Introduction

One of my hot takes? I enjoy Police Simulator: Patrol Officers. Yes, the game is buggy and glitchy—but I still have a blast, especially when playing online with my dad. We make arrests, bust drug dealers, and issue parking tickets like pros. So, when we heard about The Precinct from Fallen Tree Games, we were immediately intrigued. After numerous delays, and some concern that the game would be endlessly pushed back, SunsetNerdVerse received an early review copy. I’ve finally had the chance to dive in and see if the hype was justified—or if my expectations were misplaced. Here’s my full review of The Precinct for the PS5. Big thanks to Fallen Tree Games for the review code!

Gameplay

I’ve been itching to play The Precinct since it was first announced. As someone who enjoyed Police Simulator, the cel-shaded visuals and variety of gameplay mechanics here instantly appealed to me. Let’s start with the basics—what you can do in The Precinct, what works, and what doesn’t.

You play as rookie officer Nick Cordell Jr., assigned to the ACPD to follow in his father’s footsteps. His father died during a major bust, and now you’re driven to seek justice and uphold the law. True to form, The Precinct wastes no time. You’re thrown into your role quickly, and the city doesn’t wait up.

Early missions have you taking shifts, stopping crimes that range from littering to full-blown assaults. The top-down gameplay lets you patrol on foot or hop into your squad car. The mechanics are mostly solid. The game encourages lawful approaches—reading rights, issuing fines, and reserving force—though penalties only apply if you misuse your authority.

That said, glitches are definitely present. I ran into some odd ones—arrested suspects disappearing, or entering and exiting squad cars on their own. Still, considering the open world size, some jank is expected. Driving, however, is where the cracks show. It often feels like sliding on ice, making races or car chases more frustrating than fun. Shootouts can also be a mess—AI enemies rarely miss, while cover mechanics can be hit-or-miss (pun intended).

One feature I did enjoy is the choice-based gameplay loop. You can focus on gang takedowns by collecting evidence, or play at your own pace doing patrol shifts. Arresting gang members leads to clues that eventually let you confront the gang leaders. You can even take helicopter patrols or foot beat shifts. Leveling up grants new items, shifts, weapons, and more. I spent hours casually patrolling before I felt ready to tackle the gangs.

In short, The Precinct’s gameplay is solid but could benefit from polish—especially the driving mechanics. Helicopter flying shouldn’t be easier than basic driving, yet here we are.

Graphics

Fallen Tree Games, you aimed high with The Precinct’s visuals—and mostly succeeded. Averno City is dripping with 1980s atmosphere. From cars to architecture, the city looks period-authentic and full of life. NPCs roam, police chase suspects, and the world feels alive with subway systems and weather effects.

However, the contrast between in-game visuals and character cutscenes is jarring. The static character images during story segments feel ripped from early 2000s PC games. It’s a noticeable downgrade. Still, when you’re on duty, The Precinct looks great and the detailed environments more than make up for the low-quality character art.

Sound

If there’s a nearly perfect part of The Precinct, it’s the sound design. Let’s start with voice acting—it’s serviceable. Nick Cordell Jr. sounds fine, but the rest of the cast ranges from okay to questionable. At times, it felt like the voice work was done remotely with varying audio quality. It’s not immersion-breaking, but it’s noticeable. Also, please, no more Flintstones quotes from my partner—I beg you.

Where the sound design shines is the soundtrack. It’s phenomenal—movie-level quality. The mix of jazz, lo-fi, and synthwave sets the tone beautifully. There were moments I forgot I was in a police sim and just cruised the streets vibing to the OST. I need this soundtrack released, stat.

Story

As a fan of police stories, I’m picky about plotlines in cop games. The Precinct lands somewhere between decent and underwhelming. The setup is familiar: Nick joins the force to honor his late father and restore justice. It works, but it never really goes deeper than that. There are glimpses of something more—gang influence, corruption, moral ambiguity—but they don’t develop enough to make the narrative stand out. It gets better as you progress, but it’s not the strongest cop story out there.

Overall Impression

The Precinct will split players. Fans of the setting, retro aesthetic, and free-form patrol gameplay will find a lot to enjoy. Others may be turned off by glitches, clunky driving, and underwhelming storytelling. With more polish and a few patches, this could be a great police sim. For now, it’s enjoyable—but I’d still reach for other titles first. Still, credit to Fallen Tree Games for building something unique in a crowded genre.

Conclusion

The Precinct reminds me why I enjoy police sims—they offer structured chaos. While the visuals and music are spot-on, the game suffers from a handful of minor annoyances that stack up. These could easily be patched out, and if that happens, I’d happily revisit my score. For now, The Precinct is a fun, flawed experience with great ideas and uneven execution. If you’re a cop game enthusiast, it’s worth checking out—just know what you’re signing up for. I wish Fallen Tree Games all the best and hope they continue refining this solid foundation.