To Serve and To Protect is a very interesting simulation and management crossbred that is certainly a one-of-a-kind adventure. Made for play on the personal computer, this game is an early simulation that takes game play similar to SimCity and scales it down to encompass only the activities surrounding an exceptionally busy police department.
As the commander in chief of this department, the user will be in charge of a wide variety of dealings. Some of them will be the mundane business activities, that while not very exciting, are very necessary in order to keep the department running and functional.
Some of these actions include managing the tax level within the town to make sure that the department has adequate funding (without angering the population to incessant rioting). He will also have to manage the budget of such funding in a variety of ways, such as keeping the building in good repair or building a new one. He can purchase new squad cars and other police vehicles if he has enough cash. There are only two different vehicles available for purchase in the shareware version of To Serve and To Protect, but the registered full version will upgrade the choices to a total of six. As part of the budget, the player will have to select dependable
but affordable personnel. While a high ranking ace detective might be a great asset to the precinct, he may not be within the range of the funding.
There is also a great deal of real police activity that the user will be able to partake in. He can dispatch officers to crimes and calls and will have to use care when choosing what type of officer to send to each incident. He is able to establish regular patrol routes within the city for the officers to follow. He is also able to investigate crime scenes and criminals, and can actually perform raids on areas of known criminal activity.
To Serve and To Protect, like so many simulation games, relies heavily on balance and effective micromanagement. If the district is understaffed, crime will rise. If there are too many detectives and not enough traffic cops, there will be an increase in accidents. The gaming world is large and expansive, and there is a lot of ground to cover. This is a great game for the simulation wizard or the micromanaging expert who is looking for a fresh theme instead of the same old city or colony builder.
