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The One Thing That Stuck Out For Me About Police Quest...

All of Sierra's "main" games were very different in themes, and as a result - the way the game played, interacted, etc.

If you had to pick out ONE thing (good, or bad) - about the game, that left a lasting impression (and feel free to go into detail) - what would it be?

And I'd like it to be just ONE thing (because on some of our favorites, it's too easy to list all the things we enjoyed).

I want to focus on what made EACH game of the different titles (GK, LSL, PQ, KQ, etc) different than one another?

The one thing that stuck out to me in a positive way, was that Police Quest was the first Sierra game I played where there were "rules" you had to follow in regards to being an officer. And I think it helped make you fall into character of being the role of Sonny Bonds. You couldn't be expected to do whatever you wanted and get away with it (for example if you didn't read someone their rights when you arrested them, that came back to have them walk free)!

Playing PQ1 and PQ3 are some of my fondest early gaming memories.

What stands out most is taking notes and thumbing through the manuals for different radio, vehicle, and penal codes as I played. Writing down license plate numbers, names of perpetrators, objectives from conversations, etc. It really did feel like I was playing the role of a police officer rather than just playing a game. Very procedural but still enjoyable as an adventure game.

This week I was also thinking about SWAT and watched bits of a playthrough on youtube. I remember being so excited for that game. I knew going in it wasn't going to be like a typical adventure game, so maybe that helped me enjoy SWAT for what it was - a tactical simulation. Sure, the training was repetitive but each scenario was really well designed with many branching outcomes. SWAT is also fairly impressive from a technical standpoint given what Sierra did with it at the time.

Mostly wrote:Playing PQ1 and PQ3 are some of my fondest early gaming memories.
What stands out most is taking notes and thumbing through the manuals for different radio, vehicle, and penal codes as I played. Writing down license plate numbers, names of perpetrators, objectives from conversations, etc. It really did feel like I was playing the role of a police officer rather than just playing a game. Very procedural but still enjoyable as an adventure game.

Yes! I feel like (as much as it may have been a pain to look it up, when you had to call back up or whatever) - this really pulled me into the character of being a cop.

Agreed. The procedural part of the game was what drew me into PQ1 and PQ2. (I didn't finish PQ3 and didn't play SWAT).

The death messages were also amusing. "An interesting approach - but fatal!"

Rath Darkblade wrote:Agreed. The procedural part of the game was what drew me into PQ1 and PQ2. (I didn't finish PQ3 and didn't play SWAT).
The death messages were also amusing. "An interesting approach - but fatal!"

Don't worry about SWAT (in my opinion - it's a very different game) - but, you SHOULD finish PQ3 if you get the chance. It's pretty amazing.

The first truly modern-day setting adventure game I played (we didn't have Leisure Suit Larry for obvious reasons). My strongest memory is driving around in the cars in PQ1AGI and the way Sonny and the other cops hold out their guns when they walk around. I used to copy it and play Police Quest all hunched over like the sprite with my hands shaped like a gun straight out in front of me.

Also loved the music from PQ2. I also enjoyed how much easier PQ2 was (seemingly). The tense moments while looking for the shooter in the park was a fantastic experience and also diving underwater to look for clues.

When I finally tackled PQ3 (love the intro music) I was a little taken aback by how interesting the tone was (despite some of the gameplay being obviously tedious)....and then after I beat it I saw Jane Jensen's name and it all came together.

With PQ4, I just remember dad playing it and the graphics being really drab and not colourful (which makes sense for a more realistic looking game) and remember thinking how impossible the game must be to play without a walkthrough. I, of course, don't believe that now. But back then it seemed insurmountable. I remember when my dad first got it and he sat down with a friend (or relative?) to play it and they couldn't get past the first night lol.

MusicallyInspired wrote: The first truly modern-day setting adventure game I played (we didn't have Leisure Suit Larry for obvious reasons). My strongest memory is driving around in the cars in PQ1AGI and the way Sonny and the other cops hold out their guns when they walk around. I used to copy it and play Police Quest all hunched over like the sprite with my hands shaped like a gun straight out in front of me.

Isn't it epic how it triggers our imagination when we're young?

MusicallyInspired wrote: Also loved the music from PQ2. I also enjoyed how much easier PQ2 was (seemingly). The tense moments while looking for the shooter in the park was a fantastic experience and also diving underwater to look for clues.

The underwater diving was "next" level stuff for me when I played PQ2.

MusicallyInspired wrote: When I finally tackled PQ3 (love the intro music) I was a little taken aback by how interesting the tone was (despite some of the gameplay being obviously tedious)....and then after I beat it I saw Jane Jensen's name and it all came together.

See, I didn't know "Jane Jensen" for being this incredible story teller (despite GK)... I always chuckled at PQ3 (I loved it, make no mistake) - but it was very "80's Horror" - with everything leading to a pentagram on the map.

MusicallyInspired wrote: With PQ4, I just remember dad playing it and the graphics being really drab and not colourful (which makes sense for a more realistic looking game) and remember thinking how impossible the game must be to play without a walkthrough. I, of course, don't believe that now. But back then it seemed insurmountable. I remember when my dad first got it and he sat down with a friend (or relative?) to play it and they couldn't get past the first night lol.

There were many nights, when I first got Sierra games, I'd get stuck early on and have to sleep on it.

As I've mentioned before, PQ1 was my first Sierra adventure and I see every other Sierra game through that lens. On thing that sets it apart from other Sierra games is that you don't spend any time hunting for items in holes or under rocks. Most of what you need is in your locker so you spend most of the game *doing* things.

notbobsmith wrote:As I've mentioned before, PQ1 was my first Sierra adventure and I see every other Sierra game through that lens. On thing that sets it apart from other Sierra games is that you don't spend any time hunting for items in holes or under rocks. Most of what you need is in your locker so you spend most of the game *doing* things.

Yes. It's very logic oriented - and far more realistic (obviously) than any of the other Sierra games. It's very procedure based.

notbobsmith wrote:As I've mentioned before, PQ1 was my first Sierra adventure and I see every other Sierra game through that lens. On thing that sets it apart from other Sierra games is that you don't spend any time hunting for items in holes or under rocks. Most of what you need is in your locker so you spend most of the game *doing* things.

I'd take this a step further. It's very distinct from adventure games in that it's not puzzle-based. You don't get through it by thinking things through on your own and making decisions but by following orders, following proper procedures or (in some cases) just waiting. You're given very little agency (or even illusion of agency).