Action games today are full of shooting, dodging bullets, driving, and violence, the content of those games is unlimited. That being said, the police is often included in almost every game and those games are very popular. Some games are like GTA, some aren’t and some are completely authentic. Whatever it may be, my goal today is to prepare a special list for you, and that’s the list of best PC police games. Do you want to be a good or bad cop, or perhaps kill some cops? Well, these games are going to let you do all of that. These are the best police games for PC.
1. GTA V
GTA V is the finest example of a police game. While the game revolves around three new characters Michael, Trevor, and Franklin, their illegal activities result in many confrontations with the police. Aside from the great setting, GTA V can pride itself on having amazing visuals, a compelling story, and an open world filled with lots of stuff to do. Furthermore, GTA V offers some fast cars that you can drive and even a multiplayer mode for playing with your friends. If you played the single-player, I suggest you try multiplayer. Get some of your friends to try it and you’ll have an unforgettable experience. Read our GTA V review to find more about the game.
2. Sleeping Dogs
Sleeping Dogs is like a GTA clone wrapped in a fresh Chinese skin. The reason I’m saying this is because Sleeping Dogs is set in Hong Kong, which is an amazing city, but it’s also dangerous. The game will let you roam through the world, drive cars, shoot, and even fight. The fighting mechanics in this game absolutely rock! Our main character is an undercover cop who is on a mission to explore Hong Kong’s underground in order to prevent further crimes. So, I’m confident to say that Sleeping Dogs is one of the best police games ever!
3. Watch Dogs 2
Watch Dogs 2 took everything from its older brother and raised the bar in the series. As Watch Dogs wasn’t a commercially successful game, Ubisoft decided to take serious measures in order to bring us a quality open-world game. They did it this time and we have a brand new Watch Dogs 2- a game in which everything revolves around hacking. The game is set in San Francisco Bay Area which is known to be a very dangerous place and you are Marcus Holloway, a young hacker trying to make a name for himself. Watch Dogs 2 is an amazing experience, its open-world is amazing, colorful and it feels alive. I’m glad that Ubisoft ironed out everything that plagued the previous game.
4. Battlefield Hardline
Battlefield Hardline is a black sheep in the series for some, as its setting is completely changed over the series. Unlike previous Battlefield games, Hardline takes a different approach and puts you in the role of a policeman. However, Battlefield Hardline felt more like a reskinned Battlefield 4, which isn’t bad, but not authentic enough. Despite this, Battlefield Hardline is a very fun game to play and offers both action and stealth levels, so the game feels pretty balanced. With the help of some famous actors, Battlefield Hardline took its story and voice acting to another level to be a good game that involves cops.
5. Max Payne 3
Max Payne 3 is our old, sarcastic, and depressive cop that we love. Since the initial release of the first game, Max is here to bring us the darkest humor we’ve ever seen, and with his hopeless one-liners, you’ll be left with nothing more to desire when it comes to voice acting. Let’s just take a minute to praise the action in this game! Max Payne 3 is a staple of third-person shooter games, letting you dodge bullets using a bullet-time feature, rolling or hiding into cover, and blind-firing at the enemies. It’s a must-play for police shooter lovers!
6. Manhunt 2
Manhunt 2 isn’t the most polished experience I’ve ever had, but this game has a lot to do with the police. Indeed, Manhunt 2 is about killing the goddamn police! Many of you will not like it because of the excessive violence that the Manhunt series is known for, but that’s not strange as Rockstar stands behind this game. It can easily be said that Manhunt 2 is a horror game due to grotesque kills, executions, and a very dark story revolving around psychical problems. Play this game only if you are eighteen or above!
7. Driver: San Francisco
Back in the day, the Driver was all about driving the car from point A to point B. Later on, Driver introduced shooting into series before they got back to driving in Driver: San Francisco. This formula works well, letting you drive some fast muscle cars in this game, and even use the Shift feature. Shift allows you to quickly teleport from one car to another in order to finish your missions more efficiently. Driver: San Francisco blends the driving and action genre perfectly and marks a perfect comeback of the series.
8. L.A. Noire
L.A. Noire is an innovative and authentic game that you’ll immediately recognize. The Noir setting makes the game even more fun and it’s a great plot for starting a detective story. The game is about you being a police officer and your journey as you solve various mysteries and crimes. As you solve the cases, you are being promoted to a higher place during the game. L.A. Noire has one distinctive feature and that’s facial animations and reading those animations in order to determine if the suspect is lying or speaking the truth. That’s so badass and makes you feel like a true detective. A good PC police game.
9. Need for Speed Hot Pursuit (2010)
Need for Speed Hot Pursuit is an explosive and nerve-wracking, yet very satisfying experience. This PC NFS game returns to its roots, so you can now be both a good and a bad guy. The good guys are police enforcers who are trying to put an end to street racing, while the bad guys are… well, racers. Both sides are equipped with EMP, Nitro, Turbo, Jammer, or Spike Strips which they can use according to the situation. This results in some fierce car battles as you drive through the game’s beautiful world.
10. Her Story
Her Story might be a less popular police game, but the amount of fun you’ll get from this game is astonishing! Lasting just a couple of hours, Her Story is about investigating a crime by cycling through the police records in order to solve the case of murder. You’ll listen to various interviews as you progress in the game, which leads to a satisfying ending. The game contains pre-recorded real-life acting sequences which are really cool. Still, the game is very simple, with zero bullshit and filler content.
11. Condemned: Criminal Origins
Condemned: Criminal Origins is a less-known horror game released in 2005. There is really something special about those underrated games and this one proves to be a worthy mention. On top of that, it’s a game that puts you in the role of a policeman, as you investigate a case of murder. You have several tools at your disposal, so you can easily look for fingerprints and there is combat, albeit it’s melee-focused. Condemned: Criminal Origins is one of those claustrophobic horror games that will really kick off the adrenaline in your veins best for the horror cop game lovers.
12. Murdered: Soul Suspect
While in many police games you are investigating an unknown murder, here you are investigating your own murder! As absurd as it sounds, Murdered: Soul Suspect manages to pull off this interesting concept in a stylish fashion. At the beginning of the game, you are killed in a violent burglary and become a supernatural detective whose mission is simple- find his killer. It’s an intense experience, especially the sections with the monster that can pass through the wall. Really spooky!
13. Still Life
Since we are talking about investigating a murder, I think it’s time to mention Still Life. Developed by Microids, which isn’t really a big name, Still Life brings the quality right in your face. The game is about investigating a serial killer in the present as Victoria McPherson and as the game develops, you are in a role of Gustav McPherson, who is her father that investigated the series of similar murders back in 1920. Still Life is a point-and-click game and it’s great for relaxing after a long day of work, so you can try it for just a couple of dollars.
14. Virtua Cop
Virtua Cop invokes a very strong feeling of nostalgia in me. This cop game is all you need to be a badass cop and kill some bad guys! Although it’s on rails, Virtua Cop is an action-packed game where you control a policeman and shoot the bad guys in series of scenarios. The game can be played co-op and your friend can jump in to assist you. It’s a very small game but packs quite a punch.
15. Payday 2
Payday 2 features a very smart use of police force in the game. The goal here is to rob a certain place like a bank, disco, or even a police station in order to bring the money to your van and get the hell out. Payday 2 can be played the stealth way or you can go guns-blazing, but you should know that both methods are very hard. You can buy various masks, weapons, and customize your character. On top of that, Payday 2 includes a great leveling system so your robbing is going to pay off not just in terms of money, but aesthetically. It’s best to play this multiplayer police game with friends; you know what to do!
16. Mafia III
Mafia III introduced a new setting when it was released and it’s no other than New Orleans. This part of the USA is known to be very dangerous and since the game is set in the time of prohibition and crimes, it’s guaranteed that Mafia III brings a satisfying experience. Our protagonist Lincoln Clay is a Vietnam-veteran who is on a mission to conquer New Orleans. You’re gonna shoot everything that moves and that includes both opposing mafia groups and the police.
17. Max Payne
I know that I’ve put Max Payne 3 on the list, but it would be a crime if I skipped this one, and then angry Max Payne would come to kill me. Max Payne came out in 2001 and this game took the whole gaming community by storm. Such great animations, deep and dark story, and streamlined gameplay wasn’t something we’ve often seen at the time. Truly, Max Payne is a polished diamond when it comes to third-person shooters, still continuing to influence many police games of this type.
18. Sherlock Holmes: The Devil’s Daughter
Sherlock Holmes is one of the world’s most popular detectives. What if I told you that you can play the game about him? Isn’t that cool, folks? Sherlock Holmes: The Devil’s Daughter is a thrilling experience that blends action, investigation, and mystery in a single game that delivers all of this with ease. Its beautiful graphics and sound design do wonders for this game, creating a streamlined and polished experience that will stay in your mind forever.
19. Kane and Lynch: Dead Men
Kane and Lynch: Dead Men is similar to Manhunt 2 in terms of violence and graphical content. This game has a really bad sense of violence and its short single-player campaign consists of killing, killing, killing, and more killing! Kane and Lyncs are on the verge of being dead men and their only hope of surviving is to fight for their miserable lives. There is even a level where you are playing naked, which is really hilarious!
20. True Crime: New York City
True Crime: New York City is a retro police game that only the true police game fans know about. Resembling a similar experience to GTA, True Crime allows you to explore the city of New York and participate in various missions. The story of the game is about an ex-police officer who turns to the other side of the law. The game features everything from shooting to driving, which gives a great feeling of being a badass ex-cop. However, True Crime is plagued by some technical issues, which can ruin the enjoyment.