Content Warning: This discussion includes the topics of race, the use of racist behavior, racist terminology and violence.
Review Discussions are a new initiative to talk past or beyond a review or in place of a written/video review in a more timely manner. They’re an interview-style discussion hoping to discuss specific aspects of the game in question that may or may not be included in the written review. In some cases the discussion will be the only critical conversation we put out for a game, in others it may complement a review.
Hello and Welcome to the Irrational Passions Review Discussion for Beat Cop. For this discussion, Jarrett Green sits down with Quin Hoffman to discuss Quin’s thoughts on Beat Cop.
Quin’s Thoughts in Summary: Beat Cop struggles to tell a compelling narrative by subduing it in a world which feels like a parody of 80’s Western cop shows. By doing so, it constantly throws problematic terms in your face without truly justifying the use. Lacking any critical commentary of why these terms are being used. The game becomes increasingly grotesque and appalling as time goes on due to the uninteresting gameplay loop of writing tickets, stopping thieves, and the occasional shooting of people of color.
This game was reviewed on a retail Nintendo Switch with a copy of the game provided by PR.
Works Mentioned
The art of failing: What 11 bit Studios learnt from Beat Cop by Haydn Taylor
Beat Cop Review by John Walker
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