No-one ever wants to be the cop. After all, where’s the fun in sticking to the law in an open world filled with the freedom to do what you want? My first job on the beat consisted of issuing parking tickets. As much as it’s part of being a police officer, it still made me cringe knowing how much of a jobsworth I was being. Someone has to do it, I guess. If I was going to wear a badge and uphold the law, I really wanted The Precinct to give me the opportunity to do something meatier than issue a warning for littering.
The Precinct sees you living the day-to-day life as an officer of the law. While it started off with you issuing fines for parking too long after the meter had run out or for spray-painting graffiti on shutters, the pace picks up rather quickly. You play as Nick Cordell Jr, a rookie cop who joins the Averno City Police Department. Your father was also a cop, murdered while on the beat, and everyone held him in high regard. You have some big shoes to fill, and there’re plenty of opportunities to prove you deserve to be there.
Averno City is riddled with crime. It’s biggest problem is organised crime, and part of your job is to uncover who the big players are, what their business is in the city, and bringing them to justice. This, and the mystery of who murdered your father, are the key elements of its story. However, going about your day as a cop is where the bulk of your time is spent. Crime is everywhere. Criminals are around every corner. There’s a lot of work to be done, and you’re at the heart of it all. Time to put all of your training to work, rookie.
I found the act of investigating individuals and the process of a potential arrest very cool. Whether you’re chasing down a possible DUI, breaking up a fist fight in an alley, or running after a gang member in possession of narcotics and a pretty big knife, there’s plenty to do before you get the chance to send them to the precinct. Whatever the crime, suspects will either remain calm or run away. If they stay where they are, you can check them for anything illegal like drugs or weapons, and ask for a background check on their ID.
If they don’t have anything on them and the ID is clean, it might be a simple fine. You can arrest them depending on what you uncover, which then means they can either be escorted to the station or you can drive them there yourself. If they did a runner, you’ll have to chase them through the streets. Your stamina isn’t great early on. It can take ages to finally catch a suspect which is frustrating. New abilities like Timed Breath help with this later on, though. Once you’ve finally caught them, you can go through the same process of checking their credentials and their pockets.
If you need to arrest them, you can read them their rights and send them back to base. Some crimes like a hit and run or a stabbing might require you to use non-lethal force. Suspects can be wrestled to the ground or hit with your nightstick. When it gets to bank robberies or taking down crime families in a shootout, your health will suffer. Using your gun of choice takes a bit of time to get used to at first. Aiming is down by using your right analogue to aim. It’s possible to run out of ammo, but more can be grabbed from nearby ammo dumps.
Some players might not like the repetitiveness of going through the rigmarole of checking IDs, chasing down suspects, and looking for crime. It can be formulaic, but it also feels authentic in that respect. Fallen Tree Games has tried to replicate the feeling of being an officer, and they’ve done a decent job. The more you play and gain XP for following orders by the book, you’ll earn tokens to spend in four distinct skill trees: Physical, Combat, Policing, and Vehicle. Each comes with some integral upgrades that make your job easier.
As mentioned, stamina can be improved. The damaged done to your police car can be reduced; the effectiveness of non-lethal weapons can be increased; locating enemies when they disappear from your sight can be improved; and so much more. Your backup can be upgraded to include riot vans; road blocks become available; and the ability to commandeer vehicles is also unlocked. The way in which you approach potential criminals gets easier and more supported, and it helps to improve The Precinct quite a bit.
While I did enjoy playing The Precinct, I did encounter a bug that made me restart the game. I left the precinct and my partner just ran off. I got in my car to start my shift, but I had to stay close to Kenny or else I would fail. However, Kenny was jumping over fences, running into oncoming traffic, and walking towards the edge of the map as if he’d had enough of this world and wanted to be at one with the ocean. I also had times when I’d flip over a car I was chasing, to then get out of mine and wander over to arrest, only for it to flip over and drive off.
Car chases can go on for far too long as it can be difficult to catch up with them. While driving isn’t awful, turning can be tricky, especially when the suspect can turn down a road quickly with ease. The Precinct is rough around the edges, but its key mechanics remained enjoyable. I just wish I hadn’t experienced these frustrations as did ruin the enjoyment somewhat. Still, it’s got enough to keep you playing, especially when you finally catch your suspect and bring them back to the station with their tail tucked between their legs.
The Precinct isn’t perfect, but it is fun. I thought playing as an officer would limit the enjoyment, but there are plenty of crimes to solve. The UI and ease of choosing different options in the investigative phase is welcomed. The AI can be a little dumb, and there was the odd bug, but hopefully these can get patched. In terms of the process of exploring the streets, uncovering more of the story, and living the life of a cop, it’s definitely a game that does most of what it wants to do pretty well.
