Always dreamed of being in one of those police raid shows? Now is your chance, as Police Stories becomes available on Xbox One and Series X|S for £12.49 from the Xbox Store.
Previously released on the Nintendo Switch for £13.99, on the PS4 for £11.99 and PC via Steam for £13.99, Police Stories is a top-down, pixelated game about taking down criminals, rescuing civilians and defusing bombs. While its presentation makes it look like another Hotline Miami style shooter with frantic action, Police Stories actually takes a more tactical approach to its gameplay.
While you will have classic weaponry at your disposal, Police Stories puts an emphasis on alternative ways to get the job done. Tasers and smoke bombs are available so you can simply arrest your enemies rather than kill them.
There are more tactical options for infiltration including an under-the-door camera to see enemies through walls and a riot shield handy to get through choke holds. One cool gimmick is that you can actually fire a warning shot near your suspect to scare them into dropping their weapon and surrendering. Think Hotline Miami meets Rainbow Six Siege.
This tactile gameplay is complemented by the game’s two player co-op. On consoles this is only limited to local co-op. But this sees each player control one police guard to help each other with their tools. For example, one player could use the riot shield to suppress fire while the other uses a taser from behind. While playing solo, a second police officer is also with you and is available for you to issue commands, adding more strategy to solo playthroughs.
Police Stories finds its variety through the procedural generation of evidence, suspects and hostages so no two runs will feel exactly the same. Combine this randomness with the option to go at it with a friend and a multitude of useful gadgets and you have yourself a formula that won’t go stale.
Key features include:
- – Apprehend the suspects without resorting to violence. Fire a warning shot near them or engage them in melee combat – those are just some of the ways you can make them submit.
- – Issue commands to your fellow cop Rick Jones. Make sure to use him wisely – and who knows, he might save your life in return.
- – Randomly placed criminals, hostages and evidence make every level run unique.
- – As a law enforcement officer, you will have access to end-of-the-line police equipment, such as under-the-door cameras, door blast charges and many others.
- – Local Co-op. Complete missions together for better scores and more fun!
Should you wish to join the force, you’ll find Police Stories kitted out at the Xbox Store for Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S. Those looking to discover the inner secrets of the police would do well to hold tight for our full review.
Game Description:
Unforgiving and tense, each mission tells a story of two police operatives – John Rimes and Rick Jones, filled with infiltrating gang hideouts, rescuing hostages, making arrests and other life-threatening situations.
It’d be a sweet addition to Game Pass.