Summary
The Precinct might not revolutionize the genre, but it’s definitely on the force for good. It channels the spirit of vintage cop dramas and tosses it into an open-world blender with just enough tactical flair to keep things interesting. The result is a game that’s wild, weird, and way more fun than it has any right to be. Whether you’re laying down the law or just enjoying a late-night joyride through the city lights, The Precinct makes the badge feel cool again.
Developer – Fallen Tree Games Ltd
Publisher – Kwalee
Platforms – PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC (Reviewed)
Review copy given by Publisher
Walking the neon-lit streets of Averno City as rookie officer Nick Cordell Jr. feels like stepping straight into an ’80s cop movie—complete with rain-slicked alleys, synth-heavy background tracks, and a simmering mystery about your father’s death. It’s a moody love letter to the golden age of action-noir, where trench coats are mandatory and justice is always just a chase away.
The Precinct sells itself on that gritty cinematic appeal, and for the most part, it delivers. You’re a fresh-faced cop out of the academy, trying to keep the peace while digging into your old man’s final case. That setup gives everything a bit of emotional weight, even if Cordell Jr. isn’t exactly chewing the scenery. He’s more blank-slate than blockbuster hero, but that actually works in a city like Averno—one that’s overflowing with crime, corruption, and enough neon to power a whole decade.
Gameplay is where The Precinct truly shines, or perhaps flashes its lights. You start out ticketing illegally parked cars and chasing purse snatchers, but it’s not long before you’re interrupting arms deals, stopping street races, and responding to full-on bank heists in progress. The variety of incidents popping off around the map makes every patrol feel unpredictable. Maybe you want to play it by the book, or maybe you’re the type to fasten the sirens and become the city’s personal battering ram. Both approaches are valid, and both are ridiculously fun.
The city breathes with dynamic energy—vendors yelling on corners, drivers honking through traffic, thugs sprinting through alleyways. And with each crime, you get to choose how to handle the situation. A routine stop might escalate into a high-speed chase. A drug deal might spiral into a rooftop foot pursuit. There’s even a bit of a tactical flair, almost like a streamlined XCOM—you’ll use cover during shootouts, coordinate with your squad, and call in support options like spike strips, roadblocks, and even helicopters. You’re not just a lone vigilante out there; you’re part of a whole system, and it’s incredibly satisfying to use that system like a conductor leading a symphony of sirens and takedowns.
When the bullets fly and the engines roar, The Precinct leans hard into the chaos. Chases are delightfully destructive. Whether you’re ramming a suspect’s car into a hotdog stand or watching a helicopter spotlight your target in a rainstorm, it all feels big, loud, and cinematic. The physics may be exaggerated—cars flip a little too easily, explosions happen a little too often—but it’s all in the name of fun. It’s like Grand Theft Auto met a vintage cop show, and they agreed that realism could take a backseat to pure spectacle.
That said, there’s a strategy behind the madness. Suspects have varied behavior; some will run, some will fight, others will surrender if you apply the right pressure. You can scan IDs mid-chase, run license plates, and make judgment calls that impact how the public sees you. Do you chase the joyrider or help stop a gang shootout nearby? Do you risk damage to the precinct cruiser, or wait for backup? It’s a game that rewards a mix of instinct and planning, without ever drowning you in micromanagement.
Visually, Averno is a star in its own right. The game’s day/night cycle and dynamic weather add a lot of atmosphere. At noon, you might be breaking up a fight at a market in broad daylight. Come midnight, you’re chasing suspects through foggy graveyards and graffiti-covered tunnels under neon lights. Rain slicks the pavement, headlights beam through the mist, and the city transforms with each hour. Even the precinct itself—the hub where you take reports and plan next moves—feels authentic, with stacks of paperwork, grumpy colleagues, and old photos on the wall reminding you why you’re really doing all this.
But no beat cop’s day is ever without hiccups, and The Precinct has a few of its own. Some bugs are more than just suspects on the loose. Glitches crop up here and there—random crashes, camera jitters, and the occasional disappearing objective marker can pull you out of the immersion. Enemy AI also has its moments of, let’s say, creative decision-making. Don’t be surprised if you see a perp walk straight into a wall or decide they’re invincible mid-arrest. It’s the kind of jank that’s more charming than game-breaking, though it does add a little unintentional comedy to your shift.
Still, the game manages to hold it together even when everything seems to be falling apart—both in the story and in the streets. The pacing strikes a good balance between letting you explore the sandbox and pushing you into the next major case. And while the main narrative doesn’t throw a lot of twists your way, it sets the tone for everything else, giving your badge a personal edge and your choices a little more weight.
The Precinct might not revolutionize the genre, but it’s definitely on the force for good. It channels the spirit of vintage cop dramas and tosses it into an open-world blender with just enough tactical flair to keep things interesting. The result is a game that’s wild, weird, and way more fun than it has any right to be. Whether you’re laying down the law or just enjoying a late-night joyride through the city lights, The Precinct makes the badge feel cool again.
