Preview: Real Heroes: Firefighter

In creating the Wii-exclusive Real Heroes: Firefighter, developer Epicenter had a few hurdles to overcome.

First, how do you make a compelling experience that’s more than pointing and aiming a hose at burning objects? Konami had taken a stab at it on the PlayStation with Firefighter F.D. 18 to mixed results. And Sega’s Brave Firefighters arcade title — complete with a hose light-gun peripheral — was a fun, if relatively shallow, on-rails experience. 

Second, how would they convince me to want to run into a burning building, in a game or otherwise? I get scared lighting candles. I could burn myself, you know? Also, last I checked, my lungs and smoke don’t mix.

But after seeing it’s Real Heroes: Firefighter in action, it seems Epicenter is well on its way to delivering a unique and fun console fire-fighting experience. And yes, I’m even compelled to run into a burning building now… when I’m holding a Wii Remote and nunchuck. And playing a videogame. 

More after the jump.

Real Heroes: Firefighter (Wii)
Developer: Epicenter
Publisher: Conspiracy Entertainment
To be released: Summer 2009

First thing that surprised me about Real Heroes: Firefighter: It wasn’t an effortless point and shoot, on-rails game. Based on screenshots and previous “fire fighting genre” experience, I certainly didn’t expect the game to be an extremely competent looking and fun first-person shooter. Because a first-person shooter is exactly what Real Heroes is, but instead of shooting a Nazi in the face or using a blaster to tear off an alien’s tentacle, fire is the enemy. Scary in its own right, the fire of Real Heroes is intelligent, based around an A.I. scheme that — as Epicenter put it — “eats, burns, and moves.”

That’s not to say that you’ll be battling fire monsters with smoldering arms and inferno legs. Epicenter’s goal is the balance realism with fun, with blazes that act like you’d expect, perhaps with a little more aggression to keep players’ on their toes.

Fortunately, the action of Real Heroes doesn’t seem to take a hit due to lack of traditional enemies in this first-person shooter. The gameplay itself is also squarely rooted in first-person action, with the developer name-checking Nintendo’s and Retro Studios’ Metroid Prime as an inspiration. The basics are what you imagine — you’ll move your firefighter through nine different missions using the analog stick on the Nunchuk, using the Wii Remote to aim your hose (or in some cases, a fire extinguisher) at burning objects and spreading blazes. Your hose has two modes of “spray” – one for distance and one that’s spreads across a wider area, for up-close action.

The game features a number of environments, which vary from more traditional areas like in an Industrial Park, to more “out-there” areas like an amusement park or a robotics lab. In the areas we saw the action wasn’t simply “point and shoot” based; Real Heroes actually features a fair number of firefighter tools and context-sensitive mission actions.

In one instance, I saw the player use a tool prod open an electrical box to stop an electric current blocking his path. In other instances you can use an axe to break down a door, or a spreader (commonly known as “The Jaws of Life”) to rip open a car door. Epicenter also had a very clear goal in mind with the game’s motion controls – it can’t simply be a “waggle fest.” Each tool action uses a Wii Remote or Nunchuk action that makes sense, or a mini-game that didn’t feel forced; for example, the spreader mini-game involved lining up objects to trigger the action.

Of the missions I saw (there will be nine in all), I was astounded at the variation Epicenter had been able to pack into what could have simply been a “point and shoot at the fire” game. While each chapter and area will have a specific goal (like saving and escorting survivors to safety), there are also plenty of side quests to keep players engaged, like saving pieces of fine art from a burning museum. Real Heroes also features some pretty creative “boss battles,” like the sun exhibit of a planetarium catching fire and rolling about the room, the player’s goal to “Fight the Sun.” I was also told of an amazing battle with a burning, mechanical dragon gone wild in the game’s amusement park area.

More than a simple collection of disjointed missions, Epicenter also is promising that Real Heroes will be tied together with a cohesive narrative, penned by the award winning writer of Call of Duty 2: Big Red One, Aaron Ginsburgh and Wade McIntyre. The developer was also able score an impressive cast of voices, including James Marster (“Spike” from Buffy the Vampire Slayer), comedian Jamie Kennedy, and John Di Maggio (Futurama’s “Bender”). (Oh, and you’ll probably even hear the winner of Destructoid’s voice acting contest if you listen real close.) The dialogue had a surprising amount of personality, too, with some genuinely funny moments that had me laughing out loud.

Visually, Real Heroes probably won’t knock anyone dead, but the technology is certainly impressive. Epicenter worked in-house to design a fire system that no only acts realistic, but also has a backend A.I. that keeps it interesting and fun for the player to compete with. Coupled with some slick smoke effects and a solid frame rate, it’s hard not to give Epicenter props for the solid engine work of Real Heroes.

While Epicenter are very clear that intended audience for Real Heroes skews a little bit younger than the traditional first-person shooter, it really does seem like the game will appeal to wider audience, perhaps those not interested in shooting Nazis in the head or blasting off that alien’s tentacle. The game also hits retail at a sweet price point, $29.99, with part of the sales going directly to the Firefighter Cancer Support Network.

At first glance, Real Heroes: Firefighter probably may not sound like your cup of tea — maybe you would rather shoot a Nazi in the face than do some good and save people from a burning building. You’ve also been burned before (pun intended) by sloppy or quickly thrown together nonsense that appears to be in the same vein.

But based on my early look at Epicenter’s Wii-exclusive, it really looks like it could be a fun diversion with a wider-appeal than it appears on its surface. I don’t intend on running into a burning building any time soon, but when the game ships later this year, I’ll be more than happy to pretend I’m doing so from the comfort of my couch. With the air conditioner on.