I’m actually old enough to remember the very first Grand Theft Auto and the buzz it caused when it dropped.

Even from day one, that game had something that everybody wanted. It stirred the pot in a way nothing else had before, and changed the way people viewed video games forever.

Many have tried since of course, and the formula is quite a bit different now from an isometric driver with some funky tunes. But there was something about that OG release that was pretty special and I had those same vibes going into The Precinct.

Now, I’m going to say this right out of the gate. In the absence of Grand Theft Auto VI in 2025, this is not a replacement. Don’t go in comparing The Precinct to that directly. Don’t expect the same level of substance, production values and openness. It’s good but it’s not that good!

But what The Precinct has is heart, it has humor, it has a very intriguing smart approach to mission design and storytelling and it continues to be a surprise over and again. I’ve had an absolute blast with it!

Basically, this is a very indie interpretation of Rockstar’s juggernaut, only played from the perspective of the police. It’s a little bit like that mode in GTA V where you can join the LSPD but going in much further by having you read criminals their rights, chase them down in the middle of the street, search criminals for stolen goods, and take to the skies in a helicopter to bare a spotlight down on speeding getaway cars.

It has all the early jank of early GTA with the movement and over responsive controls, with a much more condensed version of the map that’s split into sections, having you do your daily patrols throughout the day. Any number of crimes can come up like a burglary, an assault, drug deals, even littering and it’s up to you to do as much community work as possible to make the most of your day.

You’ll need to read the book of rights, learn it inside and out cover to cover – a little bit like Papers, Please – and then when out on your beat, make sure you’re following the letter of the law. Everything from making sure you accurately present the right kind of parking ticket, to following due process when pulling someone over for speeding  – ID checks, breathalising them, maybe even popping their trunk.

Each day starts with a new shift assignment that takes you to a different part of the city, and you can opt between going on foot, driving, urban cleanup or parking violations, each coming with their own shift patterns and taking place at different times of day.

By resolving enough crimes in a certain district, you’ll also further open up the city to do your good deeds elsewhere and encountering new challenges and possibilities. You’ll also gradually build up your cases and gather evidence on the bigger crimes and gang syndicates in the city to help you progress the story. Think a bit like the targets in Assassin’s Creed.

The Precinct follows a fairly simple pattern in that regard, and it’s well-paced enough for you to remember what you need to do for each crime and how to maximise your efficiency on a beat to give yourself the most XP and reward points to make sure your buddy cop squad are top of the leaderboards at the end of the day.

But there’s also side quests to do along the way, like traditional drag races that task you with getting ahead and out in front and busts and ops that will earn you more cred. It keeps the action moving forward and freshens up the action – at least in part.

The Precinct’s aesthetic and vibe is just suitably 80s with the neon lighting, hard-boiled dialogue and witty tropes and banter that are all enhanced by a pulse-pounding score and fully voice acted cast. The lighting is just beautiful, especially at night, and driving around in your cruiser is also about as slick as you could hope for. It really offers a soothing feel as you go about your day to day, particularly when tailing cars or going into stealth mode and pursuit.

The main issue for me comes with combat as I never really got  to grips with the games’ shoot-outs and aiming properly in the heat of the moment. The regular loss of ammo also got to be a real pain with your clips running dry pretty rapidly and finding yourself either having to run to a body, run back to the trunk of your car, running away or running right at your enemy to tackle them to the ground. It adds a layer of tension, I suppose, even if it does get to be pretty frustrating.

And while the repetition does set in eventually as you progress through the content – the game not really growing too much beyond its opening portion – the story does keep you invested and the opening up of the city at least helps you stay engaged long enough to see it through.

For the most part, The Precinct is a blast! It’s creative, has a compelling enough sandbox, and taking on the mantle of a cop, actually bringing down criminals rather than being the one going on rampages is a nice spin on the GTA formula and it works pretty well. It’s a busy month and the most hectic week so far for releases, but this one is well worth a look.

Verdict

The Precinct is a really cleverly designed take and spin on sandboxes that have traditionally favoured being the bad guy. Reading people their rights, rescuing hostages and giving out speed and parking tickets is surprisingly theraupeutic, and while combat is a bit off, general movement feels a bit wonky and fatigue does eventually set in over time, the approach and variety, setting, aesthetic, all coupled with smooth driving and satisfying storytelling makes for a game that deserves more than a second glance. I had a blast!

Pros

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The Precinct is out now on PC, PS and Xbox.

Played on PC / Steam Deck

Code Kindly Provided by Kwalee for review purposes