The story is forgettable because of its generic nature and the visuals aren’t incredible, but Police Stories is about the tactical gameplay and having to make those split-second decisions as a police officer would. You’ll have a newfound respect for your local law enforcement once you realize how life and death their jobs can be.

Police Stories is more then a simple Hotline Miami copy-and-paste, and add some very interesting tactics options to the top-down shooter mechanics.

Problems aside, Police Stories is fun. It’s not terribly long- the kind of game you could bust out in a weekend if you wanted to- but its bite-sized pieces and simple controls also make it a great game to digest at a more tempered pace.

Overall, Police Stories is a game I give a hearty recommendation, all the heartier should you have a buddy cop to bring along. It strikes that same high-paced, repetitive problem solving note as Hotline Miami but in it’s own way. It’s more methodical, you have to stay on your toes. That can be stressful, but very rewarding when a level is completed and done smoothly.