Car Cops review

The world doesn’t always need heroes. Instead, it requires someone who simply wants to do their job correctly. This is where you step in. You are a cop who wants to keep your city safe. No criminals will pass your beady eyes, and weapons, drugs, and other contraband will not pass your checkpoint. Car Cops explores this idea with its colourful mindset, simple mechanics, and easy-to-follow gameplay.

Developed by QubicGames, this single-player title is pretty darn casual. This isn’t a complaint, as I like how this company creates mobile game-style console experiences. However, it would be remiss of me if I didn’t mention the undeniable simplicity of this game. I flew through every level in no time, even though there were a few issues with the controls. Moreover, there is no thought process required, as most of the action is so obvious that a child could play it.

Car Cops tells no story.

Car Cops has no story and limited progression. This was a shame as it could have been incorporated with ease. Maybe they could have created an option to side with one gang or another. Alternatively, you could have chosen to be a dirty cop vs a role model. Either way, it would have added some depth to the paper-thin experience.

Again, as previously mentioned, this isn’t a complaint. Instead, it is a recognition of the basic nature of this game. It is aimed at people who want a refined experience with no time demands and no challenging elements. Therefore, it is good for kids or those who love to add to their achievement tally.

Simple mechanics.

The action begins when you are a rookie cop. Cars pull up to your checkpoint, and you must check the driver’s ID. You’ll look at their photo and their car registration. If they match and there are no illegal goods in the car, the driver is free to go. However, if something is wrong, out come the handcuffs and the person is arrested.

As the gameplay evolves, you will unlock new methods to assess crime. You’ll get a knife, a scanner, there are chases, showdowns, and the occasional emergency that must be dealt with. These elements add a little depth, but the lull between activities was too much for my liking. Luckily, my kids enjoyed the simple approach, and they played the game alongside me while smiling and enjoying their time as cops.

Car Cops is colourful and easy to look at.

I love QubicGames’ style. They have a distinctly vibrant cartoon edge that is wonderful to witness and easy to follow. These games are pushed out pretty quickly, and this causes odd bugs and glitches to appear. However, Car Cops was pretty well polished, and the issues were kept to a minimum. The audio is a mixture of vocal commands, simple sound effects, and basic music. It sounds terrible, but it works with the refined gameplay and the criminality on display.

The controls were easy to understand, but the cutting mechanic was terrible! If you didn’t get it absolutely perfect, it demands that you re-try. This was infuriating, and my kids hated it every time it was requested. In turn, I hated it as it was tough to get right, and I had to do it for them. Therefore, this should have been much better. Once you hammer through every day, you won’t return for more. There is some odd house-building exercise, but this doesn’t add to the game and was a little weird. Therefore, I can’t see many people returning to furnish their virtual home.

Car Cops is fun despite its simplicity.

I seem pretty negative, but I like to think of it as offering a realistic viewpoint. Car Cops isn’t as complex as other titles from this developer. However, I think it is aimed towards a younger audience. Although it could have been more complex, it was fun at a refined level, and I recommend grabbing a copy from the Xbox store!