"Think before buy it"

Gameplay

One of the simulation game with unique gameplay and theme. It offers more units, vehicles, tools, and attractive missions than its sequel. It's a rescue simulation that should be challenging and fun, but with complicated control and a bit confusing menu, it takes away so many funs from this game. When most simulation games are included with a mini-map or GPS in the game, you will need to use a special car to enable mini-map; this can be frustrated for certain missions. You will also use keyboard very rarely, almost every action done by mouse. There almost no hotkey at all, this makes the game even harder and you can have fun when you handle mouse pretty fast. There also no multiplayer or special modes here, instead, you will play some nonsense missions. Overall, the gameplay is not very enjoyable and it stills far from emergency reality.

Graphics/Sound

It has a nice looking graphic. Not very neat, but you won't see any strange shadow or light effect. All objects are highly illustrated; unless you use zoom with scroll mouse function, the objects will become not clear and looks untidy. All vehicles based on German emergency vehicles are accurate. Movies intro before the beginning of every mission are nice looking with cartoon-style. Sound also matches with background and everything you see on screen. You will hear helicopter's rotor when it's fly, emergency vehicles siren, and even people activity. Every emergency vehicle have their own siren although they sounds similar. Units will also talk and respond to your order. Graphic and sound are two of the only good factors of this game.

Play Time/Replayability

It wouldn't take more than 24 hours to complete this game, at least if you have learned some basic skills of the game. In some points you may feel frustrated and want to skip these, while on the other hands you're curious with what happen next, mostly because you want to see the movies. And, unless you have a lot of extra time, you can play and start the game all over to test your skills and see highest score you can get.

Final Recommendation

Unless you have plenty of money and want to waste them for this game, then it's worth to buy, especially if you're a simulation fan. But still, I wouldn't recommend it much, you better rent this game and find out by yourself how not to waste money for this game. It's better to work as emergency staff since you'll experience the reality and earn money.

Reviewer's Score: 6/10, Originally Posted: 01/10/03, Updated 01/10/03