I didn’t know what to make of this game when it dropped in my email. Part of me was intrigued, while the other part was skeptical of why anyone would want to play a police simulator. Regardless, here we are.
Police Simulator: Patrol Officers for the Nintendo Switch from developer Aesir Interactive is an interesting game. While my expectations pointed towards a game that would be action-packed and full of drama/thrills, what I came away with was that it was an honest-to-God simulator of a day-to-day job for a police officer. The game features a lot of by-the-book goals that cast a different light on what it may mean to be a police officer in the real world. Surprisingly, it’s not all that exciting but the game does a great job of representing.
Much like my review of Reel Fishing from yesteryear, where I couldn’t catch a fish for three days, this simulator might be the most accurate depiction of an officer’s life. That includes writing parking tickets, watching for citizens to violate laws, and even waiting for speeders to cross your path. There’s a lot to do as a police officer and it works for the most part but being on the Nintendo Switch does make it an uphill battle at times.
So, get that uniform straight, make sure to follow the code, and let’s get rolling on this police simulator.
Good Cop Gameplay
The gameplay in Police Simulator: Patrol Officers is simple and easy to understand. You jump right into the shoes of an officer of your choice (there is a fair amount of customization at the beginning), and you’re assigned a task for the day. The game throws you into the scrum and teaches you as you go. It’s quick, fun, and incredibly well-structured, so it’s easy to understand.
Now, the first task in the game is writing tickets for cars parked illegally in a section of the city you work in, while also watching out for citizens violating the law (jaywalking, littering, etc.). You literally will get up from your desk, go walking on the streets, and keep a keen eye out for mischief. While there is no visual surprise that cars are parked the wrong way or are parked illegally in front of signs that say, ‘no parking’, the action isn’t quite as intense as expected. If you enjoy successfully identifying cars doing bad things and writing the owner a ticket, then you’re going to be in love with this mission and game. It’s slow-moving, it’s temperamental at times, but it is an accurate depiction of what a cop would do. And because of that, it’s oddly satisfying.
Getting back to gameplay, during that same mission, you’re also given orders to watch out for jaywalkers and litterers. This will consist of citizens randomly dropping stuff on the street, which violates the law. The gameplay requires you to catch them in the act, immediately write them a ticket, and move on. Depending on evidence and speed of detection, you’re either going to get some daily points for your efforts or lose some because you waited too long or judged incorrectly. Here are two goals for you: Judge correctly and gain enough points to open new missions. The latter of the goals is probably the biggest of the two.
Points of contention
By getting things right more than not in Police Simulator: Patrol Officers, you gain points. The points will unlock new parts of the city with new jobs. For example, the second section of the city that I opened after gaining enough points walking the streets allowed me a new mission to conquer, which was catching speeders. While most of us have daydreamed about cops catching speeders, especially as I type this from Baltimore, Maryland, home of the worst drivers ever, that life isn’t as exciting as it seems.
Catching speeds means you’ll stand around waiting for someone to speed. Even though you’re armed with a speed laser thingy, which is cool when it detects speeds, it is a long process to catch someone in the act. I know that sounds so thrilling but, again, the slow process of catching people breaking the law is probably accurately depicted in this game. Anyway, regardless of overwhelming excitement, this is how the game functions. You gain points, you are assigned new duties, and you keep expanding your career. It’s just that simple and it works, and it’s honestly fun.
Beyond patience and understanding that a police officer’s life isn’t as exciting as most expect, the only other element you have working against you is how you’re limited by time. You have a certain amount of time on the streets, and you only have that time to gain as many points as possible. Time plays a factor in how well you determine if someone has committed a crime, which can cost you points if you’re wrong. Time limitation adds some intensity to the situation, though not a heck of a lot.
Controlling the situation
Now, to make life easier with tasks and such, and provide some easy-to-access excitement, the game does feature an easy control scheme. You can open an item window with the X button, where you can choose an item that is relevant to the mission. You can also use this type of wheel to hand out tickets for violations and to choose which violation has been committed. Just like the rest of the game, it’s simple to use and understand. It makes getting through the various levels of the game quite easy.
Overall, the gameplay is straightforward. You follow orders, complete tasks, and move on to something more complicated. The game does a great job of adding just a bit more to your police workload each time you level up and the gameplay requests more of your attention at the same time. If you need motivation to keep going, Police Simulator: Patrol Officers provides it with an uncanny emulation of a police officer’s life and how more responsibility usually brings more interesting action as the gameplay gradually opens more and more.
Nintendo Switching it
While I have not played this game on any other platform, I can say that the Nintendo Switch has its struggles with Police Simulator: Patrol Officers. The game system features long loading times, hit or hit-or-miss graphics, and sometimes the game misfires when loading. The latter of the bunch happened on my second mission where the game loaded in, then loaded out, then loaded in, then loaded out, and finally settled itself back into the mission. It happened a couple of times but didn’t do it all the time.
All this struggle was expected due to the system’s nearly decade-old hardware (behind before it was launched in 2017). The game is a lot and requires a fair amount of movement from vehicles and people, both of which can only make their way on the screen at a set amount. The system does its best with this game and the game in return does its best with the system. But it struggles.
What also doesn’t help with Police Simulator: Patrol Officers is the shoddy Joy Cons that are too sensitive for simple aim controls. For example, when I started catching speeders, it was damn difficult to get the tiny Joy Cons to stay put or to pan left or right smoothly, as the speed indicator must follow the vehicle you’re tracking with its crosshairs. Again, it’s not the game as much as the system. It just struggles on so many levels, and that’s all before the PS2-PS3 graphics enter the scene.
Now, for portability, the game system is great for Police Simulator: Patrol Officers. It works and having a simulator on the go, especially one that isn’t asking too much from you, makes the Nintendo Switch version tempting. Does the offer of portability outshine the struggles that it has with the actual gameplay? Probably not, but it is a positive.
I think looking at a different platform might be the best way to play this game. The Switch just isn’t good enough for this simple and fun simulator.
On that note, let’s wrap up this review.
Conclusion
Police Simulator: Patrol Officers from developer Aesir Interactive is a good game that delivers an accurate, though sometimes dull experience as a police officer. While the game could be a bit more exciting in some areas, the biggest issue with the gameplay is the hardware running it. The Nintendo Switch’s limitations in memory, graphics capabilities, and controls hamper what is otherwise a good game.