Who thought that a top-down police simulator following the story of a corrupt, crime-ridden city would prove so rewarding? The Precinct is an indie adventure from developer Fallen Tree Games, set in Averno City, 1983. Players must embark on a perilous, paperwork-filled mission to clean up the city, respond to crimes-in-progress, write parking tickets, and arrest or take down bank robbers in action-packed twin-stick shooter gameplay. But how long does the whole experience last?
How long does it take to beat The Precinct?
If you choose to ignore all the bells and whistles of modern police work, like writing tickets, arresting graffiti artists, and harassing everyone you bump into with the game’s clunky movement mechanics, you’ll find The Precinct is a succinct experience.
You can complete the entire campaign in approximately 10 to 12 hours, though some will take less time by rushing through the core missions and story beats. I’m guilty of skipping the game’s dialogue and reading line-by-line for myself.
How to best extend your playtime in The Precinct
If you want a little more bang for your buck, especially shooting for the sweet one-dollar-per-hour ratio we all love so much, then you can eke out additional hours in The Precinct by hunting down:
- Artifacts: Throughout every neighborhood in The Precinct, you’ll stumble upon hidden clues and puzzles leading to lockboxes containing unique artifacts. Each contains an in-game collectible that proves your prowess.
- Plaques: Like the game’s artifacts, there are also approximately 20 plaques scattered throughout the city that act as lore pieces, collectibles, and help you unlock a unique achievement!
- Achievements: There are 39 achievements to unlock on PC, along with the platinum on PS5, ranging from tackling missions to issues parking tickets to recovering the aforementioned artifacts and plaques.
- Rare Vehicles: You’ll find around 10 rare vehicles spread throughout Averno City. These are all variants of the everyday vehicles you’ll spot in-game, and finding them all unlocks an achievement!
The Precinct is available now on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Windows PCs.
