Grand Theft Auto 6was probably one of the worst-kept secrets in gaming history, as it suffered from a number of devastating leaks leading up to its official reveal. Back in September 2022, in fact, several minutes of in-developmentGTA6gameplay footage was released online, greatly disappointing developers at Rockstar Games. In spite of these setbacks, however, the first trailer for the game still set the internet on fire when it made its debut in December 2023. At the time, Rockstar confirmed thatGTA 6would be launched on both PS5 and Xbox Series X/S in 2025.
After waiting for more than a decade,GTAfans were thrilled to hear that the next installment in the franchise would be released sometime this year. However, as most gamers probably know by now, that didn’t come to pass. Earlier this month, Rockstar Games announced thatGrand Theft Auto 6had been delayed to May 2026, meaning that fans would have to wait yet another year for the game to come out. As disappointing as this delay is, there are at least some other games that players can occupy themselves with untilGTA 6’s release.
The Precinct is a New Isometric Action Game That’s a Bit Like GTA
Indie game fans who regularly scour the internet have probably stumbled upon a game calledThe Precinctat least once or twice. This title, which was developed by Fallen Tree Games and published by Kwalee, had been in the works for around 6 years, and it was only just released last week. At first glance,The Precinctdoesn’t seem to have much in common withtheGrand Theft Autoseries, let aloneGTA 6. However, the game’s gameplay loop shares a lot of DNA with the early installments in the franchise.
The first twoGrand Theft Autogames were very different from what the series would eventually turn into. Instead of being immersive third-person shooters,GTA 1and2were bothisometric 2D action games. They didn’t have many of the features that would be added in the franchise’s later installments, but they still had some unique charm of their own. Despite receiving mixed reviews from critics upon their respective releases,GTA 1and2laid the groundwork for the modern open-world crime genre, and they became some of the best-selling isometric action games of the 1990s.
In theGrand Theft Autogames, players step into the shoes of a criminal who robs banks, steals cars, and kills people for a living. InThe Precinct, however,players play as a police officernamed Nick Cordell Jr. Set sometime during the 1980s, the game follows the adventures of Cordell, as he takes on tasks to defend the citizens of Averno City from gangs and other criminal activities.The Precinctisn’t a third-person shooter, likeGTA 6or the other modernGTAtitles. Rather, it’s an open-world isometric game with sandbox elements, similar in nature to the first twoGTAinstallments. Its gameplay is a lot more modernized compared to its spiritual predecessors, however.
AlthoughThe Precincthas received middling reviews from professional outlets, it has fared a lot better in the eyes of fans. On Steam, for example, the game has an 85% positive user score with nearly 3,000 different ratings. WhileThe Precincthas some notable flaws, such as a lackluster story and a somewhat repetitive gameplay loop, the game still does enough to stand out among all the other major titles that are being released this year.Grand Theft Auto 6fans who are interested inThe Precinctcan check the game out right now on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
