Disaster: Day of Crisis Preview for Nintendo Wii

Talk about Having a Bad Day…

January 15, 2009 – Back before the Wii system even launched, Nintendo briefly showed off an obscure action-adventure game, Disaster: Day of Crisis, at 2006’s E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo). The game has since released both in Japan and Europe, yet many U.S. Wii owners are still eagerly awaiting this unique title developed by Monolith Soft (Baten Kaitos, Xenosaga).

The response overseas, so far, has been mixed, as some critics seem to “get” Disaster’s blockbuster approach to marrying arcade and console gaming, while others have found the affair to be trite and lackluster. Regardless of its reception, Day of Crisis appears to be an experience that truly defines the Wii-gameplay concept.

The game follows the story of Raymond Bryce, an ex-search-and-rescue worker (convenient, no doubt), who becomes entangled in a government conspiracy involving a terrorist organization known as SURGE. But as its namesake implies, the game doesn’t just one-up Hollywood-style action with big explosions amidst its political mystery and intrigue, the player will also have to survive just about every natural disaster known to man. Volcanoes, tidal waves, earthquakes, and tornadoes – they’re all on the menu here.

In practice, Disaster can likely be broken up into three distinct gameplay types: adventure/exploration, scripted driving sequences, and on-rails shooting. When exploring the game’s diverse variety of environments, you’ll move Ray with the analog stick on the Nunchuk, jump with the A button, and run by holding the B button. One of the main objectives of exploration throughout the game is to rescue civilians, and when doing so, you’ll engage in a number of mini-games to revive the injured. Aiding others earns points that can be used to increase Ray’s abilities and unlock new weapons. By spending points on Ray’s stats, you can steady his aiming, perfect shooting accuracy, increase his stamina, or enhance his ability to withstand various hazards.

The driving sequences are handled by turning the Wii Remote sideways and steering using motion control, much like the motion option in Mario Kart Wii. Considering the functional yet delicate nature of driving with the Wii Wheel in Kart, we’re skeptically curious to see how Disaster will handle such gameplay, especially since it’s the only option the game offers for these sequences. Is Nintendo of America possibly holding off on releasing the game in the States in hopes of implementing the upcoming Wii MotionPlus accessory into Disaster’s driving gameplay? No word on that yet, but it would explain the incredibly long delay in getting the title out to U.S. gamers.

The last and perhaps most prolific gameplay element in Day of Crisis is the on-rails shooting; it’s been compared to Time Crisis, and rightfully so. You’ll use the Wii Remote to aim at enemies and hold the Z button on the Nunchuk to take cover. The perspective goes fully first-person during these portions of the game, except when reloading weapons (executed with a shake of the Wii Remote). A special option allows players to slow down the action and zoom in on enemies for more precise shots, though the meter for this ability is limited.

Light-gun-shooter sequences segue seamlessly from other portions of the game’s adventure stages, yet they add an arcade element that not only breaks up the exploration segments, but will likely prove a welcome approach for more casual gamers looking for a big-action payoff. Puzzle solving and motion-based micro-games will round out the package.

The game’s story is based around an asteroid that impacts with Earth, which is the cause of the many catastrophes that occur throughout the adventure. However, SURGE is using the disaster as an opportunity to seize power. When someone Ray care’s about is kidnapped by SURGE, Ray takes a special interest in this terrorist organization and their plans for global domination. Both the dialogue and story seem fairly over the top, but likewise, make a perfect fit for the adrenaline-pumped gameplay.

Graphically, Disaster appears to have some interesting and attractive environments, yet we can’t help feel a bit underwhelmed by things such as water effects that wouldn’t be impressive on the PS2. The framerate seems solid, though, and the overall production is coming along nicely. Character models are detailed, and some of the buildings are almost next-gen in appearance.

The characters are also fully voiced, and from what we’ve been able to experience thus far, sound effects and music do a great job of backing up the extreme nature of the game’s setting. It will be interesting to see what ESRB rating Disaster garners (if and when it comes Stateside), as there are plenty of gratuitous expletives.

Though it’s been quite a long time in the making, we’re not expecting a masterpiece from Disaster: Day of Crisis. That said, the game seems to exhibit all the makings of a great action-packed rollercoaster ride – perhaps a bit shallow, but chocked full of exciting gameplay. Of course, we’re still uncertain when we might actually see the game materialize in the United States, as Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils Aime has expressed a few concerns about the game’s overall quality. However, we’re hoping to see the game out sometime early this year.

April 30, 2007 – As the video game industry has expanded, new ideas are few and far between. That’s why when a novel concept emerges it can be really exciting. The latest action title from Monolith Soft pits the player against a unique enemy: Mother Nature. It’s called Disaster: Day of Crisis, and it has excitement to spare.

To be fair, Disaster: Day of Crisis isn’t that original. In fact, it’s startlingly similar to the underplayed but highly praised Disaster Report. In that game, players had to survive the collapse of an artificial island. Not only did they have to survive, but they also had to find the cause of the earthquake that leveled the city. The recently released sequel, Raw Danger, followed a similar storyline but this time the offending natural disaster was a tsunami. Disaster: Day of Crisis takes the essentially novel idea of pitting the player against ecological disasters and builds on it considerably.

The player takes on the role of Ray, a former member of an elite rescue force – just the man for the job when the Earth suddenly starts cleaning house. The environment around Ray is literally erupting with every kind of natural disaster, from earthquakes to tsunamis. As if that weren’t enough work, a terrorist cell has taken advantage of the chaos and procured a nuclear weapon. Somehow, between racing from lava flows and dodging collapsing skyscrapers, Ray must also find time to thwart the terrorists’ nefarious scheme. It’s a loaded plot and, to be honest, sounds like a few too many plates to be spinning at once. Not to mention the questionable sensitivity of releasing a game which prominently features skyscraper collapse and disastrous urban flooding in a country that has experienced both in recent years. This is to say nothing of the unequaled disaster of the recent tsunami in South Asia. Game development is a kind of art and, strictly speaking, should not pander to the public. Even so, creating a game like this in such a real climate of disaster is questionable at the least. Time will tell if this will have any bearing on the public’s reaction and sales in general. As of now, there’s not much to know.

There’s precious little information on the web about actual gameplay. The short non-interactive demo shown to industry journalists last year merely showed Ray racing down a street from lava flow in a sports car, flanked by motorcycles. Subsequent trailers have given a bit more in terms of gameplay footage and cinematics, which helps at least give a sense of what the game will be like.

Ray himself looks the lovechild of Keanu Reeves and Moby Jones from the EA’s SSX series. He’s the typically somber, hard-edged manly man that we have seen time and again in Japanese titles. In the little gameplay footage available, Ray is busy running from collapsing buildings, lava, and flood waters. It looks a bit like Shadow of the Colossus, and one can guess that the format is similar. There appears to be a lot of acrobatic dodging and weaving to avoid death, whether on foot or in a vehicle. There just isn’t very much to go on as yet. Hopefully, Monolith Soft will be more forthcoming as the release date draws near.

There are a few screenshots and one trailer available for public consumption as of this preview. Critics online have criticized some of the first shots for being ugly and, in the opinion of some, typical of Wii content. It’s hard to argue with this assessment, as some of the graphics in the screens look more like GTA3 than Half-Life 2. Cutscenes incorporated into the trailer look excellent, but a luscious cutscene has always been a potential red herring used to distract from lousy gameplay graphics. The fact that half the trailer incorporates concept art stills that have been available for some time does not bode well. Development almost always improves on graphic quality before the final release, but as close as Disaster: Day of Crisis is to its final release, one has to wonder: is this as good as it gets?

The game was developed by Monolith Soft, not to be confused with Monolith, developer of such classic games as Aliens Vs. Predator 2, the No One Lives Forever series, Shogo, and the recent hit, F.E.A.R. Monolith Soft is known mostly for RPGs like Baten Kaitos for the GameCube, so Disaster: Day of Crisis represents one of their first forays outside of familiar territory. Company president Hirohide Sigiura claims they are trying to open up new markets for their games. Disaster: Day of Crisis is significantly darker than other Monolith Soft titles and titles for the Wii in general. It should attract gamers who might otherwise be turned off by cuddlier Wii fare.

It’s an interesting if not entirely original idea for a game, one that could cause a wave of similar titles. One man against the forces of nature is a great place to start, it’s just a shame developers haven’t done more to whet the gaming public’s appetite.

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