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[IbizaPocholo]

Welcome to Los Angeles rookie!

Future Cop: LAPD was a top down action shooter for PC, Mac and Playstation 1, it was the first game from EA Redwood Shores who would go on to eventually create the dead space franchise.

It released the same year as Tomb Raider 3 and Spyro, and unfortunately only sold around 200'000 units, leaving this cult classic to fall into obscurity...

but, was it actually any good?

Future Cop LAPD: A Forgotten Sci-Fi Shooter That Changed Gaming History​

In 1998, Electronic Arts' Redwood Shores team released "Future Cop LAPD" for the PlayStation 1, which was later released for Windows and Mac. Despite only selling about 200,000 units, this top-down third-person action shooter left an indelible mark on gaming history. This article explores why it's considered a cult classic and what impact it had on the gaming industry.

The Game​

"Future Cop LAPD" is set in 2098, where Los Angeles has fallen into a crime war. Players pilot an advanced X1 Alpha police vehicle that can switch between walking Mech mode and hovercraft mode. The game features eight different levels and 14 different weapons that allow players to take down everything from gang members to robot slugs and insane underground clown cults to a rogue supercomputer.

The game is remembered fondly because it was featured as a playable demo on PlayStation demo disc number 39, which was released in December of 1998. Unfortunately for "Future Cop," the same demo also featured the first playable level of "Tomb Raider 3" and a section of "Spyro the Dragon," both of which dominated the PlayStation 1 Christmas sales charts, leaving "Future Cop" in the dust.

The Soundtrack​

"Future Cop LAPD" is undoubtedly remembered for its fantastic soundtrack, which was scored by David O'Neill, known for his previous work on the third-person "Soviet Strike" and "Nuclear Strike" games. The soundtrack is deep bass with catchy riffs, electro synths, and alarms layered with distant city sounds, gunshots, and explosions, and police radio chatter. The tracks blend together so well that playing this game is an audio dream. Moreover, the composition of each track matches the themes of the level it's meant for.

Impact on Gaming​

Although "Future Cop LAPD" didn't enjoy mainstream success, it created a lasting impact on the gaming industry. The game's two-player mode, "Precinct Assault," is considered by some to be the predecessor to the Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) genre. The game's map featured three lanes and required players to destroy enemy towers while defending their own. This formula would later be popularized by games like "League of Legends," "Dota 2," and "Heroes of the Storm."

The Future​

In recent years, a project on Steam called "LAPD2195" touted itself as a modern reimagining of "Future Cop," but the details are sparse, and there is no gameplay footage yet. While it's exciting to see "Future Cop LAPD" still inspiring new games, we can't help but wonder what could have happened if the game had enjoyed more commercial success.

In conclusion, "Future Cop LAPD" is a forgotten sci-fi shooter that deserves to be remembered. Its fantastic soundtrack and contributions to the gaming industry make it a cult classic. While the game is now over 20 years old, it continues to inspire new games, and we can't wait to see what the future holds for this beloved gem.

 

[JimboJones]

I played this so much back 1999, plays pretty well via emulation, increasing the ps1 CPU speed gets its near constant 60fps.

 

[salva]

Fken oath it was good. Mp was so much fun

 

[STARSBarry]

I remember this game as a "not as cool" ghost in the shell...

Although it certainly played better, you often felt like you where fighting the controls as much as the enemies in Ghost, I don't remember ever having that issue with LAPD.

 

[LastBattle]

I had a demo disk with this on it. Played it quite a bit. I think it also had a tower defence type mode which was crazy fun. Reminds me a little of the strike games, which I loved back in the 16bit days. Never bought it for whatever reason. Most likely because I had no money and had to be very selective with my game purchases haha. Would love to give it a go all these years later.

 

[theStartupSound]

I remember playing the demo split screen with a friend. Liked it back then.

 

[Gp1]

I played this so much back 1999, plays pretty well via emulation, increasing the ps1 CPU speed gets its near constant 60fps.

I played this so much at the time too. Later I discovered that it has a native Pc port, which sadly isn't on GOG yet because of... EA.

 

[CaptainSuperFish]

I wish this was remade, had so much fun with it back in the day and it holds up surprisingly well even today.