TallBoys and Critical Reflex have announced an open public playtest for Militsioner, the immersive sim in which you try to escape a town that swelters in the shadow of an extremely large, temperamental policeman. It would be nice to think the premise has gotten less relevant since we first covered the game in 2021, but I suspect that if you are currently living in, say, Los Angeles, you will find much to relate to. Here’s a trailer.
Watch on YouTube
The playtest has yet to kick off, but you can sign up already on Steam. It’ll run for two weeks, and will contain “a fraction of the game with most of the mechanics”, which are as follows:
– Lonely and needy giant with his wishes, attachments and emotions. Learn how to keep his mood in check or to hide when things go south.
– The town’s district, packed with a variety of NPCs, items and secrets. All is systematic, interactable and changing based on the time of day
– Flood creeping in from below – when the giant feels bad, the whole town is submerged in water.
– Gifts to build relationships – most items can be gifted, resulting in unique reactions and outcomes.
– Stealth to hide from the giant’s wrath – avoid the light and choose the right time to go for illegal options.
– Evading the giant’s hand – hide under awnings and pipelines and wait for the right moment to run for it. The hand might not get everywhere, but it’s faster than it looks.
– Complete player freedom. Almost every problem has multiple solutions. There are no wrong ways to play the game.
The devs caution that this is a test build and as such, subject to change. In particular, you may notice some missing textures. If you’re wondering how Militsioner has come along since we covered it last, they also posted a progress report earlier this month. Amongst other recent changes, the giant now has an inventory (meaning you can pick his titanic pockets) and the ability to take a day off, which improves his mood and may cause new routes to appear. Townsfolk will now report you for breaking and entering, but you can also persuade them to be your alibi if you’re under suspicion.
I’ve been coming and going with imsims, lately. I think the genre needs some kind of shot in the arm. Perhaps by “shot in the arm” I really mean “King Kopper”. If you are similarly enthused, please check out our interview from 2024 for more on what TallBoys are cheekily calling an Orwellian “dating sim”, inspired by Dishonored and Hitman.