EMERGENCY

63%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,478 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • monetization
EMERGENCY Game Cover
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Save lives – be a hero! Join forces against the chaos in the newest title of the award-winning Emergency series. Take up your shift as incident commander and coordinate with other players to fight fires, arrest gangsters and rescue injured civilians. Your city needs you!

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

63%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,478 reviews
gameplay57 positive mentions
story26 negative mentions
  • The game is free to play, making it accessible to a wide audience.
  • Gameplay is fun and engaging, especially in multiplayer mode with friends.
  • Graphics are decent and provide a visually appealing experience.
  • The game heavily relies on microtransactions, making progression feel grindy and frustrating.
  • Limited to only 5 units at a time, which restricts gameplay and strategy.
  • Many players feel it lacks the depth and complexity of previous Emergency titles, making it feel more like a mobile game.
  • story286 mentions

    The game's story aspect is largely criticized for its absence, with many users noting that it lacks a coherent narrative or engaging campaign, reducing the experience to repetitive, isolated missions. Players express disappointment over the simplistic mission structure and the absence of meaningful character development or overarching plotlines, which were hallmarks of previous titles in the series. Overall, the game feels more like a mobile title focused on microtransactions rather than a rich, story-driven experience.

    • “The game has gotten better since launch, I like the idea of the operation map but the game really lacks the original game's campaign mode, with major events that required some time to complete, as opposed to compartmentalized smaller missions which are fun but can become repetitive.”
    • “You deploy firefighters and then paramedics to treat the injured, then you call up police to deal with bystanders, and then you find evidence that this was arson. You deal with some other emergencies, get to meet the crew, and all these emergencies are linked, and there is some kind of terrorist plot to throw the city into chaos for the new election of the corrupt mayor, and the only thing standing in their way is this newbie call center guy who just was in the right place at the right time.”
    • “Previous games offered a structured and engaging storyline that guided players through various scenarios, which is sorely missed in this installment.”
    • “Comparing to similar titles, Emergency impresses with its high-stakes strategy mechanics, but lacks depth in the storyline and character development.”
    • “The game lacks a single-player campaign, there’s no mod support, the unit placement is overly restrictive, allowing you to deploy units only in preset spots, and the limitation of just 5 vehicle slots during missions is frustrating in complex scenarios.”
    • “The missions are repeated without any change, and there are few units to choose from, and only 5 units can be used at the same time.”
  • gameplay259 mentions

    The gameplay of the latest installment in the "Emergency" series has received mixed reviews, with many players noting a significant simplification compared to previous titles. While some appreciate the fun and engaging multiplayer aspects, the overall experience is marred by repetitive missions, limited mechanics, and a heavy emphasis on microtransactions that detracts from the enjoyment. Critics argue that the game feels more like a mobile port, lacking the depth and strategic elements that defined earlier entries in the franchise.

    • “Overall, it's a fun free game, highly recommend and I hope they strive to improve gameplay.”
    • “The higher levels of incidents are actually quite challenging while the smaller levels are more relaxed, providing a great experience for all player levels.”
    • “The gameplay is a nice resource management experience, where you have 5 unit slots to call in any unit you like, turning the game into a fun balancing act.”
    • “While initially promising, the game falls short due to its limited content and repetitive gameplay.”
    • “The heavy emphasis on monetization, coupled with the lack of a campaign mode, a free single-player open world, and the overly guided gameplay, makes it a disappointing addition to the series.”
    • “Gone are the intricate gameplay mechanics and strategic challenges that once defined the 'emergency' series.”
  • monetization136 mentions

    The monetization model of the game has been heavily criticized for its excessive reliance on microtransactions, which many players feel detracts from the overall experience and turns it into a cash grab reminiscent of mobile games. While some reviews note that microtransactions are not strictly necessary to enjoy the game, the aggressive push for in-game purchases and the presence of lootboxes have left a negative impression, leading to calls for a return to a more traditional, paid model without such intrusive monetization tactics. Overall, the game's monetization practices have overshadowed its potential, disappointing fans of the franchise.

    • “The free version limits players' progress, forcing them to spend money on microtransactions to improve character abilities, change appearances, and enhance vehicle capabilities.”
    • “This aggressive monetization strategy disrupts the natural flow of gameplay, turning what could have been an enjoyable experience into a frustrating and expensive endeavor.”
    • “Yes, it has microtransactions, but as far as I can tell, it's largely just for cosmetics and I haven't felt any need to buy them or anything else in the store.”
    • “The heavy emphasis on monetization, coupled with the lack of a campaign mode, a free single-player open world, and the overly guided gameplay, makes it a disappointing addition to the series.”
    • “It's disheartening to witness a promising game devolve into a cash grab, sacrificing integrity for profit.”
    • “Microtransactions have infested the game like a plague, turning what should have been a fun and immersive experience into a money-grabbing scheme.”
  • graphics136 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the improved visuals and detailing compared to previous titles, describing them as "good" or "nice" for a free game. However, several users criticize the graphics for feeling outdated or poorly optimized, likening them to mobile game standards and expressing frustration over performance issues. Overall, while the graphics are generally seen as a positive aspect, they are overshadowed by concerns regarding gameplay and optimization.

    • “The graphics are stunning, the animations and music are pretty good and there's a decent variety of emergencies.”
    • “Graphics and attention to detail on 3D models are quite impressive, no grainy texture particles, just nice clean and crisp.”
    • “I like the improvement in graphics and animations, massive progress since the last emergency game.”
    • “The graphics in this game are passable, but could be better.”
    • “Game graphically looks awful, the extremely high sharpness filter mixed with grainy shadows and reflection just makes this game look very cheap.”
    • “The graphics are terrible even at the highest setting.”
  • grinding60 mentions

    The game is widely criticized for its excessive grinding, with many players feeling that it requires an unrealistic time investment to progress, often likening it to needing a "second life." While some enjoy the cooperative aspects and find the gameplay fun initially, the repetitive nature of missions and the slow upgrade system lead to boredom and frustration over time. Additionally, the free-to-play model heavily incentivizes microtransactions, making grinding feel even more tedious for those who choose not to spend money.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “However, the game is a bit too grindy for my taste.”
    • “The progress in the upgrade system is also designed to be as slow and tedious as possible.”
    • “After 12 hours grinding the same missions over and over again, I gave up; it got so boring!”
  • optimization33 mentions

    The game's optimization has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many players reporting severe performance issues, including low frame rates and high resource usage even on high-end hardware. While a few users noted smooth performance, the general consensus highlights significant optimization problems that detract from the overall experience, leading to frustration and dissatisfaction.

    • “This game is well-optimized and detailed.”
    • “All I have to say is that the game is very good, runs smoothly with good graphics, and is definitely worth a try.”
    • “The performance of this game is excellent, very smooth with constant 100+ fps on my 3070ti (laptop version) + 12900h.”
    • “Then we have the optimization... honestly, I think it doesn’t exist... a graphics card at 100% and 20 fps in the tutorial (1080 Ti), but the same thing happens with better generations... not even Crysis pushes it to that extreme.”
    • “It's a very fun game, but it's incredibly poorly optimized.”
    • “The game's performance is all over the place - sometimes I get 30 fps, other times I get 90 fps.”
  • music10 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players appreciate the good soundtrack and its ability to complement the graphics and gameplay, others criticize the lack of variety, noting that it features only one track or repetitive sound effects. Overall, the music contributes positively to the game's atmosphere, but its limited diversity leaves some players wanting more.

    • “The game with the biggest modding community, amazing music, amazing free roam, amazing campaign, and amazing gameplay.”
    • “Graphically everything just works really nicely, with sound effects and music to complement. The ambience is pretty good and sets a good overall tone.”
    • “Good soundtrack (yeah, it's from the older games, but that doesn't change the fact).”
    • “There is no music in this game.”
    • “It has the same exact music as E3.”
    • “Only one music, yes, one.”
  • stability9 mentions

    The game's stability is frequently criticized due to various bugs and glitches, particularly affecting unit selection and matchmaking, which can lead to frustrating experiences. While some players report smooth graphics and overall good performance, the persistent issues detract from the gameplay, especially in multiplayer modes. Developers appear to be addressing these problems, but many users feel that significant improvements are still needed.

    • “The gameplay is smooth, crisp, and not buggy, with no lag, making it feel really good overall.”
    • “The game runs flawlessly, providing a stable experience that enhances immersion.”
    • “I appreciate how stable the game is; it rarely crashes and maintains a consistent frame rate.”
    • “The game suffers from some weird bugs and glitches that the developer seems to have overlooked, which can hinder the experience.”
    • “The matchmaking system sometimes glitches with long waiting times and game loading issues, but the team appears to be working on it.”
    • “I was unable to play co-op for the entire day due to matchmaking being broken and buggy.”
  • humor8 mentions

    The humor in the game is described as a mix of intentional and unintentional comedy, with players finding amusement in both mini-games and the overall communication during gameplay. While some moments may come off as depressive, they can also be perceived as funny, especially in a cooperative setting with friends. Overall, the humor adds to the enjoyment of the game, making it a fun experience.

    • “As a mini game, it's funny and good 👍”
    • “The communication makes it very funny.”
    • “Played this game with friends and it was very funny!”
  • replayability7 mentions

    The reviews present a mixed perspective on replayability, with some users highlighting that the game lacks replay value due to repetitive gameplay and limited scenarios, while others praise titles like Emergency 4 for their strategic depth and extensive customization options that enhance replayability. Overall, the consensus suggests that the game's replayability is significantly hindered compared to previous titles in the genre.

    • “infinitely replayable”
    • “Emergency 4 with a few mods continues to blow these newer games out of the water, with more customization, more content, and more replayability.”
    • “Emergency's strategic depth ensures replayability.”
    • “This omission severely limits the game's replay value and the sense of immersion that previous titles provided.”
    • “Not gonna lie, there is no replay value to this game; the gameplay is just like the tutorial.”
    • “Where is the replayability here? Once you’ve earned whatever you wanted, you’ll go right back to playing the same preset scenarios again.”
  • atmosphere3 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is marred by a toxic community, largely attributed to the developers' profit-driven approach that compromises fair gameplay. However, the game still manages to evoke a sense of intensity, providing players with a quick yet immersive experience.

    • “Furthermore, the developers' apparent focus on profits at the expense of fair gameplay has led to a toxic community atmosphere.”
    • “It is meant to be a simplified quick game where you still get to feel the atmosphere of intense situations.”
  • emotional3 mentions

    Players express deep emotional disappointment with the game, feeling that it evokes overwhelming sadness reminiscent of personal loss. Many believe that the game's potential is marred by microtransactions and changes to beloved mechanics, leading to a heart-wrenching experience that tarnishes the franchise's legacy.

    • “The overwhelming sadness this game has made me feel is worse than when Barb left me and took the kids.”
    • “This game had the potential to be perfect, but it turned into a heart-wrenching disappointment that tarnishes the reputation of a once-beloved franchise.”
  • character development1 mentions

    While "Emergency" excels in high-stakes strategy mechanics, it falls short in terms of storyline and character development, leaving players wanting more depth in the characters' arcs compared to similar titles.

    • “Compared to similar titles, Emergency impresses with its high-stakes strategy mechanics, but lacks depth in the storyline and character development.”
    • “The characters feel one-dimensional and their arcs are predictable, making it hard to invest in their journeys.”
    • “There is little to no growth for the characters throughout the game, leaving them feeling static and unengaging.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

6hMedian play time
17hAverage play time
4-30hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 12 analyzed playthroughs

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