Nintendo is regularly chastised for its strange bottom-of-the-barrel additions to the Switch Online emulators, but there are some really fun games in there sometimes. BACKGROUND:
Had no idea this game even existed before I saw it in the SNES Online library. Par for the course at this point, I suppose. SUMMARY: At first glance, The Ignition Factor looks like one of those top-down shooters (now more known in the modern day as twin stick shooters), but instead of blasting enemies, you're playing as a firefighter who goes into burning buildings to rescue people. I was immediately intrigued by this twist, as it takes elements of a genre more associated with combat and makes something different out of it. Before you start a level, you get a briefing on the situation at hand. You can view a map of the floors of the building on fire, choose your point of entry, and select your equipment going into the building. There's a small assortment of tools at your disposal, like three types of fire extinguishers, a rope to cross gaps with, an axe to bust down doors with, and even stuff like C4 (to open up walls) and CO2 bombs that clear out fires. There are a handful of levels you can go through, and each features different layouts and hazards you navigate through. Your objective is to rescue a certain number of people and exit the building within a specified time limit, while also avoiding getting hurt by fire or other dangers. Overall, none of the levels are particularly tough (as long as you have a sense of urgency about you), but I found a lot of enjoyment in scouring the building in an effort to rescue as many people as I can. There's just something satisfying in helping video game people escape fictional danger. Most of the levels have minor puzzle-solving elements to them, which is where your firefighter's equipment comes in. Based on the briefing you get before the start of each level, you get hints on what tools may come in handy, and for the most part, going off of those hints is more than enough to get you through. In the event you don't have the tools you need to get past certain hazards, you can look for your fellow firefighters on the level, who will allow you to swap equipment and replenish things like your extinguisher ammo. None of the puzzles are difficult at all, for as long as you have the right tools or pay attention to the environment, you'll easily figure out what to do. Still, there's something neat about applying smarts to rescue situations. Every so often, you'll get messages from the firefighter captain or the NPCs about special events. For example, you can be notified about what points of interest to check out (e.g. go to the boiler room to deal with the source of the fire), or NPCs could ask you to help retrieve their belongings or tell you where their friends may be trapped in. It's a cool touch that makes the game feel a bit more realistic; a lot can happen during a fire, and this element of the game captures that in a way. There's also a weight mechanic where your character slows down significantly if you're carrying too much stuff. It's not really a major problem since no levels really require you to bring everything, and you can also offload items to your fellow firefighters if need be. At the end of each level, you get a score breakdown based on how quickly you clear the level and how many bonus objectives you complete. It doesn't really mean anything, apart from the occasional HP stat increase. One thing I found incredibly odd about the game is its writing. There's no overarching story (which I don't mind), but it really goes out of its way to break the fourth wall and get all meta in its humor. It comes off pretty forced, and while I mostly tuned out the game's dialogue, it overstays its welcome almost immediately. It's kind of a shame, because the game's one attempt to insert drama into the story is completely overshadowed by the multiple references to the game's developers. VERDICT: I found The Ignition Factor to be a rather unique game, taking elements from other top-down games to create a game all about putting out fires and rescuing people. It's not the most challenging or lengthy game out there, and its writing put me off, but I had a lot more fun with the game than I thought I would. Plus, I just appreciate that there's a game out there that isn't just about fighting or killing; you get to experience a career that doesn't really get a lot of kudos in real life, one that's all about saving lives. - end -
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June 2024
Derryck
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