Militsioner: Bribing a Giant Policeman with an Apple?

An Extraordinary Immersive Sim

*Militsioner*, the upcoming PC game from Russian studio Tallboys, reimagines the immersive sim genre with a surreal twist: an enormous, melancholic giant policeman looms over a dystopian town. Players must escape after being detained for a mysterious crime, using stealth, manipulation, distractions, or bribes to make their way out.

Design Roots and Narrative Vision

Drawing inspiration from classics like *Thief* and *Dishonored*, the game merges dark political satire with literary echoes—from Gogol to the Strugatskys. The giant policeman evolved from a creative spark after seeing artwork by Andrey Surnov, and quickly became central to both the gameplay and the world’s symbolism.

Emotion as Mechanics

Every character, including the towering law enforcer, possesses a tamagotchi-like emotional system. Your actions—offering apples, stealing, lying—affect NPC moods and change dialogue options. This emotional layer deepens how players interact with the world and shape outcomes.

Absurdity Meets Authority

The game asks delightfully absurd questions: can you romantically pursue or bribe a giant officer? Is that even legal? These surreal moments highlight the broader theme: an individual navigating an overwhelming, systemic power structure.

Testing and Expansion

Tallboys are refining *Militsioner* through extensive player testing—observing not only what players do, but what they wish they could do. This feedback led to including emotionally charged scenarios like gifting a cat to the giant, which, if it runs away, deepens his melancholy and reshapes interactions.

Political Undertones

The game subtly reflects on authority and responsibility in authoritarian settings. While inspired by Russian contemporary themes, the creators avoided overt messaging, choosing instead to explore the complexities of power through a figure who isn’t evil but burdened by duty.