Review: Beat Cop (PlayStation 4)

Rating: 8.4
Author: Jim Smale

by Jim Smale · March 12, 2019

A retro, pixel art style adventure in New York, inspired by ’80s cop shows. You are Jack Kelly and you’ve been framed for murder. Now as a regular beat cop you have to find out, who did that. Expect thick crime story, a lot of black humor and all the other things you can find on the streets of Brooklyn.

Pros:

Beautiful pixel graphics.
388.2MB download size.
Platinum trophy.
Swish animations.
In game cutscenes.
Time management gameplay.
Rewind Time option (replay).
The game is split into days.
You play as a beat Cop, you get a lost of objectives in your morning briefing but you can also issue tickets, tow cars, chase criminals and respond to crime.
Amazing 80s themed UI. Game time is shown on a classic Casio digital watch, notepad for objectives, handcuffs for arrests and a walkie talkie to call in for tow trucks, backup etc.
The living world, you can just people watch, the dialogue will pop up, random acts happen.
Overall story missions that last longer than a day.
Meters, everything in the game has em. From commections with civilians to connections with gangsters. It’s a balancing act as pissing off one has a detrimental effect on the other.
Multiple choice interactions.
Brilliant soundtrack.
Time stops when chatting or on the menu.
Day/night cycle.
Play how you want.
Humour and Easter eggs aplenty.
Basic tutorial pops as you go.
Good old fashion fun that is a huge time sink.

Cons:

The tutorial is brief and used sparingly.
No map button, issue fixes itself eventually but when starting out it’s hard to remember where so and so place is.
Controls take a bit of getting used too.
No way to turn swearing off.
Only one view perspective.

9/10

Graphics - 9/10
9/10

Sound - 9/10
8/10

Accessability - 8/10
8/10

Length - 8/10
8/10

Fun Factor - 8/10

8.4/10

Summary

Beat Cop is a fun game. Loving the life of a beat Cop in New York during the 80s is an informative experience. Looking at screenshots and hearing what you can do doesn’t sound like it matches up well, but it really does. I enjoyed just standing there and watch people live out there day or go into shops and just chat with the owners. The crime parts though, nothing more satisfying than chasing a perp down in the street or getting cars towed away. Everything I’ve said so far is just the optional side stuff for beat Cop houses a good overall story arc. I don’t want to go into specifics but you were a top detective but following the death of your partner and missing diamonds, you are booted back down to a Beat Cop. Yes, it all sounds a bit deja vu but the way the story is told, split up means it wraps itself around the game without suffocating it. Beat Cop is a really good time!