Quick game summary
This Is the Police is a narrative-driven management simulation that casts you as Jack Boyd, the police chief of Freeburg who is counting down the final 180 days of his career. Faced with the approaching end of his tenure and a personal financial goal of $500,000, Jack must choose how far he’ll bend—or break—the rules to reach that sum.
Core mechanics and play loop
Players balance administrative responsibilities with on-the-ground decisions. Key gameplay elements include:
- Managing limited resources such as personnel and budget while responding to calls.
- Making strategic, sometimes bureaucratic choices that affect town safety and departmental stability.
- Confronting ethical decisions that determine relationships with colleagues, criminals, and civic leaders.
Themes and player choices
The game emphasizes moral ambiguity. Throughout the story you’ll encounter situations involving bribery, under-the-table deals, and connections to organized crime. How you resolve those dilemmas shapes Jack’s fate and the city’s trajectory, often presenting trade-offs between short-term gain and long-term consequences.
Story, characters, and presentation
This Is the Police features a rich narrative with memorable character interactions and unexpected twists. Its distinctive visual style supports a noir-tinged atmosphere, while branching storylines react to your choices and create a personalized experience each playthrough.
Alternative suggestion
If you’re looking for a different tone or style, consider The Sims 4 (free-to-start model). While it’s not a crime-focused title, it offers open-ended life simulation and character-driven stories that let you craft scenarios and moral experiments in a sandbox environment.
Technical
- Mac
- Full