Police Simulator: Patrol Officers keeps getting better, new DLC released

Written by Jason Dailey on 7/24/2023 for PC   PS4   PS5   XONE   XSX  

It has been a while since I reviewed Police Simulator: Patrol Officers last year, but I have been randomly popping into its fictional city of Brighton for the occasional patrol. In fact, I am happy to report that I finally obtained the coveted platinum trophy on PlayStation 5 – a trophy which required me to spend a silly amount of time behind a radar gun catching speeders. When Police Simulator first launched, I noted how it was a solid simulator with a fun gameplay loop, despite it being a buggy mess. Since then, however, the developers have been hard at work both patching the game and providing new content.

Thanks to publisher Astragon Entertainment, I was able to take the game’s newest DLC and two major quality-of-life updates on patrol recently. What I found is that the game is still janky in an oddly endearing way, but at the same time, it has improved demonstrably since release. I love Police Simulator in the same way that I love Skyrim – it’s janky, but in a totally charming and sometimes hilarious sort of way.

The new DLC is the Compact Police Vehicle, which you’ll recognize straightaway as one of those miniature smart car things, or as I like to joke, a “coffin on wheels”. It’s a fun new way to get around Brighton, albeit with limited trunk storage space and without the ability to transport an arrestee. One of the things I appreciate most about Police Simulator’s vehicles is the cockpit camera view and how your character physically interacts with the cars when doing things like switching on a turn signal or honking the horn – it’s a great touch.

Back on patrol, things have taken a turn for the better. You can now stack multiple charges on criminals, courtesy of the game’s first major update – the aptly named Stacking Charges Update. Thankfully, Brighton’s citizens still love breaking the law, and most of the time they just can’t help themselves, breaking multiple laws at once. Meanwhile, the latest update, called The Garage Update now lets you fix your busted up patrol vehicles at a nearby precinct building, where you can also alter the contents your trunk storage.

Look, I know it sounds like small potatoes, but for simulator nerds like myself, the little things matter a great deal. Developer Aesir Interactive has promised additional quality-of-life updates are in the works, and I for one am looking forward to following Police Simulator: Patrol Officer’s continued progress. In the meantime, check out my first shift on patrol in the new Compact Police Vehicle below if you please.