What are the pros of This Is the Police?

Compelling narrative featuring deep moral ambiguity and a gritty atmosphere.. Excellent voice acting, particularly the lead performance by Jon St. John.. Distinctive minimalist art style and a high-quality, immersive soundtrack.. Unique gameplay loop that effectively blends management mechanics with visual novel elements..

What are the cons of This Is the Police?

The core gameplay becomes highly repetitive and tedious well before the story concludes.. The 180-day campaign length is perceived as bloated and overstays its welcome.. Frustrating trial-and-error investigation mechanics that can feel arbitrary.. Punishing narrative constraints that often force players into corruption or sudden failure..

This Is the Police

This Is the Police is a strategy/adventure game set in a city spiraling the drain. Taking the role of gritty Police Chief Jack Boyd, you'll dive into a deep story of crime and intrigue. Will Jack reach his retirement with a nice stack of bills, or will he end up broken ... or worse?

82%

Very Positive

DeveloperWeappy Studio

PublisherTHQ Nordic

Release DateAug 2, 2016

$14.99

Peak Players3.1K

Controllerfull

PlatformsWindows · macOS · Linux

Adventure

Indie

Strategy

AI Review Summary

This Is the Police is a narrative-driven management simulator that puts players in the role of a police chief navigating a corrupt city and moral dilemmas. While the game is highly praised for its atmospheric art style, jazz soundtrack, and excellent voice acting by Jon St. John, it is frequently criticized for a campaign that feels excessively long and repetitive.

Pros

Compelling narrative featuring deep moral ambiguity and a gritty atmosphere.90%
Excellent voice acting, particularly the lead performance by Jon St. John.85%
Distinctive minimalist art style and a high-quality, immersive soundtrack.90%
Unique gameplay loop that effectively blends management mechanics with visual novel elements.70%

Cons

The core gameplay becomes highly repetitive and tedious well before the story concludes.95%
The 180-day campaign length is perceived as bloated and overstays its welcome.85%
Frustrating trial-and-error investigation mechanics that can feel arbitrary.60%
Punishing narrative constraints that often force players into corruption or sudden failure.70%

Notable Mentions

Reviewers frequently mention 'Dispatch' as a modern title inspired by or comparable to this game.
The game features a prominent performance by Jon St. John, the voice of Duke Nukem.
The investigation system sometimes requires brute-force trial and error to solve cases.

Confidence: 70%

Based on the 47 most relevant reviewsGenerated on Oct 24, 2026

Game Vitals

Live snapshot

Player Activity

Current peak

Peak · last 90 days

122

All-time peak

3.1K

Price

Current price

$14.99

Lowest tracked

$3.74since Jan 8, 2026

Review Sentiment

Last 30 days

81%

All-time positive

82%

Review Statistics

Total Reviews11.3K

Positive: 9.3K (82%)Negative: 2.0K (18%)

Reviews from Steam Deck

Dev Response Rate

29h

Avg Playtime at Review

86%

Credible Reviews