E3 2003: Fire Fighter F.D. 18

One of Konami's newest offerings at their booth this year, Fire Fighter F.D. 18 was shown in video form only and looked quite hot! Impressions and screens within.

Most of the footage shown consisted of CG cut-scenes with very few gameplay footage shown. The in-game graphics didn't really look too impressive from the brief footage shown but hopefully the game will contain Konami's magical gameplay wizardry to provide it with incredibly fun play mechanics and high replay value.

Fire Fighter F.D. 18 looks to combine the realistic aspects of fire fighting along with some fantasy based gaming elements to provide a new and unique game.

Set in a large urban city, you assume the role of a firefighter named Dean McGregor who happens to find himself drawn into a complex mystery with a news reporter named Emilie Arguette. With mysterious random fires erupting and breaking out throughout the city, you'll have to break down doors with axes, smother flames with water hoses, and avoid falling to your demise through collapsing floors while looking for civilians trapped within the blazes.

As Dean McGregor, you'll fight a wide variety of fires ranging from backdrafts, raging infernos, and chemical explosions among others. Armed with water hoses, fire retardant foam, extinguishers, and other high tech gear, you'll have your work cut out for you as you attempt to douse the flames throughout the city and work with Emilie to search for the perpetrator responsible for them.

While working together, often times both their lives will be placed in immediate danger, but through it all, will draw them closer together, thus creating another set of flames, this time ones that don't need to be doused.

While battling the fiery elements, You'll recieve high performance marks for contending with harsh conditions such as rooms filled with deadly fumes and hazardous chemicals.

Fire Fighter F.D. 18 is set for a February 2004 release and hopefully Konami will use the time to shape this one up to be a barn burner!

Joseph Jackson
Staff writer, Kikizo Games