This is the Police is a modern twist on the RTS (real-time strategy) genre. The story unfolds like a visual novel, allowing you to pick and choose your decisions as they are appear on screen.
The game’s best feature is how every decision you make has a cause and/or effect inside the game world. You take on the role of Jack Boyd, an active police chief in the city of Freeburg. The main premise of the story is that Jack Boyd wants to retire within the next 6 months. The only issue with this idea is that Jack does not want to retire without building up a ‘nest-egg’ (i.e. a build up of financial wealth for retirement).
This is where the game’s decision making/morality system comes into play. You are given 6 months to accumulate $500,000 before Jack Boyd retires. How you go about accumulating this wealth is completely up to you. You can do it legally or illegally, which determines the game’s outcome.
You can either get involved with the mob or turn a blind eye to petty crimes by taking payoffs and keeping your mouth shut. When you play as the police chief, you are limited to decision-making. The other aspect of the game is strategy-based, where you must make important decisions for the detectives and police officers on your team.
Most of the important decision making is done via the world map, including 9-1-1 calls and other disturbances. You even have control over how your officers react during each call, including the decision to either apprehend, arrest, or let a suspect go.
This is the Police does a fantastic job of involving the player in every major decision that comes along. You never feel like the game is holding your hand. Some gamers may find This is the Police’s gameplay a bit repetitious, but I feel the exact opposite. Maybe it’s my love for simulations and strategy games that allow me to appreciate most games in the genre, even if the in-game tasks seem repetitive.
If you are a fan of strategy games – or are simply looking for a strategy game to cut your teeth on – then This is the Police comes highly recommended. You’re given a story that can branch out into multiple paths, while not being overly complex at the same time. This is the Police is one of those games that can be played by everyone, novices and experts alike.
James ‘Daripp3r’ Pittaro
Platform: PC
System Requirements
• Minimum:
◦ OS: Windows XP 32
◦ Processor: Dual Core CPU
◦ Memory: 2 GB RAM
◦ Graphics: Geforce 7800, AMD HD 4600, Intel HD3000 or similiar
◦ DirectX: Version 9.0
◦ Storage: 5 GB available space
◦ Sound Card: DirectX compatible
Developer: Weappy Studio
Publisher: THQ Nordic, EuroVideo Medien
ESRB: N/A
Price: $14.99
Steam Link: http://store.steampowered.com/app/443810/
| Review Score | |
|---|---|
| Graphics |   |
| The art style is beautiful but also simplistic. | |
| Sound | |
| A very nice soundtrack but kind of limited in the sound effects Department. | |
| Gameplay | |
| Fantastic story and a very involving strategy game. | |
| Overall | |
|---|---|
| A great casual strategy game with a brilliant story that will keep you involved to the very end. | |
