Rebel Cops

All in all, Rebel Cops is a blast to play, and feels like a great modification to the This Is The Police formula. Everything feels right, the management is fun and challenging, the story is interesting enough, and there are no bugs or glitches that I have run into thus far.

71%Game Brain Score

story, gameplay

grinding, stability

71% User Score Based on 516 reviews

Critic Score 72%Based on 5 reviews

Platforms

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About

Rebel Cops is a single player tactical role playing game with a violence theme. It was developed by Weappy Studio and was released on September 17, 2019. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

Rebel Cops is a spin-off game from This Is the Police, which exclusively features the series' turned-based tactical operations. Lead a rag-tag squad of cops in rebellion against their town's new criminal power, and see how long you can hold out when you're constantly short on supplies, and a single shot can cost a cop his life.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

+10

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71%

Audience ScoreBased on 516 reviews

story94 positive mentions

grinding27 negative mentions

Engaging and challenging turn-based tactical gameplay emphasizing stealth and strategic planning.
Distinctive art style and excellent atmospheric soundtrack that enhances the game's mood.
Meaningful progression system with skill choices and a variety of tactical options (arrest vs kill, weapon diversity).

Large mission maps can make gameplay feel slow, tedious, and overly long, especially early on.
Limited and often confusing save system leads to frustration and repetitive replaying of long missions.
Some mechanics and UI elements lack clarity (e.g., enemy vision cones, item interactions) causing player confusion and reliance on trial-and-error or save scumming.

story
580 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
78%
6%
The story in "Rebel Cops" is a straightforward, linear narrative focused on a group of vigilante cops fighting corruption in a small town, but it is generally considered light and simplistic compared to its predecessors. While some players appreciate its grim, noir-inspired atmosphere and the way the story ties into the larger "This Is The Police" universe, many find the plot underdeveloped, with minimal character depth and limited narrative engagement. Overall, the story serves mainly as a backdrop to the tactical missions and is overshadowed by repetitive, lengthy gameplay and mission design.
- “The story is set in the small town of Ripton, which has fallen under the iron grip of a ruthless crime lord named Viktor Zuev.”
- “By the end, the story manages to blend personal sacrifice, systemic failure, and the bittersweet notion that true justice often comes at a cost.”
- “It is a story about people trying to do the right thing in a world that has turned against them—a reflection of how easily authority can collapse when corruption takes root.”
- “The story is a complete garbage (still better than Stormgate).”
- “The story exists to get you from mission to mission and nothing else and the ending is simply unsatisfying.”
- “The 'plot', such as it is, is barebones, unrelated to the previous games except through the occasional shout-out, and delivered squarely through informative, emotionless textboxes guiding the player to the next mission; the 'characters' barely deserve the definition as such and the soundtrack is repetitive and bland.”
gameplay
218 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
68%
10%
The gameplay centers on turn-based tactical combat with a strong emphasis on stealth, risk, and consequence, drawing comparisons to XCOM but with a simpler, less deep system. While some praise its rewarding challenge and unique non-lethal mechanics, many criticize the slow pacing, poorly designed large maps, repetitive actions, frustrating RNG elements, and inconsistent mechanics that make the experience uneven and at times tedious or punishing. Overall, the gameplay is engaging for fans of the genre but is hindered by design flaws and lack of variety that reduce long-term appeal.
- “The gameplay of Rebel Cops is built around the tension of risk and consequence.”
- “An interesting mechanic that separates Rebel Cops from traditional tactical games is its emphasis on non-lethal confrontation, bringing an additional layer of strategy and moral reflection.”
- “The core gameplay is really gripping, with moments of immersion that make it a standout turn-based strategy game.”
- “Some of the maps are ridiculously big, which would be fine if it didn't slow gameplay down to a minimum because your only actual choice is stealth.”
- “The tactical gameplay has a lot of potential, but it is far too sluggish and punishing.”
- “Gameplay is extremely repetitive (sneak, stun, arrest, repeat), due to brutal consequences of doing anything different.”
graphics
65 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
52%
5%
The graphics in the game feature a clean, minimalist, and stylized art style that is widely praised for its captivating neo-noir and pop art-inspired aesthetics, contributing to an immersive atmosphere consistent with the series. While visually appealing and complemented by a fitting soundtrack, some users note functionality issues like lack of camera rotation and difficulty distinguishing characters during gameplay. Overall, the art style is considered a strong point, though opinions vary on its practical effectiveness during play.
- “Like the two other games in this franchise, the aesthetics are mesmerizing.”
- “From a visual and storytelling perspective, Rebel Cops faithfully recreates the heavily stylized neo-noir atmosphere and the minimal, almost grotesque (fittingly so) art style of the main series, and contains tie-ins to the second game that are executed to perfection.”
- “The art style almost feels like pop art which fits nicely with the great music and general feel of the game.”
- “Too repetitive, not that original, graphics didn't get me.”
- “While graphically pleasant, it lacks even basic functionality like rotating camera and hotkey configuration.”
- “The game isn't friendly for computers without a high graphics card or similar installment; the fps is choppy. It also doesn't offer very many options to lower the graphics for better fps.”
music
52 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
46%
10%
The game's music is widely praised for its moody, atmospheric, and relaxing qualities that complement the art style and gameplay, with many calling the soundtrack one of its best features. However, some users find the in-mission music repetitive, discordant, and lacking variety, leading to mixed feelings about the overall soundtrack. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong point that enhances the game's tone, though some would have preferred more diversity in tracks.
- “The soundtrack, understated and moody, complements the visuals by maintaining a sense of quiet tension throughout missions.”
- “The art style is charming, the chill background music sets a relaxing tone, and the straightforward gameplay makes for a relaxing, enjoyable experience that I really recommend.”
- “While I would love to see something along the lines of a warning notifier as to when enemies enter the map (even 1 move early so I can react), the music is on point, and the feeling of barely scrapping by with limited supplies and human inability gives you some decent accomplishment vibes when you can beat a map against such odds.”
- “The music can be repetitive, or at least appearing so, after a while.”
- “There isn’t a real story, soundtrack is repetitive, tactical combat is limited, levelling is weak and resource management is just there to be there.”
- “After completing several missions ears tend to bleed, so my advice is to prepare your favorite playlist and just switch off the in-game music, unless you like the track, I do not.”
grinding
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
7%
93%
Grinding in the game is widely regarded as tedious and repetitive, with frequent save reloads, slow animations, and limited tactical options leading to frustration rather than enjoyment. The gameplay loop often becomes monotonous, especially when covering large maps or dealing with repetitive actions like arrests, making the experience feel more like a chore than engaging. While some appreciate the challenge, many find the grind overly cumbersome and detracting from the game's overall fun.
- “A single mistake can set you back massively, and because you have to watch every animation and listen to every voice line every time you load an earlier save, it quickly becomes very tedious.”
- “This is probably the worst, most tedious game I've ever played in my entire life. After 5 hours on one mission loading hundreds of times, it somehow loses my saves and wants me to replay the second mission again. Such a dumb concept that nobody has done in 50 years of gaming because it sucks.”
- “Arresting everyone along the way feels grindy and stops being fun less than halfway through.”
humor
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
88%
13%
The humor in the game is characterized by dark, rebellious themes that many find entertaining and chuckle-worthy. While some bugs can be frustrating, their unintended effects often add a layer of comedic irony. Overall, the blend of dark humor and quirky gameplay moments contributes to an enjoyable experience.
- “Dark humor and interesting maps make for good fun.”
- “The familiar sense of dark humor in this is the police is back.”
- “Again you will see some dark humor here and there that will make you chuckle.”
stability
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is inconsistent, with some players experiencing frequent freezes and bugs during key moments, while others report smooth performance with minimal issues. Although the core gameplay and management elements function well, stability is hindered by occasional glitches and AI irregularities.
- “I play on M1 hardware, and the game ran fine for 18 hours, then I quit and tried to play again, continuing my save, and no matter what I do it freezes 100% of the time when reputation shifts or I try to load a gun in a cop's inventory during the planning phase.”
- “I want to like it, but it's buggy as hell.”
- “Promising but too buggy :(”
replayability
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
28%
43%
The game's replayability is limited due to the lack of random generation and disappearing features like investigations, resulting in little incentive to replay beyond achievement hunting. While the missions and maps are well-designed, the overall experience offers minimal replay value compared to previous titles in the series.
- “The missions are unique, with well-crafted maps.”
- “Overall, I enjoyed it, but wish it had random generation elements like XCOM to extend playtime or encourage replayability.”
- “It has zero replay value and investigations are gone.”
- “Unfortunately, not much replayability here other than achievement seeking.”
- “The only downside this game has is there is very little replay value after you beat the game.”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The atmosphere is praised for its consistent thematic tone of weariness and danger, effectively capturing a neo-noir, gritty vibe with a distinctive, stylized art style. Though lacking high polish, the setting and storytelling immerse players in a tense, improvised struggle within a cold, fall environment that complements the game's mood.
- “From a visual and storytelling perspective, Rebel Cops faithfully recreates the heavily stylized neo-noir atmosphere and the minimal, almost grotesque (fittingly so) art style of the main series, and contains tie-ins to the second game that are executed to perfection.”
- “I liked the atmosphere: countryside cops having to improvise against gangsters that took over the town.”
- “While the presentation lacks flash, it reinforces the atmosphere of weariness and resolve that defines the story.”
- “While it lacks the polish and depth of larger tactical titles, it compensates with atmosphere, thematic consistency, and a tangible sense of danger that few games achieve.”
- “- the weather and atmosphere feels like fall for some reason (leaves are blowing across the time?)”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
75%
The game's optimization is somewhat lacking, as even on a capable setup (i7 + RTX 3060), enabling effects and particles pushes hardware to 100%, which feels excessive for a simple game. While the overall playability and price-performance are solid, the optimization could be improved with minor adjustments to deepen the experience without taxing the system.
- “When we look at it in terms of playability and evaluate it in terms of price performance, I think it was quite successful, but I always ask, it seems possible to carry the game to a much deeper point with a few small touches.”
- “For some reason, if the effects/particles are activated, it pushes my setup (i7 + RTX 3060) to 100%. For such a simple game, it doesn't seem optimized.”
- “For some reason, if the effects/particles are activated, it pushes my setup (i7 + RTX 3060) to 100%, which seems excessive for such a simple game. It doesn't seem optimized.”
- “Mission performances in X-COM-style turn-based tactical games go from perfect execution to complete disasters in an instant.”
- “When we look at it in terms of playability and evaluate it in terms of price performance, I think it was quite successful, but I always feel the game could be enhanced much further with a few small optimization touches.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development is marked by simple yet distinct designs that enhance intuitive squad management, making it easy for players to differentiate and organize their team effectively.
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for honest and straightforward monetization, accurately advertising itself as a challenging yet enjoyable X-Com style experience without misleading players.