PlayStation 2

Firefighter F.D. 18

FF FD18 is unlike anything else on the market and it has a high degree of quality to boot. Anyone interested in firefighting or someone just looking for something different should really give it a chance. I’ll be honest, I really didn’t know what to expect going in, I mean, “How fun can spraying water at fire be?” Turns out its pretty darn fun and compelling. Give it a shot.

So what’s the end result? Firefighter F.D. 18 is a fun game for the most part, but it does seem to get a little repetitive. While rescuing the survivors is the main focus of the game, fighting the boss fires is where the real fun is. Unfortunately that is just a small part of the game. Firefighter F.D. 18 also gets points for being a unique game. How many firefighter games can you think of? For most gamers, this game is definitely a rental. Not because it is a bad game, it’s just the game is a little on the short side.

Firefighter F.D. 18 is a rock-solid rental at the very least. However, at $40 and dropping, it’s not a bad pickup, either. It’s a good way to test your gaming skills, and to have friends test theirs. More importantly, this is also one of those games that outright begs for a bigger, badder and hotter (pun fully intended) sequel. Konami’s proven that they’ve gotten the concept down pat, and can make an enjoyable game out of it. Should they take it to the next level, I doubt any complaints will be heard.

Firefighter F.D. 18 definitely gets points for originality, but its interesting concepts, such as the whole boss fire thing, and its quirky nature are hamstrung by clunky controls and repetitive gameplay. If you look past all the smoke, Firefighter isn't much more than a third-person shooter where you can check the inventory of your arsenal on one hand. If the game's concept intrigues you, Firefighter is definitely worth renting, but it's a much more difficult game to recommend for purchase.

Original mais un tantinet répétitif, voilà qui pourrait caractériser Firefighter F.D.18. Reposant sur des bases saines et solides, composées d'un regard nouveau sur le jeu d'action-aventure, d'une approche cinématographique et d'un gameplay sympathique, l'édifice est frappé de plein fouet par une absence notable de phases relançant l'intérêt, et du maigre étalage de possibilités proposées au héros. Ce qui aurait pu être une petite révolution ludique "n'est" au final qu'un bon jeu, qui sous des airs un tant soit peu austères cache une implication intéressante. Espérons qu'une suite plus aboutie voit le jour, et l'intensité de ce métier à part pourra peut-être s'avérer rendue de façon passionnée. Un bon essai, à réserver aux amateurs de titres différents.

That's not to say that Firefighters is wholly a failure. If you're willing to learn its patterns and work to counteract them, it offers a challenge that's quite unlike any other game on the market these days. It's occasionally frustrating, yes, but it is, at least, frustrating in a new way. You might want to rent it, just to see if you'd be interested.

Firefighter F.D. 18 is a fun fire-fighting experience that can be a little too linear and repetitive when it comes to the constant blazes. Even so, with such a limited amount that Konami could do with such a title, there's enough variety in the obstacles and the bosses to keep things interesting. The storyline certainly won't keep you going.

Tendo em vista o excelente trabalho feito no antigo "The Firemen", é uma pena que a Konami não tenha tentado dar mais variedade à fórmula do game. Mas aqueles que sempre sonharam em ser bombeiros finalmente terão uma chance de ver de perto que o trabalho deles é mais complicado do que apenas usar sua escada para tirar gatos de árvores.

One thing the game has working against it is the bland, repetitive environments. The maze-like office buildings are uninteresting, and crawling through vents is a chore. One thing F.D. 18 has working for it is its intriguing, cinematic style. Its storyline involves a blonde reporter and a psychotic arsonist, and its movie-quality musical score is outstanding. Dramatic and intense, with an ominous undercurrent, the soundtrack lends real weight to the subject. Fighterfighter F.D. 18 may not set the world on fire, but its nice pacing and excellent production values make this one worthwhile if you have any interest in the subject.

Wow, last month I reviewed a weird lowrider car-dancing game, this month it’s fire fighting. Hmmm…look forward to next issue for my write-up on Super Bocce Ball 4. As a fire fighting game, this doesn’t match the style of Sega’s old arcade cabinet, Brave Firefighters, which actually featured two awesome hose controllers. Without this novelty factor, the concept becomes a slow slog through dark and dreary levels filled with fire, survivors, and flame-retardant foam. Seriously, this is essentially the world’s slowest third-person shooter with hoses instead of rifles. Unless Backdraft is your favorite film and the Men of the New York Fire Department calendar is on your cubicle wall [cough, Reiner, cough], you should probably take a pass on Firefighter F.D. 18.

The fire effects may be well done and the idea of firefighting is one I'd like to see explored again in a different game, but I'd have a very hard time recommending Firefighter F.D. 18 to anyone. Rather from the bold, unique effort I hoped it would be, it's a weak, contrived bore that never gets off the ground. A four alarm blaze? More like a soggy day-old campfire.