Review: Highway Police Simulator on PlayStation 5

Aerosoft and Z-Software have launched Highway Police Simulator on the PlayStation 5, and it’s time to dive in and see what they have to offer. In this review, we’re exploring everything this simulator brings to the table for aspiring virtual law enforcers.

In Highway Police Simulator, players step into the shoes of a police officer patrolling the fictional city of Caminora. The game offers two distinct modes to cater to different playstyles: Simulation Mode and Casual Mode. Initially, you’ll start in Casual Mode through the tutorial, which gives you a gentle introduction to the game mechanics. However, if you’re up for a more challenging experience, you can opt for Simulation Mode. Keep in mind that this mode removes on-screen objective markers and reduces in-game guidance, which ramps up the difficulty. If you change your mind, the only way to switch modes is via the main menu.

As you begin your journey, the first task is character customization. You can choose to play as either a male or female character and select from various preset appearances. You’ll also decide on the character’s civilian attire, hair style, and eye color. The game allows toggling between civilian clothes and the police uniform to see how your choices look in action. Importantly, you’ll need to choose your character’s backstory: are you from a family with a long line of police officers, or do you hail from the streets? These choices aren’t just for show—they affect how characters in the game world react to you. A police family background ensures good relations with fellow officers but incurs distrust from criminals and bikers. On the flip side, a street kid background earns respect from locals but wariness from average citizens.

Once you’ve settled into your character, the game kicks off with a brief introduction and cinematic sequence. Your first case involves investigating a car crash, capturing the chaos with your camera as you gather evidence and take statements from witnesses. This initial scenario introduces you to your duties, which include writing reports from the police car’s onboard computer. But there’s more than meets the eye—a breakout thwarted your inmate transport mission, and as a result, you find yourself peeling back layers to uncover what happened.

Regarding controls, guiding your character and interacting with the environment involves using the analog sticks for movement and camera control, while specific game actions are assigned to the controller’s face and shoulder buttons. Whether you’re on foot, in a vehicle, piloting a helicopter, or maneuvering a drone, each mode comes with its own control scheme to master. For example, driving involves the usual speeding and braking, while using a drone or helicopter adds more nuanced tasks such as altitude control and target marking.

For those trophy hunters out there, Highway Police Simulator includes a comprehensive list of achievements, culminating in a coveted Platinum trophy. The path to earning it features various challenges such as growing your moral standing within Caminora, traveling extensive distances both on foot and by vehicle, solving accidents, apprehending criminals, and fulfilling unique tasks scattered throughout the game world.

However, the journey isn’t without its setbacks. The game struggles with technical glitches that detract from the immersion. Visual bugs are frequent—trees and other environmental elements appear and vanish unexpectedly. Vehicles and characters occasionally teleport, causing disorder in already hectic situations. Inside buildings, lighting issues create difficult environments to navigate, and character animations lack lifelikeness, which further disconnects players from the experience.

Highway Police Simulator, despite its promise of immersing players in the life of a police officer, stumbles due to execution flaws. It’s available now on PlayStation 5 for $39.99, but players should brace for an experience that might test their patience more than expected.

Please note, this review is based on a PlayStation 5 copy provided by Aerosoft.