The Precinct offers an authentic if somewhat flawed simulation
After spending considerable time patrolling the neon-lit streets of Averno City in The Precinct, I've come away with mixed feelings about this ambitious police simulator. Set in 1983, the game puts you in the shoes of Nick Cordell Jr., a rookie cop following in the footsteps of his deceased father. While the premise and setting are promising, the execution leaves something to be desired, particularly on PS5.
The narrative follows well-worn territory - you're the son of a decorated officer who died in the line of duty, joining the force to honor his memory while uncovering deeper corruption within the department. While serviceable, the story hits every predictable beat you'd expect, from hints of departmental misconduct to an obviously telegraphed mystery surrounding your father's death. The writing is adequate but unremarkable, with voice acting that gets the job done without particularly standing out.
What does shine is the 1980s setting of Averno City. The neon-soaked streets and period-appropriate vehicles create an atmospheric backdrop that perfectly captures the gritty police drama vibe of the era. The absence of modern technology like smartphones and social media allows the game to focus purely on old-school police work, which works in its favor.
The Precinct's greatest strength lies in its detailed simulation of daily police work. The game excels at recreating the mundane yet essential aspects of law enforcement. You'll spend much of your time performing routine tasks - checking IDs, issuing parking tickets, responding to noise complaints, and dealing with minor infractions like littering or vandalism.
The process typically involves approaching suspects, requesting identification, conducting searches if warranted, and then determining the appropriate response through a series of radial menus. While initially engaging, this system becomes repetitive as you progress through the game. Thankfully, there's an auto-resolve option that streamlines these interactions at the cost of reduced XP gains.
The XP system ties into character progression, with each level granting skill points to enhance your abilities and unlock new equipment. Your conduct matters - following proper procedure earns XP while misconduct results in penalties. It's an interesting system that encourages you to act like actual law enforcement rather than going rogue.
The game offers three main patrol types: on foot, in vehicles, and via helicopter. Foot patrols are perhaps the most engaging, allowing you to interact directly with citizens and respond to various situations from street fights to robberies. Vehicle pursuits add excitement with decent physics and destructible environments, though the implementation has issues I'll address shortly.
Combat exists but feels somewhat awkward due to camera positioning and targeting mechanics. The top-down perspective, while nostalgic, doesn't always serve the action well. Shootouts involve taking cover and trading fire with criminals, but the mechanics never feel quite as refined as they should.
However, the most significant issue with the PS5 version is its puzzling 30fps cap. For a game that doesn't push any technical boundaries, this limitation feels unnecessary and actively hurts the experience. The frame rate restriction makes driving and combat feel sluggish and unresponsive, with noticeable drops during more intense moments.
The camera perspective, while paying homage to classic games like early GTA titles, sometimes works against the gameplay. During driving sequences or shootouts, it can be challenging to properly gauge distances and angles, leading to frustrating moments.
Visually, The Precinct has its moments. The art direction captures the 1980s aesthetic well, with detailed environments and atmospheric lighting effects. The way police lights reflect off wet streets at night is particularly impressive. The city feels alive with activity, though you'll start noticing repeated scenarios and NPC behaviors after extended play.
The Precinct is an ambitious attempt at creating an authentic police simulator that gets many things right but is held back by technical limitations and repetitive gameplay loops. The detailed law enforcement mechanics and atmospheric 1980s setting show promise, but the excitement of serving and protecting eventually gives way to routine.
The game's biggest failing on PS5 is the inexplicable 30fps cap, which significantly impacts the gameplay experience. Combined with the sometimes awkward camera perspective and repetitive interaction systems, it's hard to fully recommend this version when better alternatives exist on PC. Thanks for reading!
The game was reviewed on a PS5 via a promo copy provided by PR. The Precinct is available on PS5, Xbox Series and PC.
