Police Stories

About

"Police Stories" is a shooter game with exceptional gameplay, beautiful visuals, and compelling music. It can be played in single-player, local multi-player, or co-op mode for up to 2 players, with a split screen option. The game features a good story and is full of bugs, but it is pink slip hilarious and very replayable. The Supporter Pack includes a soundtrack, artbook, trumpet equipment, and donuts as in-game content.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Local Multi-Player Play with friends in the same physical space using split-screen or multiple screens
2-Players Play with one other player, either online or locally, in a cooperative or competitive game mode
Multi-Player Compete or cooperate with other players online
Co-Op Team up with friends to complete levels or missions together
Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo
Split Screen Play with multiple players on the same screen, often with divided or shared screen real estate

83%

Audience ScoreBased on 4,245 reviews

story300 positive mentions

stability58 negative mentions

story
1,312 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
71%
6%
The story in "Police Stories" is generally viewed as a mix of clichés and predictability, often likened to a cheesy 80s cop film. While some players appreciate its straightforward narrative and character dynamics, many criticize it for being generic and lacking depth, with a few noting that the gameplay often overshadows the story itself. Overall, the campaign is short, consisting of 18 missions, and while it provides some entertainment, it may not be the main draw for players seeking a compelling narrative.
- “The story was a nice and simple cop story with a little mystery to it which I really liked, nothing too complicated, nothing too basic either.”
- “The story is captivating, but a little lukewarm.”
- “The story is beautiful and the character writing as well.”
- “The story is almost unsubstantial and bland where I can't even recall the story even if I'm a person who doesn't skip cutscenes.”
- “The story is a bit bland but still makes for some enjoyment.”
- “The story is cliché, it fit the style of the game, VHS filter, 80's style, classic police film plots.”
gameplay
636 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
51%
6%
The gameplay is a blend of tactical decision-making and fast-paced action reminiscent of "Hotline Miami," featuring quick enemy reactions and a variety of mechanics that can be both engaging and frustrating. While many players appreciate the cooperative elements and the challenge of mastering the mechanics, criticisms arise regarding AI behavior, pacing, and the overall depth of gameplay, leading to mixed feelings about its replayability and balance. Overall, the game is seen as fun, especially in co-op mode, but it suffers from inconsistencies and a lack of polish in certain areas.
- “Overall, great art, amazing gameplay, fine story and 200 criminals with fist wounds.”
- “The gameplay is fun and tactical with an arcade mission-by-mission style.”
- “The gameplay loop is very fun, and with quickplay and steam workshop, it lends itself to endless hours of fun and a good way to kill time.”
- “The gameplay also gets boring fast because it's the same with the AI enemies having pretty much aimbots and you need ungodly reflexes to gun them down before they do once they pull out their weapons.”
- “It's infuriating how inconsistent the rules and mechanics are.”
- “Now, the aspect of the game that truly matters, the gameplay: it's... a mess.”
graphics
202 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
58%
2%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a retro pixel art style that many players find appealing, reminiscent of classic titles like Hotline Miami and GTA. While some reviews praise the detailed sprites and overall aesthetic, others criticize the clarity and quality of the visuals, noting issues like glitches and confusing character designs. Overall, the graphics receive mixed feedback, with a general appreciation for the nostalgic art style balanced by concerns over execution and clarity.
- “Overall, it's a very addictive game with nice pixel art graphics and lots of detail.”
- “The game is visually beautiful, the pixel graphics are at just the right level of ‘pixelation’ and the little animations look really nice.”
- “They absolutely nail not only the tactical, methodical gameplay of SWAT 4 while simultaneously nailing the buddy cop aesthetic with super polished visuals, music, and sound design.”
- “I love being stabbed by an enemy, because I couldn't tell by the pixel graphics if they were a fleeing civilian, had a knife, or were faking or whatever garbage mechanic this game uses.”
- “Didn't enjoy this at all - the graphics are low quality, it needs a much better intro/tutorial, and while I suppose it technically has controller support, it is basically unplayable with a controller.”
- “From the first cutscene with boring dialog about 'head in the box' referencing the movie 'Seven' and further gameplay, it's becoming clear that this game is yet another knockoff from popular titles such as Hotline Miami, Door Kickers, etc. Average graphics, lifeless storyline with a ton of references here and there add to this also a bad gameplay mechanics and controls, this title serves as a good example of how not to spend money and waste precious time on useless stuff.”
music
178 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
38%
2%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many players praising the engaging and energetic soundtrack that enhances the gameplay experience, particularly in co-op mode. However, some critics find the music to be average or lacking in memorability, suggesting that while it fits the game's aesthetic, it could benefit from more variety and depth. Overall, the soundtrack is often highlighted as a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's atmosphere and enjoyment.
- “Really good, the music is the best part, very engaging!”
- “The soundtrack definitely adds to the tension of running through a building with unknowns hiding inside, trying your best to arrest and not kill suspects.”
- “This game captures that fantastically with a lovely retrowave soundtrack and some legitimately challenging and fun gameplay.”
- “Could have better music.”
- “The music is quite unique for every map's themes but aren't quite memorable.”
- “The story is really dumb, the game is too short, the music has 2 or 3 tracks, not enough customization (no gun customization, very small amount of gadgets) but the mechanics are really sweet!”
replayability
92 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
54%
4%
The game's replayability is a mixed bag; while it offers some randomization in missions and player-created content through a level editor and Steam Workshop, many players find the core experience relatively short and repetitive. Cooperative play enhances replay value, but some users feel that without additional content or features, the incentive to replay diminishes over time. Overall, the potential for replayability is high, especially with community involvement, but the base game may feel limited for some players.
- “What I really liked was the missions being randomized every time you replayed them, which brings replayability to the game.”
- “The game is still authentic in its execution and replayability is easy to access and extremely fun.”
- “Level editor makes this game's already high replayability skyrocket.”
- “Police Stories is quite short and in my opinion has very little replayability; the story is quite fun though.”
- “Also, feels too short and non-replayable for me to be worth the price.”
- “There wasn't really any level balance around certain gameplay elements or playstyles, making a lot of the levels feel very linear and not having very much replayability.”
humor
64 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised, particularly when played with friends, leading to hilarious moments and memorable experiences. Players appreciate the blend of comedic elements, such as absurd scenarios and witty references, which enhance the gameplay, although some note that the game can be frustrating at times. Overall, the combination of funny storytelling, engaging co-op play, and retro graphics contributes to a lighthearted and entertaining atmosphere.
- “From the wonderful pixel art to the great gameplay loop, hence good replayability, to the humorous story and good soundtrack, the game is very good and even better with co-op.”
- “This game is hilarious! Highly recommend to buy it with a friend because 1) it's more funny and 2) it's kinda boring alone, but you can literally do anything you want—kill, immobilize, or kill more—it's up to you and it's just pure fun.”
- “You will yell and scream in frustration one minute and be laughing hysterically the next.”
stability
58 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is a significant concern, with numerous users reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and crashes, particularly in multiplayer and co-op modes. While some players find the game enjoyable despite these issues, many express frustration over unresponsive controls and persistent design flaws that detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game requires further development to address its stability problems effectively.
- “Absolute buggy laggy piece of software that crashes every other game on multiplayer. Can't recommend if you want to play with friends.”
- “Game is from 2019, has been worked on for 3 years, and is still buggy as hell.”
- “The game is buggy, it crashes, and there are some very annoying design flaws.”
atmosphere
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
32%
14%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised, characterized by impressive pixel art, a strong original soundtrack, and well-executed cutscenes that enhance the overall experience. While the story is considered cliché and primarily serves atmospheric purposes, the combination of visuals and music creates a captivating environment that resonates with players, particularly those fond of retro aesthetics. Some reviewers suggest that quicker decision-making could further enrich the atmospheric experience.
- “Its pixel art is very nice and atmospheric.”
- “The graphics and OST (and overall atmosphere) are amazing.”
- “I really liked the atmosphere of the game.”
- “Having them be able to think quicker and maybe change their decisions quicker would add more to the atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere is very beat cop, while the gameplay is Hotline Miami-ish because of the top-down approach.”
- “The atmosphere and cutscenes are really well done.”
grinding
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
45%
Players consistently express that grinding in the game is excessively time-consuming, often requiring a "second life" to manage the repetitive tasks. While some find the game becomes enjoyable after acquiring better gear, many still view the early stages as frustrating and tedious. Overall, the grinding aspect is seen as a significant drawback, detracting from the overall experience.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “I still think this game is frustrating early and can be tedious, but once you get gear, it does get pretty fun.”
- “I want to like this game and there are things to like, but I just find it tediously frustrating.”
optimization
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
25%
50%
The game's optimization is a mixed bag; while its retro, top-down design allows it to run smoothly on lower-end hardware, players report significant issues such as input lag and stuttering that hinder precise controls, which are crucial for gameplay. Many users note that these performance problems, particularly on PC, detract from the overall experience, although some attribute the issues to early development stages or recent GPU driver updates. Overall, while the game shows promise, its current optimization leaves much to be desired.
- “It's retro and top down, so it runs smoothly even on my calculator.”
- “Very interesting and fun gameplay, if a little inconsistent in judging performance.”
- “I've had some performance issues, but I believe that's only popped up with the most recent NVIDIA GPU drivers.”
- “Should have been great, but in a game like this you need tight precise controls and unfortunately, Police Stories falters: the game is brought down by random stuttering/input lag where sometimes the aiming reticle will not track with the mouse for several milliseconds, and those milliseconds in this game is the difference between life and death, meaning having to restart the level.”
- “My only gripe with the game is performance, which sadly makes the game feel a little clunky; however, that's not much to complain about considering it's still in a fairly early state.”
- “This game is made for console and poorly optimized for PC.”
monetization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect of the game is criticized for misleading advertising, as it promotes features like online co-op that are reportedly unplayable, and the single-player experience suffers from poor AI and a flawed surrender system. Overall, players feel that the game's monetization strategy does not deliver on its promises, leading to frustration.
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews indicate that the game lacks variety in character development, particularly in the design of enemies and civilians, suggesting a need for more diverse character designs to enhance the overall experience.
- “It needs more enemy and civilian character designs.”
- “It needs more enemy and civilian character designs.”