Beat Cop | Xbox One Review
What do Hill Street Blues, Magnum P.I., and Miami Vice all have in common? They were all great cop shows from the 1980s. Why am I asking this question? Well, if you have you thinking caps on and love police shows, then the good people at Pixel Crow have the game for you. Introducing Beat Cop, a retro stylized game set in New York during the 80s. You play as Detective Jack Kelly in your quest to clean up the streets. Let’s all jump in our squad cars and roll through possibly why you should check this game out.
Bring on the 80s
First, Beat Cop is a retro style game. The game is pixelated to simulate games from the 8-bit and 16-bit era. The opening cutscene is very well done for this style of game and tells the story of a break-in that you are involved with. Once the game begins, you take controls of Detective Jack Kelly. You start in a briefing room on the 69th precinct of the NYPD. You also find out that you have just been demoted to the rank of Officer due to being implicated in the robbery from the cut-scene. While internal affairs investigates you, you have to patrol the streets as punishment. Over the course of the story you conduct your own investigation to help clear your name.
The game takes place over the course of 21 days on your beat. You must roam around stopping petty crime, writing traffic tickets, and helping local citizens with problems. You also have to deal with the likes of the mob and a local gang. Each day you are assigned various tasks to complete (for example, writing a certain number of tickets). Some of the more fun tasks involve stopping extortion rackets from happening at local businesses. All this is done with a clock that reminds you of how much time you have left on your shift. If you do not complete all your assigned tasks or mess them up you are docked some of your pay for that day.
It’s All About the Money
The pay becomes quite important due to the fact of having to make regular alimony payments to your ex-wife. Due to the game being nonlinear, you can try and tough it out as a good cop, or there are alternate avenues to pursue. You can team up with the mob or the gang and be a corrupt cop. Taking bribes, looking the other way during crimes, or waging war of the other faction all can earn money as well. If you don’t make your alimony payments or you make too many questionable decisions, it’s game over for you.
Beat Cop does have a very retro feel overall, but there is a lot more packed into this game than old cartridge games could ever handle. There is a huge amount of call backs and references to the 80’s. Every apartment building has a buzzer with the names listed on who lives there, and almost every name is recognizable. I found the names of all the Ghostbusters and various TV characters. One of the missions you even have to help clear the streets to help prepare for the arrival of royalty from the movie Coming to America.
The game overall is entertaining, and the story is well constructed with multiple endings. The movement feels very much like a retro game, but with all of its strengths, this game would not be possible on, say, an NES system. The team that designed the game did a fantastic job, though, on constructing a slice of New York and making the game feel like it takes place in the 80’s.
A Few Arresting Developments
That being said the game does have some issues. The timer for each day is my biggest gripe. It seems to move way to fast to get everything done that you are assigned. Not only is there an overall day timer, but many of the missions have additional timers as well. This pressure can make planning a nightmare. This makes me feel that the game is slanted, forcing you to make questionable decisions and corrupting your character. With games like these, I always like to play through being as angelic as possible. It is possible to accomplish but very difficult. I would also not recommend this game for younger players, due to many questionable decisions and a plethora of racial slurs.
Overall my time as a Beat Cop was entertaining and I enjoyed the experience. For the price, the game is great. With multiple endings, the game also provides some replayability to discover them all. The retro-styling is very amusing, and the game is easy to pick up and play. If you want to feel like a hero cop or run the streets with your own brand of justice, I would suggest checking out Beat Cop.
This review is based on an Xbox One copy of the game provided by Evolve PR for coverage purposes and is also available on Nintendo Switch, PS4, Windows PC, Mac, Linus, iOS, and Android.
Beat Cop
$14.99
Pros
- Good Narrative
- Retro Style
- Great 80's References
Cons
- Questionable Content
- Everything is Timed
