If you’ve been browsingSteamNext Fest demos the way I have for the last week, you’ll already have heard ofThe Precinct. You might even have played it or added it to your wishlist already – it’s the sixth most played demo and the fourth most wishlisted one, so statistically, it’s likely.
The Precinct has a lot of things going for it – a noir ‘80s vibe, plenty to play with in its sandbox, and an attempt to hew faithfully to what the rules of policing are. It’s also clearly trying to emulate the cop dramas of yore, which I’m sure some people are nostalgic for. In its popularity, it has often been compared to Grand Theft Auto, except you’re the cops. It is very much not that.
You’re a cop fresh out of the academy, assigned to the same precinct your late father was the chief of, until he was killed in the line of duty. Your job is, ostensibly, to protect the people, clean up the city, and shoot criminals dead in the streets.
You don’t need me to tell you why this might be contentious. It’s only been a few years since we saw mass protests in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, which was largely centered around the excessive use of force by police officers and calls for the abolition of the policing institution altogether.
We’ve seen modern cop dramas adjust how they tell stories so as to accommodate contemporary views of policing – crime shows still have law enforcement as the protagonists, but the good guys are now more aware of the power they wield, thanks tocultural consultants brought into the writing room.
I like Brooklyn 99 as much as the next person. I’m not immune to Andy Samberg’s charms. But it’s difficult to watch shows like this now, knowing just how far the good guy image is from reality. These shows being more mindful of the stories they tell helps to make it sting less. The Precinct has no such delicacy, at least as far as I can tell from the demo I played.
In fact, the whole game opens with a monologue about cops being the good ones, taking their duty seriously, and how they’re overworked and underpaid. It makes a point to note that therearea few bad apples, but that the force generally believes in doing good - even though the expression is that a few bad apples spoil the bunch. Shortly after, you’re introduced to the rest of the team and shooting bank robbers to kill but, as your new partner reasons, they came out guns blazing, so you had no choice.
The next day, you’re patrolling the streets and ticketing cars for parking violations (god) when you come across some graffiti artists. The first one surrenders peacefully, so you give him a ticket. The next one tries to fight you, so you beat the hell out of him with your baton till he gives in and you arrest him for assault of a police officer.
The third makes a run for it, and you have to erode his resistance meter so he’ll allow himself to be arrested. Two of the ways you can do this are yelling at him to give in, andpointing your gun at him. Never is the fact that you’re pointing a gun at someone armed with only a half-empty spray can addressed or criticised, because of course it isn’t.
The game is pretty clear about what youcando without fear of repercussions, and what will get you in trouble with your bosses. In fact, there’s a whole handbook telling you the exact protocol for each offence. For example, you’re not allowed to arrest graffiti artists unless they resist you. You’re only allowed to use weapons or lethal force in certain situations. Also, you shouldn’t ever hit civilians with your car, though I did, and absolutely nothing happened. I’ll be generous and assume punishment for manslaughter in the line of duty hasn’t been implemented yet.
Perhaps this is why I bristle at the comparisons to Grand Theft Auto so much. When we look at Grand Theft Auto 5, it’s easy to identify themes of greed and evil – it’s nasty, critical of the government, even nihilistic. Youcouldsee it as criticising the idea of the American Dream. Everybody in this world is kind of evil, and that’s the point. The Precinct isn’t that, it’s just… copaganda. The issue isn’t just that it’s an antiquated way of thinking about policing, it’s an unintelligent and boring way.
Look, I just think the whole thing was a bad idea. It doesn’t have a hint of self-awareness about its own nature or the story it’s telling, and it gives me the heebie jeebies. You’ll play The Precinct if you want to, or insist that it’s not that deep. Maybe it isn’t. It’s still weird, though. And it’s definitely not GTA.
The Precinct
WHERE TO PLAY
You are Officer Nick Cordell Jr. As a rookie beat cop fresh out of the Academy, you’re on the front line of defence for Averno’s citizens. Dive into a world of thrilling car chases, procedurally-generated crimes, and a healthy dose of 1980s noir as you protect the populace and solve the mystery of your father’s murder in the line of duty.A love letter to classic cop movies, The Precinct combines police sim detail with action sandbox spectacle. Patrol the streets and respond to callouts to fight criminals petty and powerful. Choose your own tactics in thrilling chases and shootouts. Feel the shifting power struggles of Averno’s gangs in a living city full of procedurally generated crimes, from parking infractions to bank heists, street racing to drug deals.
