Disaster: Day of Crisis Wii Review
There have been many games with weird names over the years. You’d have no idea what Gears of War was all about by just reading the name alone. The same goes for the likes of Zelda, Pikmin, God of War and many others. On the other hand, then you have games which are expertly named. Tomb Raider is probably the greatest example, as you instinctively know what it’s all about. However, never has a game been more aptly named than Disaster: Day of Crisis, as at times the game is an absolute mess that fervently lives up to its moniker, with many bad design decisions ruining enjoyment around every turn.
The selection of problems the game has is so vast it is hard to know where to start. One of the biggest niggles is that it refuses to comfortably sit in one particular genre, bouncing around from one to another in a volatile scattershot approach. At one time you’ll be playing perplexing mini-games, akin to something out of WarioWare. Next you’ll be thrown into a Time Crisis style shooter, before been asked to jump into a vehicle and drive. There is even some RPG elements, a bit of the QTEs from Shenume, a dab of Trauma Centre, and some tactical shooting in there too. Because of this, you never feel comfortable playing, and any sense of pacing the game could have had goes out the window. This is very disappointing, as if this devil may care was attitude was reined in a bit, then the appeal of the overall product would have been given a more satisfying footing.
However, what ends up more damaging than this bewildering mix of genres, is the fact the game lacks the proficiency to tackle any of them particularly well. For example, the driving sections have invisible hazards that will kill you if you drive into them, and some of your shots in the shooting sections don’t seem to register particularly well. Then there is the fact the controls are a mess in the third-person sections, and the checkpoint system is far too sparse, meaning annoying multiple replays of some sections. Because of this rather large selection of faults, the game only manages to hit the nail on the head, and provide gratifying moments at a few select times during the course of the adventure.
These high points usually come when the game revels in its B-movie inspiration, but as I said, they are still very slim and make up only small portion of the action. The rest of the time you feel like you’re taking part in a straight to DVD version of a great Michael Crichton novel that has been bastardised by a new big shot director, one who is jumping into the seat for the first time after working on a single Britney Spears music video that he thinks has made him god of everything.
In terms of presentation the game is not much to write home about either, once again being a unwelcome mix of lows and even lower lows depending on where you are and what you’re doing. Graphically, some of characters you meet look like they belong in a PSone game, and some locations are highly reminiscent of bad PS2 budget releases. Technically things are not much better, with nasty framerate problems popping up in some scenes. Along with this the whole story is just a mess that makes no sense whatsoever, and even if you just view it as a means to move the action on from one location to the next, it still makes no sense! Along with that there is a bunch of cursing in the game that seems weirdly out of place, and a selection of one-liners that not only defy logic, but could possibly affect the laws of gravity due to their inane pointlessness.
When all is said and done Disaster: Day of Crisis can be at best described as a unique experience, but also ultimately a highly flawed one. If you are somewhat miffed at the lack of ‘hardcore’ releases coming out on the Wii this year, then you will probably force yourself to like it. However, even with all the vigour in the world, it may be impossible to blindly enjoy everything on show, as even though there are a few high points throughout the disastrous adventure, there are significantly more low-par moments that are particularly damaging to the game as a whole.
At best, the fact that the game is not afraid to tackle such a broad range of genres is a good sign the developers are confident enough to branch out, and endeavour to create something truly different. However, to be successful they really need to stop being so random and haphazard, and attempt to refine their ideas into something worthwhile – particularly at a time when there are so many high quality games available elsewhere.
6 comments ↓
ozfunghi
November 13th, 2008
If only gamerankings were as hard on the review sources they accept for generating an average rating. Because this review is a joke.
Gaznutta
November 14th, 2008
I have to totally agree with Ozfunghi, this game is so much better than the review makes out. please ignore this review at all costs!!
Disaster is one of the better Wii titles and there is nothing wrong with the graphics. As for the gameplay being mixed, it does work and you find yourself easily engaged ina terrific story, adding to a great gaming experience.
Ben
November 14th, 2008
Eurogamer and games(TM) gave this 6/10, while VideoGamer scored it 5/10. DarkZero is not alone in awarding an average score. Perhaps this is because reviewers are comparing to what is available across all formats, rather than what is available on Wii.
People are welcome to disagree with an article, but you have to justify your viewpoint instead of posting a weightless comment like ozfunghi.
killarapp
November 15th, 2008
I think its funny how Wii games now by and large are recieving average scores over universal reviewing sites. And more complimentary ones from Wii exclusive ones. I mean if Medal of Honor heroes 2 with its 32 players of lagggggggg deserves to be dragged down because theres a far better online experience available on another platform (and it does) surely this is proving more and more that even with its new controller games on the Wii are always going to be inferior to their high powered cousins.
And basically (and I used to love the Wii) that Nintendo is proving even changing the controller, doesn’t make old feeling games on old machines more fun. For me (with exceptions) Wii games play far too much like Ps2 games. In the way the whole game design feels dated and no amount of originality or concept is going to make them play any better.
ejamer
November 25th, 2008
I haven’t tried Disaster: Day of Crisis, and am not disagreeing with the review. However, I do wonder what gamers such as Killarapp are expecting when they complain about dated game design while dismissing factors such as “originality of concept”.
Can Killarapp (or someone of like mind) point out where game design innovations are showcased on PS3 and XBox 360 consoles? Yes there are some… but most games for those two systems are sequels of existing properties, and only a small percentage show anything more than a subtle evolution in game design paired with sizable a jump in graphics. That kind of change is great for graphic whores, but less meaningful to everyone else.
Wii does have many poor and outdated games on display – often because of developers that continue to pursue quick profits from the console instead of making an effort to create impressive games. But it also has game designs and experiences that are completely unique, unlike anything else before them, and completely worth playing for anyone who truly *enjoys* games.
My point isn’t that Wii is some kind of gaming savior (because it isn’t), but that innovation can and does take place across all three consoles. Sony and Microsoft are changing their strategies and games to take advantage of the innovations that Nintendo has made, and vice versa.
Oh, and a final note about reviews: This generation of games more than any other has proven that review scores are personal opinions, nothing more and nothing less. Despite poor ratings, I loved the exploration and discovery in Endless Ocean and hope Afrika is just as cool. Despite great reviews, Metal Gear Solid bored me to tears with a ridiculous story and way too many cutscenes interrupting the excellent action. If playing through an action game like Disaster Day of Crisis sounds like a fun romp to you, then go ahead and enjoy the game! To me, it looks like the video game equivalent of a summer-blockbuster film or fun popcorn flick. That’s not necessarily a bad thing!
Seth
November 25th, 2008
The Wii has undoubtedly been a let-down which hasn’t lived up to its potential. The Wii remote has provided hardly any significantly different gameplay experiences barring Wii Sports.
ejamer, could you name any Wii games that are “experiences that are completely unique, unlike anything else before them”? Because as far as I can see most of the popular Wii games are sequels that could quite easily have been done on Gamecube.
Don’t get me wrong, I love many Wii games. But I think that the ‘innovations’ that Nintendo have made are massively overrated. Whereas the online experiences and gameplay that the improved hardware of Xbox 360 and PS3 provide are closer to being things that havent been seen before, and experiences that never could have been provided on the previous generation of consoles.