Within the sprawling cityscape of Averno, justice isn’t simply served—it’s patrolled, interrogated, chased, and generally, improvised. The Precinct, an formidable top-down police motion recreation developed by Fallen Tree Video games, drops you into the badge-wearing boots of rookie officer Nick Cordell Jr., tasked with restoring order to a metropolis simmering with crime and corruption. Whereas not with out its flaws, The Precinct provides an enticing city sandbox expertise that balances nostalgia with modern-day mechanics.
Ambiance & Aesthetic Brilliance
From the second you step out of the Averno Police Division and onto town’s sun-drenched and at instances neon-drenched streets, it’s clear that The Precinct is deeply dedicated to aesthetic immersion. The sport’s visible path is a love letter to Eighties cop flicks—full with muscle vehicles, rotary telephones, CRT screens, and a synth-heavy soundtrack that pulses in tandem with the heartbeat of town.
The highest-down perspective, evocative of video games like Grand Theft Auto 2, could seem simplistic at first look, nevertheless it’s within the particulars the place The Precinct actually shines. Neon reflections shimmer off rain-slicked streets, sirens forged piercing blue and purple glows, and constructing interiors are rendered with a meticulous contact that conveys each utility and character. The minimalist but expressive artwork fashion walks a cautious line between retro allure and trendy polish, delivering an unmistakable identification that units The Precinct aside in a style awash with photorealism.
Fallen Tree Video games has completed one thing uncommon—making a recreation that appears stylistically constant with out sacrificing the nuance of its world. From rundown alleyways crawling with suspicious exercise to posh uptown neighborhoods housing town’s elite, Averno feels alive and assorted.
A Day within the Lifetime of a Beat Cop
At its core, The Precinct is a sandbox-style action-adventure that locations a heavy emphasis on procedural occasions and systemic gameplay. As Officer Nick Cordell Jr., gamers aren’t simply handed story missions and instructed the place to go. As a substitute, they’re immersed within the rhythm of each day police work: responding to dispatch calls, chasing down purse snatchers, resolving home disputes, conducting visitors stops, and investigating deeper prison conspiracies as the sport progresses.
The procedural call-out system is a superb design. As a substitute of rote, scripted encounters, each shift brings a novel mixture of emergent gameplay alternatives. One second you may be chasing a suspect by way of alleyways, and the following you’re defusing a standoff in a comfort retailer. No two shifts are precisely alike—no less than, for the primary dozen hours.
Driving mechanics are one other standout. Autos in The Precinct really feel weighty and genuine, with every automotive possessing its personal dealing with quirks. The sport’s top-down automotive chases are a dynamic mixture of high-speed navigation, precision driving, and good AI conduct (extra on that quickly). The inclusion of real-world-like patrol patterns and regulation enforcement instruments—akin to spike strips and PIT maneuvers—provides a satisfying layer of technique to car pursuits.
Fight and arrest mechanics comply with a easy, accessible design. You possibly can select to escalate or de-escalate relying on the situation, and there’s a satisfying rhythm to approaching a suspect, calling them out, and deciding easy methods to proceed. Whether or not you’re firing warning photographs, partaking in a scuffle, or drawing your firearm, the results of your actions ripple by way of town’s AI ecosystem.
There are fascinating aspect quests too – one involving a serial killer, that straight up gave me Dexter vibes. There are racing aspect quests and a scavenger hunt involving misplaced artifacts. There are sufficient actions to maintain you busy after the core story is over.
Smarter Than Your Common Suspect
Maybe one among The Precinct‘s most underrated strengths is its AI system known as the “Crime Technology System”. Enemies and civilians alike exhibit behaviors that transcend the standard “run or combat” dichotomy widespread in related video games. Suspects attempt to outmaneuver you, civilians react dynamically to escalating occasions, and criminals coordinate their escapes with shocking talent.
I actually loved the eye to element that has gone into the world constructing and the way in which the world reacts to you. In sandbox video games, you’re all the time drawn into the “I-wonder-if” facet of gameplay – and I’m comfortable to report that the builders did consider a lot of the shenanigans it’s possible you’ll attempt to pull off.
In foot pursuits, suspects could duck into buildings, conceal behind objects, and even try and mix into crowds. This type of situational consciousness from the AI encourages gamers to suppose like precise officers. You’re always adapting—do you narrow off the suspect by way of alley shortcut or comply with from a distance and look ahead to backup? Some of these emergent decision-making alternatives kind the spine of the sport’s attraction.
Pedestrian AI additionally contributes to the immersive ambiance. Passersby reply believably to crimes in progress, shout warnings, or flee in panic. This creates an natural feeling of a metropolis that’s not solely reactive but additionally observant of your actions, making each alternative really feel extra consequential.
Is there jank right here? Sure, after all. Any open world sandbox recreation value its salt has jank in it. However its all charming, goofy jank. There have been no recreation breaking bugs for me throughout my 13 hour gameplay.
Acquainted Threads with a Retro Aptitude
The overarching plot in The Precinct isn’t revolutionary, nevertheless it matches the aesthetic and tone completely. You play because the son of a once-renowned detective, navigating each the shadows of his legacy and the underbelly of a metropolis on the brink. There’s a palpable noir taste to the story, blended with the melodrama of 80s cop tv.
Sadly, what lets the narrative down barely is the voice performing. Whereas it’s clear the sport is channeling an deliberately hammy vibe to match its retro inspirations, the performances typically tip too far into parody. Nick Cordell Jr.’s strains, particularly, swing between stoic grit and laughable overexertion. Some supporting characters really feel equally one-dimensional, and whereas that may very well be chalked as much as style homage, it could sometimes pull gamers out of in any other case tense or dramatic scenes. The villains within the recreation fall prey to this fairly exhausting.
That mentioned, the writing itself is serviceable. Dialogue timber permit for some participant alternative, and whereas the outcomes don’t drastically change the story, they do assist set up your model of Cordell. Is he by-the-book, or a free cannon with a coronary heart of gold? You resolve.
Synths, Sirens, and Subtlety
Sonically, The Precinct is a deal with. The ambient soundscape is fastidiously tuned to replicate the bustle of a dwelling metropolis—chatter on the road, distant sirens, the honking of impatient drivers, and the ever-present hum of neon.
The soundtrack is drenched in synthwave—a mix of pulsing basslines and atmospheric pads that remembers the golden age of VHS crime dramas. It completely enhances each the sport’s aesthetic and pacing, making even routine patrols really feel like scenes from an 80s motion movie.
Gunshots are punchy, car collisions resonate with gritty realism, and radio chatter provides to the immersive patrol expertise. The one caveat is the beforehand talked about voice performing, which may sometimes jar in opposition to the in any other case wealthy audio backdrop.
Repetition Units In
For all its strengths, The Precinct will not be with out its drawbacks. Chief amongst them is the repetitive nature of gameplay, which turns into noticeable after the ten–12 hour mark. Whereas the procedural call-out system is spectacular, the shortage of deeper mission selection could make lengthy play periods really feel monotonous. You’ll begin to acknowledge acquainted patterns in crimes, responses, and outcomes, and the preliminary thrill of unpredictability fades considerably over time.
That is exacerbated by a comparatively gradual development system. Unlockable automobiles, upgrades, and talents are doled out sparingly, which may make development really feel sluggish. I completed the principle story at round degree 16, which meant I didn’t unlock a talent that enables me to drive any car within the recreation, which is unlocked at degree 17 – a truth I discovered significantly annoying. Although the day-night cycle and shifting district dynamics try and hold issues recent, extra variation in goals, adversaries, and procedural eventualities would go a great distance towards extending the sport’s longevity.
One other minor gripe lies within the limitations of interplay. Whilst you can have interaction with civilians, enter buildings, and discover a number of layers of town, the depth of interplay with these programs stays comparatively shallow. Dialogue choices hardly ever have an effect on outcomes in significant methods, and aspect missions, whereas entertaining, don’t evolve over time.
A Promising Patrol with Room for Development
The Precinct is a recreation bursting with coronary heart, fashion, and intelligent systemic design. It’s a recent tackle the police simulation style, one which dares to mix nostalgic aesthetics with trendy emergent gameplay. Regardless of its repetitive construction and a few less-than-stellar voice work, the core loop of patrolling, reacting, and improvising is extremely rewarding. It’s simple to think about The Precinct turning into a cult favourite, particularly amongst followers of retro city crime dramas and sandbox simulations. With post-launch updates or modding help, it may develop into one thing much more outstanding. For now, it stands as a commendable, typically thrilling ride-along by way of the streets of Averno.—
Developer: Fallen Tree Video games Restricted
Nation of Origin: United Kingdom
Writer: Kwalee, Microïds
Launch Date: Could 13, 2025 (PS5, Xbox Sequence X and S, PC)
This assessment relies on a duplicate of the sport offered by the writer. The PS5 model of the sport was performed for this assessment.
To learn the walkthrough for the Precinct, please go right here.
