Police Stories

Fun little tactical shooter. Short missions so getting 1 tapped at the end is still fine. Only thing I disliked was the ai team mate getting in the way some times. Can be avoided if you play with a friend

If you can pick it up on sale for less then 4 pounds you'll easily get value for money

Brilliant game

Pretty good indeed. Sadly there wasnt proceduraly generated maps so the game lacking replayability.

This game is really fun to play with a friend, gameplay isnt as sharp or chaotic as (for example) hotline miami and can get stupidly hard very easily but its fun, i dont recomend a solo playthrough but coop is fun

Also the story is ok not that interesting but is enough to motivate you to finish the game

Very fun to play with a friend, RP as policemen, we are not so bad at the game. 10/10
If Solo, 7/10
Black People are OP, can oneshot you and friend with 1 burst of the mac.
But still fun

pew pew

Great both in coop and singleplayer.

The difficulty really makes no sense.
The ridiculous AI. Between the civilians who charge at you or run to the other end of the building to surrender in the bathroom. The number of bullets enemies take even though they're shirtless, while we die in 1-2 bullets despite wearing bulletproof vests. The completely broken accuracy of our weapons, which fire everywhere except at the cursor...
A real balancing problem in this game despite its simple gameplay.

good

Top-down strategic shooter with an arcade feel

Police Stories isn't a long game and has very little to grasp onto. There is no world or characters really when comparing to some more elaborate games. The game isn't trying too hard to achieve a more grand meaning or experience. There is a mediocre story with a twist in the end. And to be honest I wasn't interested in it after the third mission. Just skipped every story related cutscene, and enjoyed the gameplay. And here is my point for this games arcade feeling. Not every game needs a thorough storyline and a world full of great characters. Some games can be only games. Like back in the day, where you had no idea why everything is happening, you just enjoyed the entertaining aspects of playing a videogame. Not everything must be made into a grandiose spectacle of art and entertainment. In Police Stories' case less is more.

[hr][/hr]

Now that that's over with I can talk about the game itself. The gameplay is quite hard first and ramps up in difficulty towards the end. I like the difficulty level rising by itself. As in many games before, you didn't have the option to select difficulty. It got harder the longer you progressed and if you got stuck, too bad, get better at it. You unlock new equipment as you go and different new strategies open for you. However, what makes the game really interesting, is that you are not allowed to shoot a suspected enemy without them raising their gun towards you. Some will be quick and shoot in your direction as soon as you get into the room, and others won't do anything despite you breathing into their faces. Few might start running and get you into a bad situation if you run after. Also, you have to take into account civilians, out of whom some might be enemies in disguise. Sounds great right?

Well, there are a few setbacks. You have a partner who joins you in every mission. Sometimes he's great support, but most of the time makes the operation fuck up big time, by walking between you and an enemy while you are shooting. You wont even notice, cause you are too concentrated. You hear the awful sound of him dying and realize you have shot the only partner you ever had. Restart the mission and order him to stay in the spawnpoint (which by the way is a great thing to be able to do. In addition to this you can order him in many different ways). When not ruining a mission, he might also just be annoying as fuck in many different ways, see for your self if you're interested. Don't let him be near a door. This all is avoided if you have friends. Play co-op. Works well and hopefully you'll have a better partner.

Other shortcomings are:
- voice acting is not great by any metric
- the story is boring and in my opinion the whole game would be better of without it
- sometimes enemies are inhumanely accurate and fast, making the game sometimes feel a bit rng

If you can look past these, I think the game is fine. Maybe even great with a friend. And at the end of the day despite all criticism I've given, I mostly enjoyed the game. By no means would I pay 20 euros for it tho. Pick it up in a sale. For 20 you should get something a bit more refined.

Thanks for taking the time <3

Hotline Miami from aliexpress. Gameplay mechanics are similar to Ready or not and Doorkickers. Shooting impact feels good. Somewhat many equipment, but you don't need any other than taser and c4 to complete the game. Campaign is too short.

An incredibly fun game that I have spent many hours in with a friend.
Very good and engaging mechanics, probably one of the best police games out there.
Insanely easy game to recommend, especially if you have a mate to play with.

Game is unstable and crashes multiple times during cutscenes and gameplay.

Игра сложная но интересная

I with my partner have driven to the mission.
I threw flashbang before entering the building.
We shouted for everyone to put hands in the air.
We arrested all suspects.
Then one civillian pulled the gun and shot my partner.
I avenged him.
Cleared the buidling, completed the mission.
Returned to home.
Then, I played Police Stories with my friend.

Worked great before, tried replaying it and it seems to install fine. However upon launching using MacOS it instantly crashes.

Mega sigma gra do pobrania solo i z kolegami

good tactical game

This is a rocking game. The dynamic is great when taking time to navigate the AI partner and aspect.

Actually I would not recommend it. It looks like an arcade game
but it should be treated as "Ready or not" because you really
need Voice com to be able to play it because of the insanity
of the one bullet and you are dead.

Me and my friend who love pixel graphics went it
with getting a good arcade co-op gameplay and have
been massacred so easily. Its the same on "easy".
+ Fantasticly cozy graphics
+ Nice story
-No arcade feel and instead extreme hardcore
1 bullet youre dead.

I don´t say its a bad game. Its just not really
something that interests me to restart restart
and restar util you manage to perfect it.
I spent 3 hours on it with my friend and we
are quite good gamers in the arcade section
and I really love SWAT3 but it just feelt
exhausting and to little enjoyment to play.

I personally prefer "The Ascent " instead of this
or "Synthetik" for coop shooter.

The game is nice i like the story but the AI needs improvement they react way to fast and they see you before you are able to see you also when you pick corners it won't load them even though they are in range of view and die before you can even react also the AI that you have with you even himself doesn't know what to do i put him aggressive mode he does what he is meant to do what he show in tutorial but he goes to enemy tries to make them surrender and then he dies MANY times also when i pick corners once i see enemies he runs towards them NO MATTER IF I SHOOT then he dies with me because he can't see the enemy even thought they are in sight of view or sometimes he dies from because he run in front of me when i was shooting nice game also he does nothing in passive mode not even shooting, don't play solo is better you play co-op with someone or if you don't care solo it

Good Game.
Make´s more fun with friends

Too hard to play. I just want to play a game not to be cancer.

fucking awesome game

TEAMBUILDING

At first glance, the game is great, graphics, soundtrack, visuals - everything is at the highest level, but unfortunately for me, the game is in Russian, so I DO NOT RECOMMEND BUYING IT!

The vision determination is quite strange. Sometimes enemies appear within the field of vision, while at other times, they don't even when they should be visible, especially near corners and doorways. Often, invisible enemies would fire a burst of shots at me. The robot teammates seem to be in the same situation as me, that is, if I can't see the enemy, they can't either. When I ask them to guard a fixed point or direction, they would let the enemy pass right in front of them.
But now I get through all levels. Robot teammates is useful when he using peper and monitor.

To this day it doesn't work on Mac, even though it's marked as playable (if your game doesn't work on Mac just mark it us not supported as all other games do).

No.

A game that aspires to be Hotline Miami... but Swat. Slow, methodical, tactical.

So naturally of course the teammate AI should be a blundering, trigger-happy maniac willing to mow down a whole city to hit one guy. And of course for the enemy AI to John Wick quickdraw you. Want to play Decatur Police rules and smoke guys before they even draw? Nah you can't progress, because it lowers your points. SWAT 4 had the benefit of several difficulty modes that either forced you to play by the rules or if you were truly criminal, turn everything to "rookie" and then run in with a MP5 with extra magazines.

Trash game. Blacklisted the developers for garbage product.

10/10 will accidentally taser my partner again

Genuinely hard to play, in that, the controls are bad and having to fight your AI teammate might be the worst feeling ever. I've played some games with downright awful AI teammates but for 2019 this might take the cake. The game has an insane amount of RNG around every corner that isn't explained or made very clear, and I don't mean enemy placement. All of this stacks to create an unsatisfying top down strategy shooter, with a bland story to boot.

- I tried playing this game with a controller since it is supported (so your mileage may vary), thinking this would be an easy shooter experience; no. Instead of making the joystick a swivel for aiming it acts like a mouse in the screenspace... very slowly, even on max settings. You are at an insane disadvantage aiming if you use controller, not to mention the controls are just... bad. Commanding your ally to do anything is a chore and wastes more time than if you yourself just went and did whatever you were planning to hand off. To top it off, you are limited on controller to how far you can see and aim, so in long hallways enemies have the upper hand against you as they can see you before you see them (This issue doesn't exist for M&K).

- Damage is randomized. You might live, you might die. Most the time it will be a 1 hit KO. I thought this was based on where hits were landing but it seems very clearly randomized as knife damage suffers the same effect as bullets, you might live you might not, max HP being 3 hits without a vest, and even with a vest you can die in 1 hit, it's just far less likely.

- Enemy AI are crack shots. Them having good aim isn't the problem, the problem is their reaction time and turning; example, open a door, the suspect has 2 objectives currently. 1, kill the civilian he was guarding, and 2, killing both cops that just opened the door. If a suspect is in attack mode (which is randomized when it starts, could be instantly, might never start) he can and will kill all 3 targets in a second or less with a rifle or pistol if they are all within line of sight, and they don't have to be at the same angle, as the AI will turn instantaneously and shoot when on target, instantly changing the frame its current target is dead. Enemy AI also have a randomized HP system like the player where you might kill them in 1 hit, you might not; it does lean more towards them dying in 1 hit however.

- Suspect AI can shoot you while "invisible." You have a cone of vision, which can be blocked by corners, however the game doesn't render enemies when you see any part of them, You have to be able to see the entire NPC before their model/pixels appear; problem is suspect AI can and will start shooting you if you are within their cone of vision at all, no need to be fully within view. They can shoot you with only half their body covered and you can't see them at all even when looking in their direction. The AI teammate shares this ability of perfect vision, but rarely utilize it in a way that would benefit the player (I.E. They tend to rush an enemy that isn't in perfect view while being shot at, and dying.)

- While the enemy AI is busted, your AI teammate varies heavily moment to moment. He will either shoot them on sight before you even see the frame of a suspect lifting their weapon, or he will hear them shooting at him, missing because they are trying to shoot through a wall, and just do nothing because they aren't in view (which usually leads to both Suspect and teammate killing one another). Sometimes a suspect will also run at him with a knife, and he'll just stand by. It varies so extremely it's like sometimes the AI just turns off and doesn't know what to do, running at a suspect aiming a gun at them and then dying from the inevitable barrage. It is either overly effective at dispatching enemies or worse than having nothing, as the teammate has no regard for what is between him and the enemy when firing; it is actively a larger threat to the civilians than suspects are, and will kill the player as well if you are in the way.

- Missions are bland, and when progressing some unlocks don't make sense; example, you get a fore-grip for a rifle before getting an actual rifle. Even if it is a stat boost for every weapon, the starting pistol has perfect accuracy as implied in its own description, making the unlock useless when first obtained. I've completed the main story, but I've not touched the DLC even though I own it. It would be fine if I wasn't dying 10+ times per mission and the randomization of enemy placement didn't leave me unable to properly plan, but nothing feels different in any of these maps. Call it my skill if you want, but it's just boring considering how many times you will end up repeating it. It plays like Hotline Miami but worse.

All in all, I can't help but compare this to other games and notice how much worse it is. Do I think the game is awful? No, but certainly not great. I bought it during a sale, and I think anyone else who is thinking of buying this should only go for it if it is under $10 bucks.

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Wonderful game! From the graphics, to the level design, to the story, to the missions themselves!

good coop game

Police Stories is a refreshing take on the tactical shooter genre with a 2D perspective that packs a lot of punch. The minimalist art style really works here—it’s clear, effective, and adds to the tense, tactical nature of the game.

One of the standout features is how much more enjoyable the game becomes when playing with friends. The cooperative mechanics shine here, as you and your teammates work together to plan and execute your missions. Communication and coordination are key, and the tension of each new encounter is heightened when you're working as a unit, trying to subdue criminals without risking collateral damage. Solo play is still solid, but there's something about the teamwork that makes this game far more rewarding with others.
The level design is a real highlight. Each level feels meticulously crafted, requiring careful planning and strategy to complete. You'll need to think on your feet as you move through different environments, balancing speed with caution. The rooms are filled with dangers and civilians that need to be handled delicately. One wrong move, and it could all go south. The variety of locations keeps things interesting, from tight, claustrophobic apartments to open areas that demand quick reflexes.

As for difficulty, Police Stories is no walk in the park. The game doesn't hold your hand, and that's what makes it so engaging. Even when you think you've got a plan in place, unexpected challenges will make you rethink your approach. The tension from the constant threat of failure and the reward of finally succeeding makes every mission feel significant.

In conclusion, Police Stories offers a challenging and rewarding experience, especially when played with friends. Its 2D perspective, smart level design, and tough but engaging gameplay make it a standout in the tactical shooter space. If you're looking for something that tests your strategic thinking and coordination skills, this game delivers in spades.

I like

This game’s either pretty tough, or me and my friend just aren’t patient enough! We started figuring it out the more we played. It’s tricky, but still a blast!

Controls suck... I dont want to spend the time adjusting. Don't recommend

Honestly such a fun top down tactical shooter, very simple to grasp but the story was the last thing I was paying attention to but only because i loved the gameplay so much. PLEASE get this if you like the genre of top down shooters or realistic tacticals in general

good game fun co op. pretty bad connection thou

A high quality co-operative experience.

Cool gameplay

Can't open on mac laptop

There's a community map that we can be the quite kid and kill everyone in school

One can definitely tell that SWAT4 was an inspiration for these guys!

10/10 game
Ngl took 10 tries for me to complete tutorial mission, but still nice game

Tedious game that relies too much on luck.

For a game named "Police Stories" the story is the most boring thing i ever played through.

AI one shots you in 0.1ms before you can even see them and have to restart the extremely long level all over again.

God playing through this sucked.

Very fun 4-6 hours

There were a few bugs like, unable to interact ("E"), weapon disappear, glitchy arresting action, crazy ping crash, and game crashes for unknown reasons...

But overall, if you can get a friend to play together, this is a fun game to suffer with your friends!