Cops 2170: The Power of Law

"Nice Retread of Classic Tactical Squad Turn-Based Combat"

Cops 2170 is set in the future in the gritty cyberpunk genre. From the screen shots, it looks alot like the old classics from Bullfrog, Syndicate with its looks. But unlike Syndicate or Syndicate Wars, this game is turn-based along the lines of the other classic X-COM: UFO defense.

Graphics: 7/10
This isn't Half-Life 2 but then again, you don't need a supercomputer to run it. It has decent functional graphics without overtaxing most systems. Like most games these days, gamma is default set at the lowest setting which is an annoying pet peeve of mine.

Don't expect a graphical tour-de-force, the requirements are a Pentium 900, 128 ram and a 32 mb video card and judging by the graphics they're not lying.

Sound/Audio/Music: 6/10
I'm not a big fan of sound in games in general, the last game so you'll probably disagree with me here. Serviceable but forgettable music. Sound effects are canned and set too loud initially.

Game Play: 8/10
This game runs in real time until combat starts, then it becomes turn-based combat. If there is a similar more contemporary game to compare it to, I would say Fallout Tactics: Steel Brotherhood (when you play that game in turn-based combat.) Lots of fun for me because I like this kinda stuff, maybe not so much for you if it isn't your cup of tea.

Lots of customization: Characters have an assortment of weapons, ammo, grenades, armor, implants, etc. to chose from. Characters also come with their own attributes that determines stuff like how accurate they shoot, how strong they are, etc. While you don't determine your character's attributes in the beginning like you would in some games, there's a level experience system to improve your squad. There's also a ranking system, the higher the rank, the better your access to various stuff including equipment. Nothing really to complain about here. Nothing terribly original but only one person can be the first to walk on the moon.

This is set thematically as cyberpunk, except you're a cop instead of some individualistic anarchist. Arresting criminals is preferable to gunning them down with an assault rifle, but harder. On the other hand, gunning down everyone you see with your mini-cannon won't earn you many promotions. Decent strategic elements, but nothing to make your head hurt.

Overall Impression: 8/10

I like the game genre, I like the game setting, and I like the game.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 02/01/05