The article considers scientific and methodological approaches to modeling didactic games in higher education. Based on the experience of training officers of the National Guard of Ukraine, the pedagogical features of game modeling in teaching students of the master's degree of higher military educational institution to negotiate in a situation of hostage-taking by criminals are revealed. It is noted that game modeling today is considered an effective method of socio-cultural design and an important tool for forming project thinking personality, development of individual and independent decision-making, mobilization of knowledge and skills, disclosure of personal potential and more. The advantage of games over traditional teaching methods is that in the process of game classes the following psychological and didactic patterns are realized: the principle of immediate application of knowledge; reduction of abstract knowledge and concepts to the level of sensory transformation of material; approximation to the practical understanding of reality and variations of possible situations; activity and casual mobilization of game participants; transformation of abstract knowledge into concrete experiences and behavior, thinking and actions. The types and main structures of role play in teaching master's degree students are analyzed: organizational, role, time, methodological and methodical structure of the game. A game model is proposed during a practical lesson with masters, during which students must collect, process, storage, presentation and use of information in communication with criminals, the existence of a variety of events, the lack of time, abrupt change of circumstances, the possibility of unpredictable and shocking events. It is noted that during the development of the situation the teacher may introduce various imaginary obstacles that prevent students from achieving success, create emotional tension during the game, intellectual overload, discomfort and more. The process of designing a role-playing game for conducting a practical lesson on the subject with students of the master's program of the National Academy is described. The didactic conditions that ensure the success and implementation of the tasks of the role play on the release of hostages are determined. The basic requirements for such games and general mistakes of masters during practical classes are formulated.