Police Simulator is taking the series back to the drawing board. Developed by Grip Studios and published by astragon Entertainment, this new entry is being presented as a full reboot rather than simply another iteration of Police Simulator: Patrol Officers. The setting moves to the US-inspired metropolis of Faremont City, while the scope of the police work on offer is being expanded considerably. From issuing parking tickets and responding to traffic accidents to chasing suspects, investigating more serious crimes and working alongside a K9 partner, the game appears to be trying to cover a surprisingly broad range of police duties. An early look at the PC version during Gamescom offered a glimpse at how this new direction is coming together.
What we know
Police Simulator is a police simulation game in which players take on the role of an officer working their way through the ranks in Faremont City. The city is divided into a variety of districts, ranging from a busy urban center with locations such as a shopping center and central station to more suburban areas. Rather than focusing exclusively on dramatic criminal cases, the game intends to reflect the less glamorous side of police work as well, with everyday duties such as dealing with parking violations, jaywalking, littering and public drinking forming part of the early career. More responsibilities and more serious incidents become available as the officer gains experience.
That progression is an important part of the experience. Players can create their own officer and gradually unlock new districts, vehicles, equipment and responsibilities. The game is planned to feature more than 50 missions and callouts, covering everything from traffic enforcement and accident management to incidents involving illegal substances, weapons, car theft and armed suspects. Specialized equipment such as cameras, radar guns, traffic cones and barriers can be used to deal with different situations, while some equipment can be upgraded as the officer progresses. There is also a selection of police vehicles, with different types intended for different duties, including urban patrols, suspect transport, high-speed pursuits and off-road work.
One of the most significant additions is the introduction of K9 patrols. For the first time in the series, officers can work alongside a police dog, with canine units capable of tracking suspects and detecting illegal substances. Multiplayer is another major component, allowing two players to patrol together, with crossplay support intended to let players team up regardless of platform. Police Simulator is planned for PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, although astragon has not announced a release date yet.
What we saw
Our preview was based on an early PC build shown during a hands-off presentation with astragon Entertainment at Gamescom. Rather than playing the game ourselves, we were taken through several aspects of the new Police Simulator, including the career progression, different types of police work, vehicle-based responses, more dangerous incidents and the newly introduced K9 gameplay. The presentation also provided an indication of how the game is attempting to move between routine patrol work and considerably more dramatic situations, although the build is still clearly some way from release.
What we thought
A full reboot of Police Simulator is an interesting proposition, particularly because the concept seems to be expanding in several directions at once. The underlying premise remains relatively straightforward: become a police officer, patrol the city and gradually take on more responsibility. What makes this new version potentially more interesting is the sheer range of activities being built around that premise. A shift might involve something as mundane as issuing a ticket, while another could turn into a vehicle pursuit, a traffic accident or an armed confrontation. That contrast could be one of the game’s greatest strengths, as long as the different activities feel sufficiently connected rather than simply functioning as a collection of unrelated scenarios.
The progression system should also give those routine duties more purpose. Starting with relatively simple enforcement tasks before gaining access to more advanced equipment and assignments provides a clear reason to keep working through the career. The K9 component is particularly promising in this respect, as having a dog accompany the officer adds a completely different way of approaching certain situations. Finding out that the dog can search for a suspect and eventually track them down felt like one of the more distinctive moments of the presentation. At the same time, some of the currently shown mechanics appear fairly heavily guided. The question is therefore how much freedom players will ultimately have to approach a situation themselves, rather than simply following the intended sequence of actions.
That question extends to the simulation aspect as a whole. Police Simulator appears to understand that police work isn’t necessarily about constant high-speed pursuits and armed confrontations, and there is something appealing about giving mundane responsibilities as much attention as the more exciting incidents. The challenge will be making those routine tasks engaging over the longer term while ensuring that the more dramatic encounters offer meaningful decisions rather than simply turning into scripted action sequences. The examples shown suggest that de-escalation, arrests, evidence gathering, traffic enforcement and emergency responses can all play a role, but the balance between guided gameplay and a more open-ended simulation is something we will need to see more of.
The presentation also gave a reasonable first impression of the new visual direction. Faremont City looks suitably large and varied, while the police vehicles and lighting effects help sell the atmosphere of an American metropolis, particularly during nighttime scenes. The game isn’t aiming for photorealism, and some character and animation work in this early build still looked unfinished, which is hardly surprising given how far the game is from release. Audio also plays an important role in establishing the rhythm of a shift, from radio dispatches and emergency calls to the general activity of the city. Ultimately, Police Simulator has plenty of room to develop, but this reboot already suggests that Grip Studios is aiming for a substantially broader police simulation. The interesting part now will be discovering just how much of Faremont City players will be able to experience on their own terms.