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jp's COP: The Recruit (DS)

[November 30, 2022 01:17:23 PM]

I've always been a bit surprised at how few "GTA clones" there are given the success of the series. Sure, there's Saint's Row, and Ubisoft would probably count their open world hacker game I'm drawing a blank on as I write this. (Oh, it's Watchdogs!). I think there are a few older ones - sort of circa GTA III era.

So, imagine my surprise when I boot this game up - went in blind - and, lo and behold it's a GTA-clone (I don't use the term pejoratively here). You've been newly recruited by the cops because something's going on, you drive around to different locations to do missions, you can stop/hihack card (but, you're a cop here - so, it's commandeering?). There's guns and shooting and a minimap that looks very familiar. There's also collectables including taking snapshots in special locations and more.

Like, wow. This really is the GTA template in DS form. Technically quite impressive - it has all the 3rd person 3D stuff going on (rather than the handheld GTA games that went top-down view if I recall).

Sure, there's technical limitations - and it's a bit amusing to watch vehicles up-rez in LOD as you get closer to them. And I really couldn't work my way through the UI - I have hard time holding the DS and aiming and firing all at the same time (with stylus). Maybe it's the extra large and heavy DS XL that's to blame here?

The game is set in NYC - and there are recognizable landmarks and all the good stuff you'd expect. Oh, there's also interior locations to run around in, chase missions, and more.

What doesn't seem to be there is the humor and style of GTA. Here the characters (in cut-scenes, not the 3D models) are western-anime style. It makes me wonder who made the game, and I've now noticed it's also published by Ubisoft!