The Precinct

Gaming NexusJason Dailey

8/10

The Precinct effortlessly blends simulation, sandbox, and silliness. Imagine being a cop in one of the early top-down GTA games, but with modern game design and accoutrements. It's not perfect, but it nails the core gameplay loop that inspired it.

Push SquareRobert Ramsey

8/10

The Precinct is an indie game with ambition. Its fictional 1980s setting of Averno City is an enjoyably complex little sandbox, presenting players with an endless supply of procedurally generated crimes that need to be stopped from a top-down perspective, reminiscent of old Grand Theft Auto games.

XboxEraGyőző "FairyEmpire" Baki

7.6/10

As the astonishingly anticipated Grand Theft Auto VI has been delayed to next year, those who wanna roleplay as criminals in a US town may have to wait a while longer. In the meantime, however, we have the polar opposite – The Precinct, a top-down open world game evidently inspired by the old-school top down GTA games, but where the player controls a cop in a particularly tough district. We played through it all on Xbox Series X, so here’s our review for The Precinct!

Screen HypeLyssa Greywood

7/10

I appreciate that the game doesn’t try to sanitise its theme. Instead, it nods to the complexities of policing while keeping things within the realm of stylised fiction. You’re not here to rewrite laws; you’re here to ticket cars, stop crime, and slowly peel back a larger conspiracy.

Try Hard GuidesErik Hodges

7/10

If some clunky mechanics don’t bother you and the more mundane aspects of police work get you excited, The Precinct might be the game for you. Working best when it leans into its ’80s cop movie aesthetics, this title can feel more like a promise of something great at times, but for the right audience is definitely going to feel like a refreshing and exciting entry into a decidedly small genre.

GamereactorPalle Havshøi-Jensen

7/10

I'm still teetering on the edge - so I'm going to take another shift with my chatty partner in the atmospheric streets of Averno City.

Playstation UniverseJames Davie

6.5/10

Feel free to give this one a go and milk it for all its perks to reach the top of the ACPD, but you may want to send this one down with a DUI once it's all set and done.

WellPlayedAdam Ryan

6.5/10

The Precinct's combination of action and simulation is engaging to begin with, but the tedium soon sets in, leaving you feeling like you're processing paperwork more than capturing criminals.

Capsule ComputersTravis Bruno

6.5/10

The Precinct blends action with police simulation and a solid '80s aesthetic, but underdeveloped storytelling, rough mechanics, and bugs tarnish what could have been a standout experience.

Checkpoint GamingOmi Koulas

6.5/10

If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to live out your cop movie fantasy with a city full of crooks to collar, then The Precinct might just have your number. A sandbox police game set in the streets of Averno City, it combines methodical police work with arcade-style action. But while there’s plenty of heart behind the badge, not every mechanic fires on all cylinders.

GamingBoltRavi Sinha

6/10

Capturing the feel of old-school Grand Theft Auto, especially from a law enforcement perspective, isn't easy, but The Precinct's core gameplay only barely passes muster.

Rock Paper ShotgunBrendan Caldwell

Unscored

So as far as cop 'em ups go, it fits somewhere between the grey dispatch tales of This Is The Police and the boots-on-the-ground patrolling of Police Simulator: Patrol Officers. As much as the comparison isn't fair, I also find myself thinking of it alongside Shadows Of Doubt, the recent open world detective sim. One of these games leans into reality, and tries to disguise its inherent silliness with gritty crime writing and big messages that say "don't do that!" while the other approaches cr...