns and greys, as the environments are genuinely nice to look at. The lighting in particular looks great, especially at night as streetlights and neon signs reflect off slick surfaces.
Voice acting ranges from passable to poor. Whilst some characters do have genuine emotion put into them, others are often monotonous and robotic. Some voice lines also produced very noticeable crackling when the actors delivered their lines. Almost like they were just slightly too close to their microphones! Aside from that, the music is rather sparse, and the game is frequently too quiet. But when it kicks in during firefights or car chases, the 80s-inspired soundtrack is very fitting.
Longevity
The main story lasted me roughly around nine hours, but my overall playtime was a fair bit higher. Whilst you can blast your way through the story, exploring Averno city and taking your time feels much more rewarding. The Precinct isn’t a game you’ll get dozens of hours out of, and there isn’t much in the way of replayability after the credits roll. Its length felt appropriate for what it was and never felt too bloated.
Final Thoughts
Although I appreciated the mixture of action and simulation gameplay mechanics, I wasn’t completely blown away by The Precinct. The story was engaging enough (despite subpar voice acting) that it made me want to know what happened next. And the gameplay, whilst mechanically solid, became rather repetitive towards the end.
Still, this is an enjoyable title that feels like a throwback to the PS1 era with a modern aesthetic. That’s by no means a bad thing, and I wish more games would take inspiration from previous generations!
For these reasons, The Precinct gets a Thumb Culture Gold Award!
Disclaimer: A code was received in order to write this review.
If you just can’t get enough police action, why not check out our preview for Police Simulator: Patrol Officers
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