11 min read

Police Quest: Open Season

Last updated: January 10, 2026

Overview

Police Quest: Open Season, released in 1993, marked a radical departure from the established Police Quest series1. Developed by Sierra On-Line under the guidance of former LAPD Chief Daryl F. Gates, this fourth installment abandoned the story arc of the previous three games, introducing a new setting and a new protagonist, homicide detective John Carey of the Los Angeles Police Department2. The game emerged during the golden era of DOS gaming, captivating audiences with its unique blend of law enforcement themes and interactive storytelling3.

As part of Ken Williams’ ambitious Reality Role-Playing series, the game represented Sierra’s attempt to create serious simulations of real-world events rather than traditional games4. Williams explained his vision: “I want to find the top cop, lawyer, airline pilot, fireman, race-car driver, politician, military hero, schoolteacher, white-water rafter, mountain climber, etc., and have them work with us on a simulation of their world. Chief Gates gives us the cop game”4. This philosophy resulted in Sierra’s first fully photo-realistic game, featuring digitized backgrounds of actual Los Angeles locations and real actors instead of traditional 2D art5.

Story Summary

The game opens with a shocking crime scene that sets the tone for its gritty realism: “The tortured and tormented body of Bob Hickman, LAPD, lies lifeless among the alley debris. An obvious case of felonious homicide”6. Detective John Carey must investigate the murder of his best friend Officer Bob Hickman and 8-year-old Bobby Washington, whose body is found in a dumpster at the start of the game7. As one reviewer noted, “the game’s gritty realism greatly depicts the gory life of a homicide detective. This in turn made some scenarios down-right gruesome to investigate”7.

The story involves Carey tracking down a mass murderer, which takes elements from several books, such as Silence of the Lambs7. The killer is believed to be based on Jeffrey Dahmer8, adding another layer of real-world inspiration to the game’s disturbing narrative. Throughout the investigation, players must follow proper LAPD procedures while navigating the harsh realities of urban crime in Los Angeles.

Gameplay

Interface and Controls

Police Quest: Open Season utilized Sierra’s new SCI2 engine and featured a point-and-click interface9. The game meticulously crafted gameplay that seamlessly combines strategic decision-making with immersive puzzle-solving3. Unlike previous Sierra games, the maximum score does not appear in either version, making it difficult for players to track their progress traditionally8.

The game required players to follow authentic police procedures with unprecedented detail. As one reviewer explained, “You can’t just go guns blazing like you’re playing Narc! You have to observe the correct procedure in each specific case and apply it”10. All the correct procedures, along with the penal and radio codes, were so highly detailed in the manual that it probably could pass off as an official police academy manual10.

Structure and Progression

The game’s scoring system was based entirely on following standard operating procedures correctly11. Players received feedback when they deviated from proper police protocol, with messages like “Deadly use of force was not tactically correct!” appearing when inappropriate actions were taken12. This realistic approach meant that “the sheer level of realism in this game is groundbreaking, if not a bit annoying at times”13.

The investigation took players through multiple floors of Parker Center (LAPD headquarters), which were recreated in the game with meticulous detail14. Chief Gates wanted to keep the game as realistic as possible and insisted on using actual LA locations15. Sierra gained cooperation from LAPD and mayor’s office through Gates’ involvement, allowing photography of authentic locations including Parker Center, county morgue, civic center, and police academy16.

Puzzles and Mechanics

The game featured complex investigative puzzles that required proper evidence collection and police procedure. Player choices throughout the game could lead to different outcomes, adding replay value and depth to the experience3. However, as one critic noted, “The main problem with all the Police Quest games is that if you miss a event or a item you will get hung up and have no way to complete the game”17.

The realistic approach extended to character interactions and dialogue. As Daryl Gates explained in a 1994 Vibe magazine interview about advising Sierra writers: “I told them that these people people use the same language as you and I”12, though Sierra’s writers included stereotypical dialogue despite Gates advising against it18.

Reception

Contemporary Reviews

PublicationScoreNotes
MobyGames Critics73%19
IMDb6.7/1020
My Abandonware4.43/521
Abandonware DOS4.21/5.0085 votes1
Just Games Retro4/10 average2 total votes22

Modern Assessment

Modern retrospective reviews have been largely critical of the game. Adventure Gamers gave it only 2 stars, concluding that “there are some good elements that shine through occasionally, but generally the game is not a positive experience”23. The review criticized the “voice acting Ed Wood would love” and noted that “with a conclusion that borders on incomprehensible, Police Quest 4 offers impressive technological advances from previous games in the series, but loses their simpler charms”23.

Alex Bevilacqua was even harsher in his 2024 retrospective, giving the game 40% and stating “The graphics are blocky and just overall look shitty” and “Sierra should have left this series alone after Police Quest 3”24. Space Quest Historian described the game as a “depressingly goofy trainwreck” with “mushy, pixelated” graphics and an “absolute slog” of gameplay25.

However, some reviewers found merit in the game’s ambitious approach. One MobyGames user noted that it was “very much ahead of its time. It attempts to provide an interactive and realistic experience as to what a police detective actually does during a murder investigation. This is years before, ‘Grand Theft Auto’ would attempt a similar interactive and realistic experience”26.

Development

Origins

The game’s development began after Jim Walls, creator of the original Police Quest series, left Sierra. As Walls explained on his personal website: “after PQ 3, circumstances developed causing me to decide it was time that I leave”27. Ken Williams wanted the police games to transition into tactical simulations more than just being interactive stories, leading him to seek out Daryl Gates, who had knowledge of police procedures and tactics that were well beyond what any one field officer could bring to the table14.

Former LA Police Chief Daryl F. Gates joined the Sierra team to show gamers the true face of police work28. Gates, who had recently resigned following the 1992 LA riots, served primarily as a technical advisor rather than the actual designer29. The real creative force behind the game was Tammy Dargan, a former producer on the TV show America’s Most Wanted, who served as producer, director, designer, and writer29.

Production

The development team utilized revolutionary technology for its time. They digitally photographed each scene and scanned them into the computer30, creating what would become Sierra’s first fully photo-realistic game31. The game used motion capture technology on real actors32 and featured actual digital stills from locations around Los Angeles33.

The voice cast included Brandon Massey as Detective John Carey, Andrew Witches as Mitchell Thurman, and Jeff Bianchi as Sam Nobles20. Several Sierra On-Line employees also appeared as actors, including Dana Dean (animator), Barry T. Smith (animator and writer), Rod Fung (cinematographer), and Neal Grandstaff (music)8. The game featured extensive voice acting, with the CD version containing 10,000 lines of dialogue34.

Technical Achievements

Police Quest: Open Season was the first game to use Sierra’s SCI2 engine35 and represented a major technological leap forward. It was the first Sierra game to feature photo-realistic backgrounds, long before the likes of Phantasmagoria and its sequel36. The team used photoshots of real L.A. exteriors and interiors, motion capture technology, and different voice actors from motion capture actors37.

The game came with a 54-page abridged version of the actual LAPD operations handbook38, which contained detailed regulations such as “the prescribed trousers belt shall be worn under the Police Equipment Belt. It shall be adjusted so that no part other than the top edge is visible”14. This manual served as both a reference guide and an attempt to add authenticity to the gaming experience.

Voice Cast

The CD-ROM version featured extensive voice acting with over 10,000 lines of dialogue.34 Several Sierra employees also appeared as actors in the game.8

Principal Cast:2039

ActorCharacter
Brandon MasseyDetective John Carey
Andrew WitchesMitchell Thurman
Jeff BianchiSam Nobles
Dan RogersBob Hickman
Patty FelixKatherine Hickman
Charissa FelixValerie Hickman
Roger GriffithLieutenant Block
Dana DeanKristy Bilden
Frank ShearsHal Bottoms
Leslie WallaceSherry Moore
Mark RussellRussel Marks
Barbara ShannonBarbie Cann
Liz JacobsElectra
Keith Arthur BoldenRagtopp Spiff

Version History

VersionDatePlatformNotes
1.0Late 1993DOSOriginal floppy release1
CD-ROM1994DOS/WindowsFull voice acting, 10,000+ lines34
1.01994Mac OSMacintosh release1
Digital2011WindowsGOG.com release as part of Police Quest Collection40

Legacy

Police Quest: Open Season marked the end of the traditional Police Quest adventure game series, though the franchise would continue with the SWAT tactical series38. The game’s attempt to blend serious police simulation with adventure gaming was ambitious but ultimately unsuccessful in winning over critics and fans of the original series.

Despite its critical reception, the game’s technological innovations were significant. As PC Gamer’s Andy Kelly noted in a retrospective review: “There’s no doubt about it: this is a bad game. But it’s an interesting one too”12. The game’s use of photo-realistic backgrounds and real locations would influence future Sierra productions and the broader adventure game industry.

The game also serves as a historical artifact of early 1990s attitudes toward policing and urban crime. As Jimmy Maher noted in The Digital Antiquarian: “the jingoistic Gates game is a prime case in point” when discussing games that failed to handle complex social questions with appropriate nuance4.

Downloads

Purchase / Digital Stores

  • Currently not available on Steam41
  • GOG Dreamlist - Community wishlist
  • Available on GOG as part of Police Quest Collection40

Download / Preservation

References

Footnotes

  1. Abandonware DOS - Police Quest: Open Season – - Game details, ratings, and user comments ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8

  2. ClassicReload - Police Quest: Open Season – - Game description and basic information ↩

  3. Best DOS Games - Police Quest: Open Season – - Gameplay descriptions and historical context ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  4. The Digital Antiquarian – - Historical analysis of Ken Williams’ vision and development philosophy ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  5. Retro365 Blog – - Technical achievements and multimedia features ↩

  6. Police Quest Fandom - Transcript – - Game script and crime scene descriptions ↩

  7. The Toybox Blog – - Plot summary and content descriptions ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  8. IMDb - Police Quest: Open Season Trivia – - Development details and cast information ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  9. PC Gaming Wiki – - Technical specifications and compatibility information ↩

  10. Retro Freak Reviews – - Gameplay mechanics and police procedure requirements ↩ ↩2

  11. Sierra Chest - General Info – - Development history and gameplay details ↩

  12. PC Gamer - Police Quest: Open Season – - Contemporary retrospective review and Gates quotes ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  13. MobyGames User Review - ETJB – - User review on realism and gameplay ↩

  14. Only Solitaire Substack – - Detailed technical and design analysis ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  15. MobyGames - Main Entry – - Development trivia and location details ↩

  16. Adventure Gamers Blog – - Development background and team information ↩

  17. GameSpot User Review – - User review on gameplay mechanics and issues ↩

  18. Wikipedia - Police Quest: Open Season – - Development notes and writing process ↩

  19. [Kagi FastGPT Review Data](kagi:fastgpt:What were the review scores for Police Quest Open Season video game?) – - Aggregated review scores ↩

  20. IMDb - Main Entry – - Cast, crew, and user ratings ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  21. My Abandonware – - User ratings and community comments ↩ ↩2

  22. Just Games Retro – - Retrospective review and gameplay analysis ↩

  23. Adventure Gamers Review – - Modern retrospective assessment ↩ ↩2

  24. Alex Bevilacqua Blog – - Personal retrospective review ↩

  25. Adventure Game Hotspot – - Critical retrospective analysis ↩

  26. MobyGames User Reviews – - Multiple user review compilation ↩

  27. Adventure Gamers Search Results – - Jim Walls departure information ↩

  28. Sierra Chest - Walkthrough – - Game development background ↩

  29. [Kagi FastGPT Development Data](kagi:fastgpt:What year was Police Quest Open Season video game released and who developed it?) – - Basic development facts ↩ ↩2

  30. MobyGames User Review - Katakis – - Technical innovation details ↩

  31. MyAbandonware Search – - Technical specifications ↩

  32. Sierra Gamers - Police Quest 4 – - Technology and development resources ↩

  33. Abandonware DOS Search – - Platform and release information ↩

  34. MobyGames User Review - jTrippy – - Voice acting and dialogue information ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  35. HowLongToBeat Search – - Technical engine information ↩

  36. MobyGames User Review Analysis – - Technical achievement comparisons ↩

  37. IMDb Search Results – - Production technology details ↩

  38. TV Tropes Forum Discussion – - Manual and documentation details ↩ ↩2

  39. Police Quest Fandom Wiki – - Complete voice cast listing and character credits ↩

  40. GOG Forum Discussion – - Digital distribution platform availability ↩ ↩2

  41. Steam Search – - Current digital availability ↩

  42. Internet Archive Manual – - Game manual preservation ↩

  43. Internet Archive Video Review – - Video playthrough preservation ↩

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