The Precinct, A Retro Review!

Do you remember Police Quest 2? That time when you had to unlock the police car by first taking the key out of the drawer, then checking if your gun was loaded, and only then, with Sierra's blessing, getting into the vehicle, all while your boss was breathing down your neck? 

Well, The Precinct tries to be the successor to that era. Only this time, you're patrolling through a neon-lit city that looks like GTA 2 finally finished high school, put on a uniform, and got a job at Unreal Engine 5.

In the mood for something completely different? Check out our FBC Firebreak review!

The Story of The Precinct 

Here, you take on the role of Nick Cordell Jr., a fresh cadet with a suspiciously film-star jawline and fairly realistic problems. Crime is on the rise, your boss hates you, and citizens would rather film you with their phones than greet you. The city is called Averno, which is a fancy name for "a city where every third passer-by has a gun in their pocket, and every other one carries a 1987 cassette player." Although the premise seems stale at first glance, the game quickly draws you into its everyday law and (dis)order.

The Precinct doesn't try to sell you fairy tales; it aims to recreate the feel of old detective adventures without requiring you to type commands. The camera is in isometric perspective, immediately evoking Police Quest, but the gameplay is far more modern. You have car patrols, chasing suspects, and solving smaller and larger crimes. Eventually, you get to interrogations that resemble a CSI episode, only with worse pay and more Magnum.

The Gameplay

The best part of the game, surprisingly, isn't the shooting or driving – it's the routine. Yes, you read that right. Here, you have a real police rhythm. You patrol, stop suspicious characters, check license plates, write tickets, chase pickpockets, calm down protesters, and deal with local psychiatric cases. This feels like a strange mix of L.A. Noire and the indie title This is the Police. 

Luckily, there's no depression here, and there are many more explosions. This balance between everyday life and adrenaline is what sets the game apart. You start thinking the day might go normally, and it ends with a high-speed chase across a half-destroyed bridge while synth-pop from hell plays in your car.

Driving through Averno is a special story. The car has "weight," it slides like soap on rainy asphalt greased with oil, and the feeling of high-speed chases is fantastic when sirens and lights kick in. The police car is your best friend, but also the most common cause of collateral damage, material for writing statements to the city council from floor to ceiling. 

Traffic AI is dumb enough to park in the middle of a chase, and Averno's pedestrians have a genetic predisposition to run right under the wheels. They love throwing themselves at "cop" cars. Darwin would be rubbing his hands with glee.

What Are The Baddies Like in The Precinct?

Criminals in the game come in all shapes and sizes – from furious street robbers to dealers in vans to mysterious villains pulling strings from the shadows and sowing domestic terrorists. This brings us to the narrative part of the game, which is crucial to this realization. Nick Cordell Jr. isn't just another patrol clone; he's a character with a history, motives, and personal vendetta.

The story about his father's murder adds emotional depth and justifies his fight against corruption, both external and within the station itself. As some would say, "the plot thickens" from the moment you enter the game.

Here, we reach the part where The Precinct attempts to blend modern narrative with its roots in old adventure. After each intervention, you return to the station and write reports. Unfortunately, it's not just a matter of clicking "enter" and being done. You must select the correct form of offense, then enter witnesses and record the evidence. 

The Look And Feel

All of this is presented through an interface that resembles Windows 95. Old-school fans probably have their hearts racing at this, but younger players will likely be pulling their hair out. However, retro has been popular for a while now, so the game adequately respects that aesthetic.

After the twentieth time, you'll want to pull your hair out because nobody wants to play "administrative worker simulator." The catch is that the repetitive process hides the charm of this title. It's precisely what old adventure fans value – the feeling of doing real work, not just "kill 10 enemies and get a medal." This game makes you think like a police officer and often leaves you feeling helpless, just like on a real workday, stuck in administrative red tape.

Visually, the game looks great. Don't expect photorealistic L.A. Noire, but Averno has its own identity. The combination of an 80s light colour palette, modern darkness, and retro-futurism gives the game a sense of having its place under the sun.

 It occasionally reminds you of GTA 2, which is a good thing, but at the same time, it carries its unique mark. Street lamps cast light that spreads across the rainy concrete while neon signs reflect off your patrol car's windshield—a noir trip right into modern times.

The sound design is high-level. From radio communication to the Sound of footsteps in the station, everything sounds convincing. The music can be minimalist, but when the chase begins, the adrenaline synth propels you right into action. It's like being in the 1980s, only with an SSD instead of a VHS tape. The Sound especially pops when listening with our Raptor Gaming Headset.

In Conclusion

This is not a game for everyone – if you're expecting explosive shootouts or instant fun like in GTA V, you'll be disappointed. If you're a kid who used to make sure not to forget to buckle up in Police Quest, you'll find a lot of love and frustration here. The UI can be confusing, AI colleagues sometimes sabotage you with their idiocy, and bugs appear while driving. If multiple vehicles crash, you're in trouble. It's not terrible, but it can be unpleasant. Still, every time you fill out a report correctly, catch a killer, and get praise from your boss, the feeling is worth gold. It's like you did something right in a game where nobody has a clean slate.

The Precinct is a love letter to classic police games, wrapped in modern clothing. It's like Police Quest 2 came out of invalid retirement, put on new boots, and said, "Let's ride again, partner, one last ride to the end." Although the game has its problems, it's hard not to love its sincerity, attention to detail, and the opportunity to be a good cop in a bad city.

The Precinct is like a forgotten VHS recording of an old police series that someone transferred to 4K without editing. It creaks, crackles, but it has soul. If your heart beats for retro police stories and you don't mind a bit of bureaucracy with a gun, this is the right patrol for you.

Rating: 8.5/10

The game earns this score due to its unique blend of modern gameplay and retro aesthetics, successfully capturing the feel of classic detective adventures while still feeling fresh and engaging.

Recommended age: 16+

I recommend this age group because the game deals with mature themes, such as crime, corruption, and violence, and its complexity may be challenging for younger players. ESRB is a little bit milder in this case and has a recommendation of T for Teens.