The previous game jam entries by some of the team members set expectations high, and I wasn't disappointed. Most obviously, the presentation oozes production value in a way one would think approaches the limits of what can be achieved with Ren'py in one month; the opening transition is insanely smooth, I like how the different UI styles emphasize the fluid structure of the narrative, and the animations and the interactive segments are pure fun. The collapsible sidebar for the buttons maybe comes off as a gimmick taken too far – it doesn't cover much of the screen in any case – and having tooltips would probably be more elegant than the tutorial, but I appreciate the commitment to experimenting with this kind of stuff. Worth shouting out is the sound design, too; it's a treat for all the senses.
But let all that not distract from how the story itself stuns with its enjoyably pulpy subject matter (the first conversation the two police office characters had involving donuts and racial profiling made me howl with excitement) and sharp prose. It's exciting, it's moody, it's brisk. As with One More Light, what really pulled me in were the slower, quieter sections; I tangibly felt myself getting absorbed into the plot in the bar scene that involved nothing more than a couple of characters talking with each other. For something with setpieces this flashy, I'm thankful that what lies between them feels just as well thought out and just as carefully crafted.
The "to be continued" title card stings, especially when the game looked to be a relatively satisfying self-contained read, but that is no cause for holding the five stars. Looking forward to the rest, and wherever the story leads after that.