Disaster Report

"A very very good game!"

Introduction- Disaster Report is a very unique game about a city the was struck by an earth quake and you have to survive it. So onto the review...

Gameplay 10/10- There was an earthquake on Capital City and an unlucky you has to survive it. Basically most of the game consists of going around the city navigating though terrain and saving other survivors. I found the controls very good but honestly, how bad could they be? The game has a cool original ''Thirst system''. You have a Blue meter under the health bar. Things like running and hanging off ledges make you thirstier and the meter will go down, but even walking will raise your Thirst. Once your meter is empty, you start to dehydrate and lose health and running and walking speed is greatly lowered. Drinking from fountains and water bottles fills your meter though so thirst isn’t a
Problem at all.

Story 6/10- You play as Keith Helm, a reporter for the Town Crier Newspaper. He just moved to the man made Stiver Island but on the train from Airport Island to Capital City (witch is basically the entire island) there is an earth quake. He gets knocked out and when he awakes no one is anywhere near him, so it’s up to you to guide him through the island. It’s not very important so I give it a 6

Graphics 7/10 - There ok...it’s not bad but it’s not too impressive. A lot of the game is very grey but it’s a city so I guess it should be. Also everything is all blurred a few feet away from you. It was sort of annoying at first but now im kinda liking it. One very bad part of the graphics is slowdown. You could be walking down the street when all of a sudden things slow down like it was in Bullet Time or something. It could really get on your nerves. One thing about the cut scene’s they are very bad. The characters mouth doesn’t even move when speaking and the animation is bad during them. In conversations they barley even move.

Sound 8/10 - the game is very quiet. Most of the time you hear foot steps. even when characters talk sometimes you wont even hear anything. It’s almost as if the voice actors were lazy and only voiced important parts. But most of the ambient sounds are ok.

Play Time/Replayability 6/10- It depends on how fast you find the correct route or find an object etc. but on average you could get to the last levels in a few hours. I know im sill playing it, and I got it in May, but I don’t think other people will play as much as I did, especially since it’s not very long.

Final Recommendation - I can’t say ''if you liked that get this'' because I cant find any game to compare this too. But I think it will please most people because it’s fun and interesting. I've never seen this in a block buster but if you find a place to rent it, do that. If you really think you will like it then buy it. I don’t think its that much money now.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 10/15/03