This Is the Police 2

The core is solid, but there's simply too much bloat.

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In "This Is the Police 2" , run the sheriff's department in the harsh border town of Sharpwood, managing cops, investigating crimes, and making tough decisions in this story-driven mix of strategy, adventure, and turn-based tactical combat. Navigate a complex narrative with various genres, featuring a cast of morally ambiguous characters, as young sheriff Lilly Reed teams up with fugitive criminal Jack Boyd to maintain order.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

59%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,678 reviews

story401 positive mentions

grinding56 negative mentions

Engaging story with strong character development and voice acting.
Improved gameplay mechanics, including officer skills and tactical missions.
Unique blend of management and turn-based strategy elements.

Excessive and lengthy cutscenes that disrupt gameplay flow.
Frustrating officer behavior, including refusal to work and random absences.
Tactical missions can be punishing and lack clarity in execution.

story
1,646 mentions
24 % positive mentions
66 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
The story in "This Is the Police 2" is a continuation of Jack Boyd's narrative from the first game, featuring a darker and more complex plot that explores themes of corruption and moral ambiguity. While many players appreciate the depth and character development, the storytelling is often criticized for its lengthy cutscenes and slow pacing, which can detract from the gameplay experience. Overall, the game is seen as a mixed bag, with a compelling story that may not resonate with everyone, especially those who prefer more interactive gameplay over narrative exposition.
- “The story to me is super enthralling and I love how it continues from the first game.”
- “The gameplay is decent, but the storytelling and voice acting are phenomenal.”
- “The story is more fleshed out in this one than in the first one and I almost feel it does more justice to the plot of the first game in the dialogue than the first game did.”
- “However, this game does turn off a lot of people in the beginning because of the cutscenes and the story isn't interactive at all.”
- “And for me, I felt like it was more just the story being edgy and teenage goth angsty levels of artificially dark, rather than having something genuine to say about evil and corruption.”
- “The story is so god awful, feels like they tried to make it suspenseful and cinematic.”
gameplay
747 mentions
25 % positive mentions
67 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The gameplay in "This Is the Police 2" has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the improvements and new mechanics, such as tactical turn-based missions and enhanced officer management. However, the excessive length of cutscenes and a lack of clarity in some mechanics have frustrated players, leading to a perception that the gameplay can feel repetitive and disconnected from the narrative. Overall, while the core gameplay loop is engaging and offers depth, it is often overshadowed by pacing issues and poorly integrated story elements.
- “The gameplay has been overhauled and adds so much more depth than before.”
- “I love the add-on of the tactical gameplay, which has 3D models that match the game's art style.”
- “The gameplay is actually fun and interesting, the story is good.”
- “I suspect more was planned but was abandoned during development, and I think this can be felt in the narrative and gameplay experience.”
- “The gameplay is very save-scummy in my opinion, at least that's how I survived.”
- “The gameplay is randomly punishing to the point of hilarity.”
graphics
125 mentions
45 % positive mentions
53 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the unique art style and improved animations that enhance the overall aesthetic experience. While some players appreciate the minimalist design and smooth performance, others criticize the simplistic visuals during cutscenes and the limited graphical options available. Overall, the art style is seen as a standout feature, though opinions vary on its execution and impact on gameplay.
- “I love the art style, gameplay, and storyline.”
- “Best one in the series by far, lots of things improved from the first game and the art style and animations are awesome.”
- “Fantastic artwork and visuals, along with the soundtrack.”
- “As it stands, there are only two resolution options available, and few other graphical settings that can be changed, so if your computer isn't so good, you might have a difficult time.”
- “The ugly - the graphics.”
- “Graphics are mediocre at best; voice acting is bad.”
music
120 mentions
50 % positive mentions
48 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received a mixed but generally positive reception, with many players praising its ability to enhance the atmosphere and complement the gameplay. While some found the soundtrack varied and well-composed, others noted a lack of control over music selection compared to the previous installment, leading to moments where the music felt out of place or repetitive. Overall, the soundtrack is often described as enjoyable, with standout tracks that resonate with players long after their gaming sessions.
- “Firstly, I think people really overlook the soundtrack of this game.”
- “The soundtrack is excellent, varied, and perfectly matches the tone of the game.”
- “The music is great in some parts and weird and random in others, but for the most part, it's good.”
- “The music is awful.”
- “It's grainy repetitive jazz music and I get the tone they were trying to go for, which was to make it fit with the gritty atmosphere, but it just becomes very annoying, very quickly.”
- “Unfortunately, you can no longer choose music, like you could in the first one.”
grinding
63 mentions
5 % positive mentions
6 % neutral mentions
89 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has been widely criticized for being tedious and frustrating, with many players feeling that the turn-based missions and lengthy cutscenes slow down the overall experience. While some improvements have been noted compared to the first game, the repetitive nature of tactical missions and the excessive focus on storytelling detract from enjoyment, leading to a sense of burnout for many players. Overall, the game is seen as requiring significant time investment for minimal reward, making it feel more like a chore than an engaging experience.
- “Grinding isn't necessary to progress.”
- “Grinding is only for leaderboards or ranks.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The gameplay is slow, boring, and very tedious.”
- “I played this game for 40 long minutes and still absolutely nothing has happened; it's like one long cutscene that is simply too tedious to keep watching.”
- “The turn-based layer of the game makes it tedious.”
humor
36 mentions
97 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating the dark and absurd scenarios that elicit genuine laughter, while others criticize the execution as awkward or overly reliant on repetitive gags. Many found the police call scenarios and character interactions to be creatively humorous, though some felt the humor often fell flat or felt out of touch with the game's tone. Overall, while there are standout moments of comedy, the effectiveness of the humor varies significantly among players.
- “But other than that, that is my only complaint. After seeing other YouTubers play a game like this and getting it for myself, the story is something anyone would enjoy, and the unique game style is even better. My favorite action is 'hitting the prisoner with a towel' that made me laugh so hard.”
- “Some of the crimes are actually hilarious!”
- “The great variety of interesting calls, new nicely done gameplay features as tactical missions like the ones in XCOM, funny choices during the regular operations, and catching story with many pleasant references to the first game create a masterpiece which you want to play again and again!”
- “But this is just a case of terribly broken and unfunny mechanics.”
atmosphere
30 mentions
50 % positive mentions
40 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and tense qualities, enhanced by strong graphics, engaging music, and effective voice acting. While some players appreciate the dark humor and gritty tone, others find the repetitive jazz music and lengthy cutscenes detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered a significant strength, contributing to a compelling narrative and gameplay that captures the challenges of police work.
- “This game has all the right pieces, interesting tactical combat, neat randomized situations, a dark and fitting atmosphere.”
- “Awesome atmosphere, sense of urgency and that 'just one more day' factor.”
- “The music, writing, and atmosphere is amazing.”
- “Since you can easily get locked into a no-win game, the incentive is just to save-scum if you lose a cop or a raid, which takes away the tension and atmosphere that was so effective in the original game.”
- “It's grainy repetitive jazz music, and I get the tone they were trying to go for, which was to make it fit with the gritty atmosphere, but it just becomes very annoying very quickly.”
- “The story and atmosphere of this is the police 2 is so central to the gameplay, and yet the vast majority of it is pointless ramblings or just cringe-worthy.”
optimization
29 mentions
14 % positive mentions
48 % neutral mentions
38 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing significant performance issues across various platforms, including lagging cutscenes and stuttering dialogue. While a few users report smooth gameplay without bugs, many criticize the overall user experience as unoptimized, particularly in terms of voice acting and interface design. The game's reliance on performance metrics for progression further complicates the optimization aspect, creating a frustrating cycle for players.
- “Your ability to buy equipment and recruit officers is limited by your performance; but, you can't improve your performance without adequate officers and equipment.”
- “The game runs smoothly on my notebook without any graphic card.”
- “About performance, for 2 hours straight, I haven’t seen any bugs or glitches, the game runs smoothly, and everything is perfect from the graphics to gameplay.”
- “I've seen reviews that cite performance issues on different platforms, which suggests optimization problems with the game in general.”
- “Add to that a horrible controller 'optimized' interface and you have a dud.”
- “The performance lacks some optimization as well; furthermore, the cutscenes are lagging.”
emotional
25 mentions
64 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
36 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game receives mixed reviews, with some players expressing deep emotional connections to the characters and impactful moments, while others criticize the storyline as boring and filled with meaningless dialogue. Many highlight the soundtrack's ability to evoke feelings, yet the lengthy and tedious narrative detracts from the overall experience for several players. Ultimately, while some find the emotional depth compelling, others feel it is undermined by poor pacing and design choices.
- “This is probably one of the only games that have pulled such a vast emotional reaction out of me.”
- “With the amount of time I spent with these characters, I formed an unconscious emotional bond with them that I didn't even realize.”
- “If you want a good story and an emotional ride, this is a must buy.”
- “A good game ruined by a long boring story that you end up skipping through.”
- “The ridiculously long boring story you have to read through before you can play is terrible.”
- “Unfortunately it's plagued by weird design choices, annoying events, a very very slow and boring storytelling and the lack of some management elements which would make things less frustrating for the player.”
replayability
22 mentions
14 % positive mentions
64 % neutral mentions
23 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is considered quite limited, with many players noting its linearity and scripted nature as significant drawbacks. While some aspects, like different endings or varied gameplay mechanics, offer slight opportunities for replay, the lack of an endless mode and meaningful decision-making reduces the incentive for multiple playthroughs. Players generally feel that the game is enjoyable but lacks the depth needed for sustained replay value.
- “You can end calls in several ways, with each way needing other skills or equipment, thus adding a bit of replayability, too.”
- “There's some room for replayability - there's enough content for 20-30 hours of gameplay on a first playthrough, and it's fun to play for more than once.”
- “Narrative is as good as it was; management has become much more complicated, but it gives a new certain level of replayability; music is tasteful as it was.”
- “Entertaining game, I've been playing it for a few nights straight now and I've enjoyed every bit of it, although once I'm finished, I don't see it having much replay value as everything seems scripted, so I don't think a new playthrough would provide anything different, maybe a different 'ending' or something but I haven't got that far.”
- “And the last thing I'd like to mention is that there isn't even any kind of endless mode to this game, unlike the first game, giving this game almost no replay value.”
- “I enjoyed it, I wish it wasn't so scripted because replayability is practically zero; I wish there was more prompts and diversity of content.”
stability
15 mentions
13 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
87 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant bugs and glitches that hinder gameplay, such as crashing cutscenes and game freezes. While some users experienced smooth performance without issues, the overall consensus leans towards a frustratingly unstable experience that can render the game unplayable at times.
- “It even runs great on my old GeForce 480 GTX GPU!”
- “Issues with loading cutscenes and being buggy in general (having to restart or exit the game).”
- “Buggy to an unplayable level; all animated cutscenes crash the game, and I encountered a glitch where one cop was stuck at a crime scene, so the day wouldn't end. This happened after one of the turn-based segments, which I did perfectly, but was undone by this glitch, making me not want to play the game again.”
- “Do love this game, but these glitches make it actually unplayable. They are so unpredictable, with seemingly no fix to them, ruining the whole game and forcing me to redo days due to random game-breaking glitches.”
character development
8 mentions
38 % positive mentions
25 % neutral mentions
38 % negative mentions
Character development in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it strong and engaging, while others criticize the lack of depth, particularly in the main character, Jack Boyd. Many feel that his transformation into a more complex character is not adequately portrayed, and excessive small talk detracts from meaningful development. Overall, while the game offers interesting mechanics, it falls short in delivering the depth of character growth that fans expected based on the previous installment.
- “The story is interesting in its entirety with very strong character development, but has a real heavy caveat in the cons.”
- “Challenging but fair, graphically enticing and genuinely interesting both as a branching out game mechanics exploration and a character development follow-up.”
- “The reason I loved the first game is mainly about its simplicity in gameplay and depth in character development; this sequel did a complete reverse of that.”
- “The main character, Jack Boyd, lacks the character development that shows us he's turning into the bad guy.”
- “More than half the dialogue is just small talk and has no bearing on the story or character development.”
- “The character development is kind of bad; in the old game, Jack Boyd was somewhat intelligent and knew what to do for the best, even when things went south.”
monetization
3 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The monetization of "This Is The Police 2" has been criticized as a blatant cash grab, with players feeling deceived by its mobile origins and the presence of ads on the menu screen despite having paid for the game. Reviewers express frustration over the developer's attempt to extract additional revenue from players, labeling it an insult to the gaming community.
- “This is the Police 2 is a mobile app that's been dumped on Steam as if it were a real PC game. It's a cash grab from greedy mobile developers.”
- “In an insult to gamers everywhere, the mobile app features advertising on the menu screen!”
- “That might be understandable (but not acceptable) if this was free, but people paid money for this and now the developer is trying to extort even more revenue by advertising to the audience.”