This is the Police
I have mixed feelings about the game, because there were some design choices I just couldn't agree with, so I guess it's easier if I just list all the pros and cons:
+ The story is interesting, and nails the noir feel
+ The gameplay is pretty fun (although it does get repetitive eventually and you slowly stop caring who you send)
+ Solving the detective's cases is a nice change of pace from the officers' calls
+ Some of the calls are pretty funny, as are the responses you can choose (like getting on all fours to catch an addict who's trying to crawl away, so that it's a fair race)
+ The music is excellent
+ The voice acting is great
= In the end, you're just gonna get f***ed no matter what you do, along with the whole city (presumably). Though I suppose it is quite bittersweet.
- The game forces you to play a corrupt cop; you need to help the mafia, turn a blind eye to certain vicious acts, and take part in some very shady business.
- The whole city seems to be absolutely bonkers, and the more power they have, the more bonkers they seem to be. The mayor is probably the most insane and vile man in the city, yet no-one seems to care or do something about it.
- If you don't listen to the City Hall's childish and sometimes outrageous requests (like firing all blacks, or using force to break up a lawful gay protest), you will start losing officer slots - if you don't have the men to answer all calls, the City Hall will get even more furious.
- You're on a timer, but sometimes, without warning, the timer can leap very far ahead due to an unforeseen event. When you finally get back on the reigns, you'll notice whoever was in charge in the meantime, has made a mess of everything (officers are exhausted, have become drunks, quit the force, etc.)
- Inconsistencies in the calls (sunbathers in the winter??), inconsistencies in "what are the mafia's interests" (for example, they got mad because I began to investigate a case where a man had stolen beer from a supermarket, then shot the cashier and a guard)
- The poker game is all kinds of broken (dumb and passive AI, doesn't include blinds, players can still raise if they made a bet and everyone called)
It was not the game I had hoped it would be, but I guess it was still pretty okay. I guess my main problem is that initially I wanted to stay good till the end of Boyd's retirement, but it became very clear very fast that that wasn't going to be an option. My interest also took a big hit, seeing how absurdly the citizens of the city behave, as it often reached comical levels, thus becoming almost implausible. One could also argue about the ending of the game... personally, at that point I had already stopped caring and simply wanted to be done with it. On the other hand, I do feel some satisfaction and at the same time sympathy for Boyd (he's a very well written character), but given the state the city is left in (and who's in charge now), I can't help but feel that I would have done a lot of things differently, if the game had let me.