EMERGENCY 20
- October 31, 2017
- Sixteen Tons Entertainment
- 43h median play time
Get on Steam"EMERGENCY 20" is a real-time strategy game that features 10 classic missions from the past 20 years, as well as the campaigns and multiplayer modes from EMERGENCY 5, EMERGENCY 2016, and EMERGENCY 2017. As an incident commander, you must coordinate rescue workers from four different branches to contain various disasters and make optimal use of your limited units. This edition is suitable for newcomers to the EMERGENCY series.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features beautiful graphics and immersive gameplay that captures the essence of emergency response.
- It offers a variety of missions, including remastered classic scenarios from earlier titles, providing a nostalgic experience for long-time fans.
- The game is easy to learn but hard to master, making it accessible for newcomers while still challenging for veterans.
- The AI pathfinding is often frustrating, with units getting stuck or failing to respond appropriately to commands.
- There are numerous bugs and performance issues, including crashes and slow animations that detract from the overall experience.
- The game lacks depth in terms of content and modding support compared to previous entries in the series, leading to a feeling of missed potential.
- story144 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 81 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game is generally perceived as lacking, with many users noting that there is no overarching narrative or significant plot development. Instead, the focus is on individual missions, which vary in difficulty and complexity, often drawing from previous titles in the series. While some players appreciate the nostalgic remastering of classic missions and the variety of gameplay, the absence of a cohesive story and cinematic elements leaves many feeling disappointed.
“The big events are all tied to the same story and are very action-packed and fun.”
“One of the standout features of Emergency 20 is the attention to detail in its mission design.”
“The remade missions from the other games, with the short backstage videos, are a nice touch.”
“☑ no story”
“Unfortunately, the impressive short films before each mission are missing in this game.”
“This game is pretty basic with not much to do besides the missions.”
- graphics66 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the improvements and overall visual quality compared to previous titles, describing them as "great" and "breathtaking" for mid-range PCs. However, some users have reported performance issues, including lag and crashes on certain graphics cards, and noted the presence of glitches. While the graphics are generally considered a step up, they are not without flaws, and some players feel that they could still use further refinement.
“Graphics and lighting are amazing, gameplay is super immersive.”
“The attention to detail and the graphic overhaul is just fantastic.”
“To start off, emergency 20 is a massive step up from the previous titles; its graphics are breathtaking enough for a mid-range PC to handle and the audio is simply very impressive.”
“The games amazing but playing it on a Mac is difficult; graphics are poor and lag is constant.”
“Graphics suck, don't recommend this at all.”
“Poorly tested; the developers updated the graphics to this game and broke it!”
- gameplay57 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the Emergency series, particularly in Emergency 20, is described as immersive and fun, with a variety of missions that add depth to the experience. However, many users note that the core mechanics have not significantly changed from previous iterations, leading to a sense of repetitiveness and frustration due to AI issues and bugs. While the graphics have improved, some players feel that the gameplay lacks complexity and can feel simplistic compared to earlier titles.
“Graphics and lighting are amazing, gameplay is super immersive.”
“The gameplay is very fun, there are a wide variety of missions and personnel, and it is generally one of the best I have ever played.”
“Its immersive gameplay, realistic scenarios, and the ability to create your own content make it a worthwhile experience for fans of strategy and simulation games.”
“Missions are solely from Emergency 1-3 with worse gameplay.”
“The gameplay is too simple (not too easy, just too simple!) they took all the complexity out and delivered a foolproof game.”
“Overall frustrating gameplay experience.”
- stability16 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- -12 % neutral mentions
- 94 % negative mentions
The game is generally enjoyable but plagued by numerous bugs and glitches that can hinder gameplay, particularly in mission completion and multiplayer modes. While some players appreciate the graphics and overall fun factor, the frequent technical issues, such as disappearing units and animation problems, detract from the experience. Overall, stability remains a significant concern for many users.
“The game is generally not buggy or glitchy, which allows for a smooth and enjoyable experience.”
“I appreciate how stable the game is; it keeps me entertained without any frustrating interruptions.”
“The stability of the game really enhances the overall experience, making it easy to immerse myself in the gameplay.”
“I've only been struggling to complete challenge achievements with bugs making me fail missions, for example, not being able to break down doors on certain buildings and unable to return the drone when it glitches out.”
“However, the game is buggy and really stressful, both in single-player and in co-op.”
“This game is just so buggy; units disappear over time or become unusable, especially SWAT units most of the time.”
- grinding8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessive, often requiring a significant time investment to progress. While some appreciate the abundance of content and achievements, many express frustration with the grind, suggesting it can feel overwhelming and tedious at times.
“Aside from the enormous amount of content you are given, there is even a free endless mode and a ton of achievements to obtain. Although the meteor mission did make me frustrated a tiny bit, the game is difficult with strategy and fun. Of course, do keep in mind there is no grinding to do aside from obtaining tiny amounts of points to unlock new missions and vehicles. I have yet to encounter a bug with this game, so this is a plus. Sure, the vehicles may take a tiny second to get unstuck from an area, but it doesn’t affect any aspect of the game.”
“A bit grindy sometimes.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- optimization6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some users experiencing frequent crashes and poor performance, while others report smooth gameplay on high settings, particularly on M1 Macs. Overall, there is a consensus that the game requires further optimization to enhance stability and performance.
“Runs smoothly on M1 Mac in high graphical settings at 1920x1080 resolution!”
“The optimization has improved significantly, allowing for a seamless gaming experience.”
“The game runs efficiently, even on lower-end hardware, which is impressive!”
“The game is not quite optimized, and sometimes you will experience crashes.”
“It crashes constantly and is very poorly optimized.”
“Still not the best performance.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Overall, the game offers a mix of high replayability due to challenging missions and extra content, providing hours of fun. However, some users feel that certain scenarios are short-lived and lack depth, which may limit replay value for those seeking more variety. The inclusion of creative features allows for skill testing and enhances replayability for players interested in level design.
“Some missions are quite challenging, with a lot of extra content in this one, providing high replay value.”
“It may be missing building interiors, but it's just as great as the others, offering hours and hours of replayable fun.”
“This feature adds a significant amount of replayability and creativity to the game, allowing you to test your skills as both a player and a level designer.”
“Sure, the scenarios provided in the game are neat but lack replayability and are short-lived.”
“The game feels repetitive after a few playthroughs, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“Once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to return for another playthrough.”
- music2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The music in the game is praised for being heavy, gritty, and original, enhancing the overall experience. Reviewers highlight the great soundtracks as a significant aspect of the game, contributing to its fun gameplay. Additionally, the game is considered a good value, especially for those who own previous versions.
“The soundtrack isn't reused; instead, it's heavy, gritty, and fresh.”
“I recommend this game because it has really fun gameplay and great music soundtracks. It's very affordable and offers high discounts for those who already own Emergency 2016 or 2017.”
“The soundtrack is heavy and gritty, lacking the charm of previous installments.”
“The music feels repetitive and fails to enhance the overall experience.”
“The new tracks don't resonate well and often feel out of place.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy is perceived as a quick cash grab, indicating that players feel the game prioritizes profit over player experience.
“This game feels like a quick cash grab.”
“The monetization strategy is overly aggressive and detracts from the overall experience.”
“It's frustrating how much you have to spend to enjoy the game fully.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere is enhanced by immersive sound design, featuring realistic sirens, radio chatter, and ambient noise that contribute to a believable and engaging experience.
“The sound design adds to the immersion, with realistic sirens, radio chatter, and ambient noise creating a believable and engaging atmosphere.”
“The game's atmosphere is incredibly immersive, drawing players into its world with stunning visuals and haunting soundscapes.”
“Every corner of the environment feels alive, with dynamic weather effects and subtle background sounds that enhance the overall experience.”
