Fans of the management and strategic genre will surely remember This Is The Police and its entourage, This Is The Police 2. The developer responsible for the two titles, Weappy Studio offers us a new title, admittedly a spin-off of the aforementioned video games: let's talk about Rebel Cops, a new police adventure that streamlines the management component, in favor of a decidedly more tactical and action-centered approach. Trying this title on PlayStation 4 was an interesting and challenging experience, but it also highlighted some shortcomings of a production aimed exclusively at a niche audience.
Guerrilla and Tactics
Rebel Cops tells of the heroic resistance of a group of policemen, who refused to bend their backs to the overwhelming power of the criminal boss who took control of the city with the weapons of corruption and violence. Our, in order not to make a pact with the devil, decide to give themselves to the guerrillas and to oppose the criminal organization with the few means at their disposal. This is the premise that introduces us to the game world, told through textual windows perfectly localized in Spanish but without audio dubbing.
At the beginning of our adventure we will have to overcome a short scheme that will summarize the basic mechanics of movement and combat, and then we will launch ourselves in the first real game mission. The mechanics behind it all are typical of turn based strategists: during our action phase we will have to move our units across the map, trying to approach the enemy without exposing ourselves to his sentries and of course to his attacks. Once our actions have been completed, it will be necessary to pass the hand to the opponent. In fact, it will be a bit like playing a complex game of chess where the stealth approach is rewarded rather than the violent frontal attacks.
The hard life of the Rebel Cops
To make Rebel Cops its strategic nature is particularly complex: the slightest wrong movement could bring our units (we will have a maximum of six available for each mission) under enemy fire, seriously putting their lives at risk. It will only take one hit to land a character, unless the character is wearing some kind of protection. While the game rewards non-violent actions such as stuning an enemy or arresting him, being involved in a shooting brings to light the true soul of this game: the disposition of the agents on the battlefield will prove to be fundamental, from finding shelter to simple to cover the back of a companion.
Not being able to count on the support of the law, our rebel policemen will have to procure weapons and ammunition by exchanging them on the black market for objects found in the game or thanks to the economic aid of good citizens who still oppose crime. Some side quests allow you to earn bonus points and get favors from the seller, while killing an innocent will lead the citizenry to lose the trust of agents, making it more difficult to purchase new resources.
Each time an agent successfully completes an action, he gains experience points which, by leveling him up, allow him to purchase new skills. Unfortunately these are the same for each character, which slightly impairs the gameplay variety as the story progresses. However, we can decide with which objects and armaments to equip the various units, creating more versatile teams suitable for different operational situations.
Take your time
At this point you might think that the title of Weappy Studio run fast with targeted and adrenaline-pumping actions in a succession of tactical decisions worthy of the best strategist. Unfortunately, the same strategic mechanics "cleaned up" of the management aspects show the Achilles heel of Rebel Cops. Except for the very first stages of the game, completing a pattern will require an immense dose of patience and often even more than an hour to reach the goal. Add to this the possibility of saving the game only twice in each level: a mission that is already long in itself often risks turning into an exhausting trial and fail.
Overall Rebel Cops it is still pleasant to play. The artistic realization focuses heavily on almost stylized and minimalist drawings, but which blend perfectly with the police story atmospheres inspired by the soundtrack, in turn a tribute to the classic crime films. These elements slightly dampen the long game times required to win a game and put us in the right mood to face the difficult missions that await us. 
Rebel Cops it is perhaps not up to the series to which it is inspired and certainly suffers from a little varied gameplay that will make those players who love the management and preparation phases turn up their noses. However, it finds its strengths in its very nature, offering a pleasantly challenging strategy and tactical analysis challenge. The price is also very interesting: on PlayStation Store it is offered for € 9,99.
