Beat Cop is a pixel art-infused video game that may delight fans of vintage entertainment.

Created by newcomer Pixel Crow, a video game studio established in 2014 by developers Maciej Miasikthey and Adam Kozlowski in their native Poland, the game’s throwback look is backed with a gameplay that is infused with humor and cleverness. It is a shame, however, that the game’s attempt at socio-political commentary feels ham-fisted.

Players take the role of Jack Kelly, a police officer who was framed for murder and robbery involving a senator and some stolen diamonds.

Publicly denounced and kicked off his job, Kelly has been demoted as a regular street patrol officer (hence the game’s title) alongside four other law enforcement agents whose integrity is of the questionable kind. The first day on the job finds Kelly having to follow an officer who currently patrols the street Kelly is meant to cover.

Kelly’s earliest mission finds players having to make sure he is able to complete a variety of tasks on that street. This involves a lot of expected grunt work, everything from collecting a decided quota of parking tickets, chasing down robbers and responding to emergencies to solving cases and making sure Kelly arrives at certain locations or manages to make specific arrests.

Beat Cop operates much like strategy and time-management video games like Diner Dash in how players must make sure Kelly completes tasks in a specific timeframe. The game’s 1980s Brooklyn setting looks funky (in a good way) with its pixelated settings, and there is plenty to look at and keep you occupied throughout. There are visually-appealing details like liquor stores and peep shows.

The problem comes with the lack of challenges the game provides; its tasks are interesting, but most of the time, a little too easy to complete. The game’s timer runs continuously (an appreciated attempt at “realism” from its developers) and certain tasks won’t wait for players to get to them before running out. If something isn’t attended to, chances are it will be a lost opportunity for officer Kelly.

While the game really puts forth the idea that only a few things can be done in its version of a day (in this game a few seconds is equivalent to 5 minutes in real-time), it really isn’t that hard to get a lot of things done.

Even as the game throws out cool distractions such as rival mafia groups, most players — certainly experienced video gamers — should be able to get a lot of things done in a “day.”

Beat Cop’s usage of curse words and offensive racial slurs to create a sense of reality also feels ham-fisted, as if it wants to feel edgy without having the wit to go along with it.

The game should be applauded for taking the difficult task of using mundane police activities and trying to turn them into fun gaming missions.

There are issues of ethics that come into play, such as having the ability to ticket cars that didn’t make any
parking violations in order to reach your quota. Focusing on specific tasks also means you would be less focused on others. Indonesians should find some amusing familiarity in the bribes Kelly gets offered from people.

Players are also able to create alliances or make enemies between different factions.

While Beat Cop still feels more intriguing as a concept than as a game to be played, it deserves accolades in at least creating one that is slightly unconventional.

— Photos courtesy of Pixel Crow

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