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.
Reviews
- The game features improved graphics and includes remastered missions from previous titles, providing a nostalgic experience for fans of the series.
- Gameplay is engaging and offers a variety of missions that require strategic thinking and resource management.
- The inclusion of modding support allows for additional content and customization, enhancing replayability.
- The game suffers from numerous bugs and performance issues, including crashes and poor AI pathfinding, which can hinder gameplay.
- Controls can feel clunky and require excessive micromanagement, making it frustrating for players who prefer a more streamlined experience.
- Many players feel that the game lacks depth compared to earlier titles in the series, with some missions feeling repetitive and lacking in complexity.
- story142 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 81 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game is largely centered around its mission design, which includes a mix of remastered missions from previous titles and new scenarios, providing a nostalgic yet fresh experience. While some players appreciate the variety and challenge of the missions, others express disappointment over the lack of a cohesive narrative and the absence of cinematic elements that were present in earlier games. Overall, the game offers a substantial amount of content, but the storytelling and mission progression can feel disjointed and sometimes frustrating due to bugs and AI issues.
“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.”
- graphics65 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the improvements over previous titles, describing them as "gorgeous" 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. Overall, while the visuals are generally considered good, they are not without their flaws, and some players recommend adjusting settings for optimal performance.
“Graphics and lighting are amazing, gameplay is super immersive.”
“The attention to detail and the graphic overhaul is just fantastic.”
“To start off, of course, 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.”
“First of all, I would like to say that this game doesn't work well with my graphics card.”
“Poorly tested; the developers updated the graphics for this game and broke it!”
“Graphics suck, don't recommend this at all.”
- gameplay55 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the Emergency series has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its immersive and fun mechanics, while others criticize it for lacking innovation and complexity compared to earlier titles. Many users appreciate the variety of missions and realistic scenarios, but note issues with AI behavior and occasional bugs that can detract from the experience. Overall, while the gameplay is enjoyable for fans of the genre, it may feel repetitive and simplistic for those seeking a more challenging experience.
“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.”
“This game is just simply amazing, the visuals, audio, and gameplay, as if my respect for emergency services wasn’t enough some missions increased that tenfold.”
“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.”
“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.”
“This game has no graphical or gameplay updates from the last one.”
- 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 disrupt 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.”
- grinding7 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessive, often requiring significant time investment, with some humorously suggesting it feels like needing a "second life" to keep up. While there is a wealth of content and achievements to pursue, the grinding can become tedious, though some players note that it is manageable and not overly burdensome in certain modes.
“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.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“A bit grindy sometimes.”
- optimization6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % 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 game has great potential for optimization, and I hope future updates enhance performance.”
“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, though some users feel that certain scenarios are short-lived and lack depth. The ability to create and test custom levels enhances replay value, providing hours of engaging gameplay. However, the absence of building interiors is noted as a drawback by some players.
“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 a second 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 a high discount for those who already own Emergency 2016 or 2017.”
“The soundtrack is heavy and gritty, lacking the charm of reused themes.”
“The music feels out of place and doesn't enhance the overall experience.”
“The variety in the soundtrack is overwhelming, making it hard to appreciate any single piece.”
- 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 game's atmosphere is enhanced by its 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.”
