COP BASTARD Story: Katashi vs the Yakuza in 1990s Osaka
One bad cop, one rotten city, told in comic panels.
The COP BASTARD story is a classic revenge setup: detective Katashi, a self-described bastard of the Osaka police force, wages a one-man war against the yakuza that run his city. The plot plays out between firefights through Max Payne-style comic panels, keeping the pace violent and the storytelling lean.
The setup
The game's Japanese subtitle, which translates roughly to a worthless cop, tells you everything about Katashi's self-image. Set in 1990s Osaka, the story follows a detective who has stopped playing by the rules and started settling scores. The yakuza hold the city, and Katashi intends to take it apart, corridor by corridor.
Told in comic panels
Between missions, the story unfolds through illustrated comic-style panels, a direct nod to Max Payne's groundbreaking presentation. The format suits the game:
- It keeps momentum between firefights.
- It gives the noir tone a visual voice.
- It lets a solo developer deliver cinematic storytelling without cinematic budgets.
Tone and influences
The story wears its influences openly: John Woo's Hard Boiled and Hong Kong action cinema, Max Payne's noir grit and Shadow Warrior's irreverent edge, including chatty enemies in the spirit of that game's mooks. Our inspirations page maps each influence to what the game does with it.
Why the story works
The plot is simple, and that is the design. The game never mistakes narrative depth for its actual job, which is delivering six hours of escalating corridor combat. Katashi's war on the yakuza is an excuse, a very good one, for the mechanics to shine.
FAQ
Who is the main character in COP BASTARD?
Detective Katashi, an Osaka cop at war with the yakuza. See our Katashi profile.
Is the story long?
The campaign runs around six hours by player reports, with most of the narrative delivered in comic-panel interludes.
Is COP BASTARD based on a real story?
No. It is original fiction in the tradition of Hong Kong action cinema and noir cop stories.
Related pages
Related Guides
COP BASTARD Inspirations: Hard Boiled, Max Payne and F.E.A.R.
The games and films behind COP BASTARD: John Woo's Hard Boiled, Max Payne's comic panels, F.E.A.R. gunplay feel and Shadow Warrior's chatty mooks, mapped to features.
COP BASTARD Setting: 1990s Osaka and Its Yakuza Underworld
COP BASTARD is set in 1990s Osaka, where detective Katashi fights yakuza criminals through neon-lit streets, cramped corridors and noir-styled interiors.
Katashi: COP BASTARD Main Character and Osaka Detective
Who is Katashi? COP BASTARD's protagonist is a 1990s Osaka detective who rejects police procedure and takes the yakuza head-on in a slow-motion, comic-panel revenge story.