Emergency (game series)

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Emergency series
developer Sixteen Tons Entertainment ,
Quadriga Games
Publisher TopWare Interactive , Take 2 Interactive , Rondomedia , Deep Silver
Designer Ralph Stock
First title Emergency (1998)
Last title Emergency HQ (2018)
Platform (s) Windows , iOS , Android
Genre (s) Real-time strategy , simulation

Emergency is a computer game series of rescue simulations by the German game developer Sixteen Tons Entertainment . The player takes on the role of an operations leader and has to cope with various disaster scenarios with the help of the rescue workers available to him. In most missions, the game series is set in the present, and the graphics are accordingly realistic. While initially the locations are roughly inspired by real locations, but not specifically named, Emergency 5 , for example, takes place in major German cities such as Cologne, Hamburg, Munich or Berlin. The emergency services and their vehicles are designed accordingly. To initiate the respective campaign, missions also take place once in the past, for example in the Middle Ages , when the player is confronted with witch hunts or the plague . Another typical feature of the Emergency series is that the missions are inspired by current affairs - be it natural disasters, terrorism or populism . Current topics are incorporated into a framework.

The publisher of the first part was TopWare Interactive ; From part two, Take 2 worked as a publisher. The Emergency 3 + 4 Gold Edition was published in 2008 by the publisher Rondomedia . From Emergency 2012 , Deep Silver took over sales.

Gameplay

Emergency history.png

In Emergency , the player takes control of units from the fire brigade, rescue service, police and, from Emergency 3, also those of the technical relief organization . The central element of the emergency games is the location: this is where the rescue workers come in. In the first two parts, a change of scene to the ambulance was necessary to alert the emergency services. In the Emergency 3 campaign , the emergency services are first called to the edge of the map of the location (assembly point). In free play, on the other hand, after being called, they wait for orders from the player in front of the exit of the ambulance station. Since part 4, the call of the emergency services has been done conveniently via a pop-up menu.

The controls are based on classic real-time strategy games . With the left mouse button you select the units, with a click of the right mouse button you move them to the place where the mouse pointer is. Actions are also carried out with the right mouse button. A symbol on the mouse pointer shows the player what action can be performed on the object in question. Multiple selections are also possible by clicking and dragging the left mouse pointer. The camera work is similarly typical of the genre: the arrow keys move the camera, the middle mouse button rotates it. In addition, the camera follows when the player moves the mouse pointer to an edge of the screen.

With exceptions, missions and tasks are based on realistic rescue operations. Each mission takes place in its own location. After solving all the tasks and a short evaluation (how many emergency services were deployed, all goals were achieved, there were losses, etc.) the game unlocks the next task.

Main series

Emergency: Fighters for Life

Emergency: Fighters for Life has 30 scenarios that are sorted according to increasing difficulty. Scenarios include, for example, an accident on a racetrack, a plane crash, a flood, a traffic accident and a bomb threat. In some cases, secondary conditions must be met that go beyond mere damage control. For example, an arsonist must be arrested. There are 20 different rescue vehicles available to the player. The representation is two-dimensional.

reception

According to a test report by Chip (magazine) , the game is technically not up to date, but this is offset by loving details. Despite the similar course of the individual disasters, the challenge and motivation are preserved thanks to different scenarios. The game magazine Gamestar rated the game with 56%

Emergency 2: The Ultimate Fight for Life

Emergency 2: The Ultimate Fight for Life has a campaign with 25 deployment scenarios. The missions range from a train accident at a level crossing to a plane crash or an alien attack. Compared to the first part of the series, the graphics and especially the controls have been revised. In addition, the rescue units can move inside buildings for the first time. The number of units has also grown to 40.

On July 24, 2003, a deluxe edition of Emergency 2 was released, which has two new missions and voice control.

reception

Gameswelt : 70% - Quote: "All in all, the game makes a more mature impression than the first part and will give both beginners and professionals a few hours of action."

Emergency 3: Mission Life

Emergency 3: Mission Life is the first game in the series to feature 3D graphics . In addition to the 20 missions, there is for the first time the Free Play mode (English for “free game”), in which various random missions must be completed in a city. In addition, a map editor has been added with which you can create your own levels and mods .

A free demo version of Emergency 3 is available in which the first mission “Accident at road construction site” can be played.

Units and vehicles

As in the previous versions, emergency services from the categories police, fire brigade and rescue service are available. There are also emergency services from the technical relief organization and an emergency vehicle with an engineer who is responsible for damaged railway barriers or switch boxes in the game. In the game, however, these units are always referred to as “technical assistants” (or TEC), as the designation “THW” would violate the Federal Agency's trademark protection. The number of different rescue units is 35.

reception

Comment: "It is actually very attractive to drive through the streets like the fire brigade - with flashing lights and a siren." (ComputerBild Spiele, 03/2005)

Emergency 4: Global Fighters for Life

In Emergency 4: Global Fighters for Life , the campaign again has 20 missions. In addition, there are several foreign missions where the player has to decide at the beginning which units to fly in. Between the more elaborate missions, the action takes place in a fictional city in which everyday operations occur. For the first time in the Emergency series, there is also a cooperative multiplayer mode with which players can master missions together over the Internet. The graphics and controls have been optimized compared to the third part. In Emergency 4 there is also the possibility to play not only in the campaign, but also in the free play mode and to achieve a high score.

Like its predecessor, Emergency 4 also contains a map editor with which additional content can be created and previous content can be adapted. This possibility has created a large fan and modding community around the game over time.

Emergency 4 was offered in two different flavors when it was released. In addition to the normal version, Take 2 Interactive also sold a deluxe edition. This includes an additional mission, a second map for free play mode and voice control. A Gold Edition followed, which Rondomedia took over distribution. The Gold Edition contains the Deluxe Edition without voice control and also the predecessor Emergency 3.

The free demo version includes a training mission as well as the first two missions “Construction crane crashed into church!” And “Tire store is on fire!”.

reception

As with the predecessors, the reviews were partly positive and partly average.

  • PC Games 6/06: 65% "Emergency 4 passes Fire Department 3 - but only just."
  • PC PowerPlay 5/06: 84% “Great fire spectacle. Here my incentive is huge to master a mission perfectly. "
  • GameStar 6/06: 73% "Atmospheric rescue simulation."
  • PC Action 6/06: 62% "Lovers of the previous parts and those who have been patient are great!"
  • Computer Bild Spiele 6/06: Grade 1.96 (81%) "The game is anything but a catastrophe."

In the ranking of the "best fire department games for PC, smartphone and console" in the ranking of the fire department magazine , Emergency 4 still came in first place in 2019.

Emergency 5

On November 27, 2014, Deep Silver released Emergency 5 , the official successor to Emergency 4 . Sixteen Tons Entertainment was again responsible for the development.

Emergency 5 offers a completely new mission and campaign mode, in which large-scale missions and everyday events alternate, especially larger mission cards, improved controls and a realistic and credible game world.

For the first time since the release of Emergency 2, a specially developed or adapted graphics engine was used for the game itself .

Also has Emergency 5 a cooperative multiplayer mode and an editor for their own missions.

reception

Emergency 5 and Emergency 2016 were received very critically by the specialist press. The game magazine GameStar speaks of a "miserable technical implementation". During the development of the software, performance was clearly not taken into account, so the game crashes in various missions with both the minimum and recommended hardware configuration or becomes almost unplayable due to a frame rate below 15 frames per second. According to Computer Bild , Emergency 5 was a messed up restart that fans of the series should still give a chance to.

Spin-offs

Emergency Police

Emergency Police uses the same graphics and controls as the first series part Emergency - Fighters for Life . The special task force is an additional unit . Emergency Police differs from the rest of the game series in that there are only police missions, such as hostage-taking and rampages.

reception

PC Player 1/2001: 59% "... the original game idea is being destroyed by outdated graphics and impossible controls."

Emergency 2012: The world on the brink

On October 29, 2010, the second spin-off announced by Deep Silver on February 11, 2010 appeared with the title Emergency 2012. However, this was not developed by Sixteen Tons Entertainment, but by Quadriga Games under the direction of Ralph Stock , which was also developed at Sixteen Tons Entertainment was responsible for developing the Emergency series. The biggest change in Emergency 2012 is the switch to a newer version of the Trinigy graphics engine with contemporary graphics.

In contrast to the parts of the main series, Emergency 2012 focuses on global catastrophes such as heat waves, nuclear reactor accidents and snow disasters.

The game is available in a normal and an extended “deluxe” version, which, in addition to three other missions, also contains a USB flashing light and a DVD with a fire department theme and is limited to several thousand copies. Emergency 2012 was also released for the Nintendo DS on November 24, 2010. Emergency 2012 Deluxe is also included in the Emergency 2013 to 2017 games and in the Emergency 20 anniversary edition.

reception

The reviews for Emergency 2012 are also mixed:

PCGames: 80% "Demanding strategy instead of a lame sim." Gamestar: 66% "Bulky missions for frustrated series fans." 4players: 60% "It doesn't exactly play like the fire department simulation of the 21st century, because it has too many quirks for that. that could be eliminated beforehand. "spieletipps.de 70%" Virtual lifesavers are active worldwide in disaster control. There is a lack of operation and the overview. "

Emergency 2013

Emergency 2013 is an expanded version of the Emergency 2012 game. In addition to the content of the deluxe edition, it also includes a campaign with four new missions and a new freeplay map. In addition, new units, such as a fire drone, are available to the player. The game was released on November 9, 2012 and can be purchased in digital form as well as on DVD.

reception

4players: 56% "A wash of the predecessor that offers too little new content."

Emergency 2014

Emergency 2014 is an expanded version of the Emergency 2013 game. In addition to the contents of Emergency 2013 and Emergency 2012 DELUXE, this version contains new units and more than 20 missions and additional cards for free play and unpredictable random events. The game was released on November 15, 2013.

reception

spieletest.at: 70% The editors of spielest.at criticize the small size of the update. "For next year I would finally like to have a real successor again!"

Emergency 2016

Emergency 2016 is an expanded version of Emergency 5, but is being marketed by the publisher as a full version of a new game. The game does not differ from its predecessor either technically or graphically. Improvements have been made, which are also available as a patch on the official website for owners of Emergency 5. Emergency 2016 consists of all the contents of Emergency 5, and a new vehicle has been added, which can only be played in the campaign. Emergency 2016 was released on October 15, 2015. Players who already own Emergency 5 can buy Emergency 2016 as an add-on at a reduced price.

reception

Computer Bild rated Emergency 2016 as Satisfactory (grade 2.7). The magazine praises the motivating tasks, but criticizes the operation and AI.

Emergency 2017

Emergency 2017 - Use Against Terrorism is an expanded version of Emergency 2016, but is being marketed by the publisher as a full version of a new game. The game does not differ from its predecessor either technically or graphically. Improvements have been made, which are available on the official website, but also as a patch for owners of Emergency 5 and 2016. Emergency 2017 consists of all the content from Emergency 5 Deluxe and Emergency 2016, plus a new unit including vehicle and a new campaign with five missions. Emergency 2017 was released on October 27, 2016. Players who already own Emergency 5 or 2016 can purchase Emergency 2017 at a reduced price. Emergency 2017 also features an editor for the first time in the 2000 series, which, according to the manufacturer, should be more user-friendly than the previous editors.

reception

According to the Gamestar test, there have been improvements compared to its predecessor, but the game is only for fans (rating: 58%).

Emergency 20

Emergency 20 is an expanded version of Emergency 2017 that was released on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the game series. The game is being marketed by the publisher as a full version of a new game. It does not differ from its predecessor either technically or graphically. Improvements have been made, which are available on the official site, but also as a patch for owners of Emergency 5, 2016 and 2017. Emergency 20 consists of all content from Emergency 5, Emergency 2016 and Emergency 2017, and 10 of the most popular missions from Emergency 1 to 4 have been re-enacted in a campaign. For each of these 10 missions there is a "backstage video" in which the developers talk about the creation of this mission and the development of Emergency. Emergency 20 was released on October 27, 2017. Players who already own Emergency 2016 or 2017 can purchase Emergency 20 at a reduced price.

The Complete Emergency

In 2018, a complete edition of almost all previous Emergency titles (with the exception of the first part and Emergency Police) was published to mark the anniversary of the game series. The "classics" are now also available for download via Steam . Apart from the current patches for Emergency 20, this collection does not offer any innovations.

Offshoots for handhelds

Emergency DS

At the Games Convention 2008 Rondomedia presented the first Nintendo DS port of the Emergency series as Emergency DS . The game was released on November 26th, 2008. The game contains five scenarios, each containing four missions, some of which are already known from earlier Emergency games. Ralph Stock later expressed dissatisfaction with Emergency DS sales.

reception

Emergency DS was nominated in 2009 for the first German computer game award in the "Best Mobile Game" category.

Emergency for mobile devices

In Emergency for mobile devices, the player controls 18 different vehicles of the fire brigade, rescue service, police and technical units as operations manager . In this mobile game, the player controls his emergency services through 13 disaster scenarios. The game was released on June 27, 2012 for Apple iOS and on March 21, 2013 for Android .

reception

According to the test at Golem.de , the iPad version of Emergency is recommended, not only for fans of the version for the PC. In 2013 Emergency iPad was nominated for the German Computer Game Award.

Emergency HQ

Emergency HQ is a 2018 released free-to-play spin-off for Android and iOS . The rescue operations are usually very similar. The player calls up the required vehicles and can assign tasks to the emergency services. When all tasks have been completed, the player receives coins as a reward. With the coins collected, the player can improve his buildings and vehicles and advance in rank to unlock more areas and missions. Waiting times and improvements can be avoided, typical of free-to-play, with microtransactions and a premium currency called “EMeralds”, which can be purchased with real money.

reception

According to Pocket PC magazine, Emergency HQ was "a strong classic for the mobile gaming market".

Comparable games

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Emergency - Fighters for Life , article October 31, 2000, accessed September 11, 2019
  2. ^ Emergency Fighters for Life.Retrieved September 11, 2019
  3. ^ Emergency 2 , article October 16, 2002, accessed September 11, 2019
  4. ↑ Fire Department Magazine : Fire Department Simulator & Co .: The best fire department games for PC, smartphone & console , article from March 15, 2019, accessed on September 12, 2019
  5. ↑ http://www.gamestar.de/spiele/emergency-5/test/emergency_5,48823,3080955.html
  6. ↑ http://www.gamestar.de/spiele/emergency-5/news/emergency_5,48823,3080839.html
  7. ↑ Emergency 5 Deluxe PC , accessed September 11, 2019
  8. ↑ Emergency 2016: Defeat the Black Death! , accessed on September 11, 2019
  9. ↑ Emergency 2017 in the test - The same terror , accessed on September 11, 2019
  10. ↑ Emergency Newstime: Special Edition 18 (PDF; 1.1 MB) . May 11th, 2013.
  11. ↑ The nominations for the first German Computer Game Award have been made , accessed on September 12, 2019
  12. ↑ Golem.de: Saving lives on the iPad , accessed on September 12, 2019
  13. ↑ German Computer Game Award : Nominations for the German Computer Game Award: 21 games in the race for the coveted awards , accessed on September 12, 2019
  14. ↑ App of the day: Emergency HQ - new part of the popular series published on itopnews.de, accessed on June 3, 2018
  15. ↑ Alluded to: Emergency HQ is a new edition of the well-known Emergency HD , accessed on September 11, 2019