Zero Punctuation Season 9 Episode 13 Cops and Robbers

Zero Punctuation is an online video series that reviews video games with scathing and witty commentary from the perspective of the protagonist, Yahtzee Croshaw. In the season 9 episode 13 titled Cops and Robbers, Yahtzee takes on a selection of games that center around the theme of crime and law enforcement.

The episode starts with an overview of the criminal underworld depicted in various video games, ranging from the wacky Grand Theft Auto series to the gritty realism of L.A. Noire. Yahtzee points out the common tropes that these games utilize, such as the use of violence to solve problems and the glorification of criminal behavior.

He then contrasts this with the portrayal of law enforcement in games like Police Quest and SWAT 4, where the focus is on following procedures and making difficult moral decisions. Yahtzee applauds the efforts of these games to give players a taste of what it's like to be a police officer, but notes that they are often overshadowed by the more popular and sensationalistic crime games.

Next, Yahtzee moves on to his reviews of specific games. The first game he reviews is Sleeping Dogs, an open-world game set in Hong Kong where you play as undercover cop Wei Shen. Yahtzee praises the game for its attention to detail in depicting the city and its culture, as well as the satisfying hand-to-hand combat mechanics. He does, however, criticize some of the game's repetitive side missions and the fact that you can skip most of the police work in favor of being a full-time criminal.

The second game on Yahtzee's list is Battlefield Hardline, a first-person shooter that puts you in the role of either a cop or a criminal in a series of heists and shootouts. Yahtzee takes issue with the game's lack of innovation in terms of gameplay, pointing out that it's basically just a reskinned version of previous Battlefield games. He also notes that the game's attempt at a moral choice system falls flat because there's no real consequence to your decisions.

The final game Yahtzee reviews in this episode is Payday 2, a cooperative heist game where players team up to rob banks and other high-profile targets. Yahtzee appreciates the game's focus on teamwork and strategy, as well as its plethora of customization options for your character and weapons. He does, however, criticize the game's repetitive mission structure and the fact that it's almost impossible to win without a full team of four players.

Overall, Yahtzee's reviews in this episode are fairly positive, with Sleeping Dogs and Payday 2 receiving his recommendation. However, his criticisms of Battlefield Hardline highlight the problem with many crime games that fail to innovate beyond their genre's stereotypes. Yahtzee's analysis of the criminal underworld and law enforcement in video games offers a thought-provoking commentary on the societal implications of the games we play.