All Cops Are Big: Militsioner Preview | PAX East 2025
There’s something about resisting authority that appeals to my core. When Tallboys introduced Militsioner and offered players the opportunity to defy the law, my attention was immediately grabbed. A giant cop, a big escape, something potentially freaky happening behind the scenes? I’ve been eager to dig deeper, and Critical Reflex provided the chance to get uncomfortably close with the massive man himself during my hands-on time at PAX East 2025.
Militsioner tasks players with escaping the clutches of a giant police officer who seems to suspect you of a crime you didn’t commit. Your prison: an open city with various routes, homes, sewers, and more—all potentially key to your escape. The demo wastes no time showing you the scale of the Militsioner, putting you face to face with the man casting unknown judgment onto you. Through initial dialogue choices, you can politely question the charges, stay silent, or resist. If you give me the chance to insult the cop, there are no other options. I took it, and was immediately hit with a Control-like “JAIL” splash screen—it seemed like game over. But what I assumed was a restart turned out to be the core mechanic of the game.
When it first landed on my radar, I expected a more straightforward narrative experience, but Militsioner has a surprising amount of depth. It’s a game about learning from your mistakes and finding the perfect (and likely multiple) escape. As much as I wanted to keep insulting and resisting, I played nice and made my way into the lush, yet purposefully empty city below. The escape plan was officially in motion. The bleak, Euro-inspired blocks felt cold, immediately drawing me in more than the looming titan above. It’s a tough game to demo on a show floor—the city demands your full attention to explore. But you can feel the secrets and possibilities bubbling up with each locked gate, alleyway, and sewer cap you pass.
Still, there was one aspect of Militsioner that completely caught me off guard—something I did not expect from a “run from the giant cop” kind of game: emotional manipulation. The world around you reacts to how the Militsioner feels. Once I was dropped into the city, I was told he was sad—an interesting detail I figured was just tied to dialogue choices. But at any moment you look up at the towering lawman, you’re given the option to talk to him or give him a gift. You’ll find various items to pick up throughout “runs.” During one run, I found a cat. As much as I wanted to keep my kitten-in-crime for the journey, I gave the little fuzzball to the Militsioner. Suddenly, he was joyful! And as a player, I felt a surprising sense of relief. But the joy didn’t last long. The cat (clearly ACAB) escaped, and the Militsioner fell into a deeper depression.
His sadness triggered a downpour, which flooded the city. Because I’m an exceptional gamer, I immediately drowned and restarted the cycle. When I retriggered the flood during the next run, I noticed new paths had opened up.
I forced myself to walk away because I started to feel that same itch I felt playing Grunn. Despite the outcome, every run serves a purpose—one step closer to the inevitable escape. The Militsioner may have a towering advantage, but even the most all-seeing men have their blind spots.