Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

COPS 2170: The Power of Law delivers a deep tactical strategy experience that blends squad‐based combat with light RPG progression. You assume the role of Katy, a fresh‐faced academy graduate, and lead a team of up to six officers (plus occasional NPC reinforcements) across grid‐based battlefields. Each character boasts individual stats, skill trees, and equipment loadouts, giving you the freedom to create specialized roles—whether that’s a heavy‐weapons specialist, a stealth operant, or a jack‐of‐all‐trades field agent.

Combat unfolds in turn‐based fashion, with action points governing movement, attack, and use of special abilities. Positioning is critical: cover systems are rudimentary but effective, and beams of laser sights heighten the tension as you vie for line‐of‐sight on hostile gang members. The lack of traditional resource management means you’re not scrounging for ammo crates or worrying about supply lines—instead, your gear improves organically as your rank increases, which in turn hinges on mission performance and secondary objectives.

Branching mission objectives add a layer of replayability and strategic choice. You might be tasked with rescuing a hostage, disabling security nodes, or capturing a high‐value target alive. How you tackle these goals changes both your available gear and the narrative’s direction, rewarding players who explore alternate approaches. While the AI can sometimes feel predictable—opponents often hunker down or funnel through chokepoints—the game’s varied environments, from neon‐lit slums to corporate high‐rises, keep engagements fresh throughout the campaign.

Graphics

COPS 2170 employs a fully polygonal engine that was ambitious for its time, delivering a distinctly cyberpunk atmosphere. Rusted metal walkways, dripping neon signs, and flickering holo‐ads populate each map, immersing you in a dystopian urban sprawl. Character models are serviceable if not highly detailed—uniforms and armor kits sport bright color highlights, and facial animations during mission briefings give the cast some personality.

Environmental design is where the game shines visually. Interiors of corporate towers feature sleek chrome accents, while the seedy underbelly of the city glows with garish graffiti and broken streetlights. Lighting effects, such as muzzle flash and energy weapon arcs, stand out crisply against dark backdrops. Occasionally, draw‐in of distant objects and pop‐in of scenery break immersion, but these technical hiccups are minor compared to the overall aesthetic cohesion.

Cutscenes and in‐game dialogues rely on static art and simple animations, making the storytelling feel dated by modern standards. However, character portraits are well‐illustrated and help convey mood during pivotal moments. On midrange hardware today, the game runs smoothly with minor tweaks, though widescreen resolutions may introduce occasional UI scaling issues that require manual adjustment.

Story

As a prequel to Paradise Cracked, COPS 2170 expands the lore of its cyberpunk universe by chronicling Katy’s first steps in law enforcement. Early missions serve as tutorials disguised as beat patrols, allowing new players to familiarize themselves with mechanics while introducing key factions—street gangs, corporate enforcers, and underground hackers. As you rise through the ranks, a sinister plot emerges involving a megalomaniacal criminal seeking to plunge the city into chaos.

Character development centers on Katy’s moral compass: you can choose to enforce the law with unbending rigor or show leniency in the face of corruption. Your interactions with teammates—each possessing unique backstories—add emotional weight to combat decisions. Secondary quests often reveal personal motivations, such as helping a cyborg officer reconcile human memories or assisting a hacker in recovering lost data fragments. These side narratives enrich the main storyline and lend diversity to mission goals.

Dialogue writing is competent but occasionally veers into cliché—grizzled veteran cop dropping one‐liners or villainous monologues about the “power of law” feel a bit formulaic. Nevertheless, voiceovers (where present) are earnest, and translations in the English localization are generally clear. The branching narrative ensures your playthrough can differ significantly from a friend’s, encouraging multiple runs if you’re invested in uncovering every plot twist.

Overall Experience

COPS 2170: The Power of Law is a rewarding blend of tactical strategy and light RPG progression set in a gritty cyberpunk metropolis. While the interface and presentation show their age, the core gameplay loop—assembling a crack team, customizing equipment by rank, and executing turn‐based engagements—remains engaging. Fans of classics like Jagged Alliance or Silent Storm will appreciate the methodical pace and strategic depth.

The game’s greatest strengths lie in its mission variety and branching outcomes, which promote experimentation and replayability. Despite occasional AI quirks and dated visuals, the sense of commanding a specialized police squad against multiple factions never grows stale. Performance is stable on modern PCs, though you may need to tinker with resolution settings to achieve the ideal view.

Ultimately, COPS 2170 stands as a solid entry in the tactical RPG genre, offering a cyberpunk twist on squad‐combat conventions. If you’re drawn to strategic depth, character customization, and a story that reacts to your choices, this prequel offers hours of satisfying gameplay. Newcomers should be prepared for a slightly old‐school presentation, but those willing to look past that will find a rich, layered experience well worth exploring.

Retro Replay Score

5.3/10