Hands on with Cops and Robbers on iPhone

Crime never pays, but it can still play. When tough times fall upon the two roommates starring in Cops and Robbers, they take to thievery to make rent.

Glu's finger-flicking foot race has you fleeing the police in a series of parkour-style stages. Escaping the authorities means being able to pay rent, whereas slow stealing lands you behind bars.

In order to pay the bills, you need to swipe cash in 10 different stages across the game's fictional city. A panorama of the city lines the bottom of the screen, an icon of your thief chased by that of a cop's. Tilting your handset moves your character left and right as he hoofs it through the 3D levels.

Avoiding cops on guard, innocent bystanders, and a host of obstacles takes skillful tips of your device. Additionally, a tap of the screen instructs your thief to jump over boxes and barriers littering the escape route.

The leaps and bounds of parkour have inspired a unique style of acrobatic racing in Cops and Robbers. While most of your time is spent outrunning the police and avoiding obstacles, special action sequences have you leap between walls, tapping the screen to jump from surface to surface. Dramatic camera angles highlight the action, shifting from the default overhead view to more cinematic perspectives.

Running away from the cops isn't sufficient to pay the rent: you also need to collect cash along the way. Greenbacks scattered about each level can be picked up by simply directing your character to run through them.

Naturally, bills are situated carefully to encourage acrobatics and daring runs. Hauling in a good take means taking risks to grab every dollar in sight.

There are also ten hidden diamonds, one per level, that boost your income. As you traipse through a level, light glowing through a window hints at a safe housing one of these rare gems.

Tapping the screen stops your thief to crack the safe via mini-game. To open the safe, pins within the locking mechanism must be aligned to match a pattern displayed at the top of the screen.

The delinquent gameplay is furthered by the visual style. Influenced by serials and graphic novels, Cops and Robbers has the feel of an old time crime story with its cel-shaded lines and exaggerated features. It's a familiar situation portrayed through fresh gameplay.

We'd like to see more customisation added before the game's April release. Currently, you're able to swap the colours on your character's shirt, pants, and shoes; however, the ability to purchase or find new clothes and accessories would make it more personal.

Most promising, though, is the chance to play as the cops once you've made your run as a thief. That could very well make Cops and Robbers worth hauling in when it releases to the App Store next month.