Japan has produced some pretty quirky games over the last thirty years. From focusing on hand-to-hand combat featuring time-traveling fighters, to giving gamers the chance to play an attorney, to simply rolling up a bunch of junk into gigantic ball of destruction, finding your gaming niche may boil down to discovering that right game produced in Japan. Look no further than the “Disaster Report” franchise for quirky games developed in Japan that gained a unique following – a game series focusing on the protagonist opting to either help those in distress suffering the after effects of a natural disaster or just fend for themselves. After the previous entry didn’t have the opportunity to come to western shores, the game originally intended to be released on the Playstation 3 has finally made it to America a generation later; and I was intrigued to see if “Disaster Report 4: Summer Memories” ended up a disaster for either all the right or wrong reasons.
Did I Complete “Disaster Report 4”?
With the player having the opportunity to craft their own male or female avatar with the few tools available including preset faces & hair designs, the protagonist’s intent of completing a job interview (or whatever choice picked by the player during the game’s introductory scene) is greatly disturbed by an earthquake that destroys significant portions of Hisui City. It is up to the avatar to provide assistance while finding a way back home after this catastrophic event. Following a little over ten hours I attained both trophy-related endings that are determined by a single choice during the game’s closing hour (taking an abandoned motorcycle to one escape area or another); though there are said to be several more.
But there is more to “Disaster Report 4” than character interactions and simply trying to survive including an epilogue chapter free to download that features the protagonist catching up with the people met during their journey. Throughout each level/map are collectibles ranging from clothes the player’s character can wear to custom compasses used as helpful indicators when traversing an area. While most levels are not grandiose, collectibles are pretty well hidden or hard to spot as the indicator to pick up said time usually won’t appear until the protagonist is right atop the collectible. There are also trophies specific to certain completed missions/character interactions, with yours truly picking up several during my playthrough. While I didn’t gain full platinum trophy status during my first playthrough, the ability to do so with a guide is feasible with a few more hours of gameplay.
Did “Disaster Report 4” Live Up to the Hype?
What would you do if thrust into a situation where you have the ability to help someone who can’t help themselves during a natural disaster? “Disaster Report 4” looks to pose & answer the aforementioned question via the player’s actions as they control an avatar throughout several locations including a tattered town, seaport, or a flooded apartment complex. Without an obvious objective beyond the hope of escaping the falling debris, the player leads their character throughout each section while striking up conversations with the various victims suffering from a catastrophe.
The lacking action this game provides including the protagonist only being able to crawl, shout with the intent of discovering people in need (a function that rarely works), climb up small ledges, and clumsily control the few vehicles specific to certain levels is offset by the avatar’s interactions with the many personalities including uptight business owners, a teacher taking care students who don’t get along, and even a jewel thief who has no issue murdering her former employer. A majority of these character interactions play into the long-term results the player experiences including certain NPC connections proving the old adage “it’s a small world” incredibly true. Dialogue choices seem unimportant or nominal in effect at first, but they eventually dictate the way NPCs perceive the protagonist even if certain scenarios end in tragedy (or characters being chased out of town). The initial feeling that most choices & interactions don’t matter fades away during the game’s latter half especially when a few incredibly intriguing twists play out with some absurd personalities being showcased.
There are some interesting inclusions in the game including the aforementioned collectibles like backpacks that increase inventory size, custom compasses to add some flash to understandably lackadaisical HUD, and a copious amount of clothing options & outfits. While collectibles actually add something to visual presentation, the earthquake itself quickly goes from a looming terror to an obvious scripted event. At first any time the ground shakes will strike fear in the player. But soon after the first few levels it becomes obvious these aftershocks are dictated by the game itself; happening to add drama to a situation and can be prepared for even of the protagonist dies as the game’s checkpoint system is very forgiving. Usually if the protagonist succumbs to death the game will reload almost directly before the fatal moment. It’s unfortunate that one of the game’s biggest draw points – a constant concern over survival due to aftershocks – pales in comparison to the struggle of simply discovering the right avenue to progress the story such as a convoluted scenario early in the game where the protagonist has to service a surprisingly active convenience store.
Another major issue with “Disaster Report 4” is its performance. Beyond the seventh generation graphics that can be forgiven as this is essentially a PS3 port, “DR 4” can have some odd frame rate drops even during non-interactive cutscenes or, not shockingly, when a bridge suddenly collapses. These optimization problems are made more emphatic by loading screens. Beyond long loading when moving from level to level are pauses for loading when a cutscene activates. Why these are problems on much stronger hardware than the original system it was made for is absurd. What aren’t issues, but should be are the protagonist’s status effects.
As the protagonist continues on their journey notifications for hunger, thirst, and even having to use the bathroom will appear. And even though the protagonist will start rubbing their belly or do a pee-pee shuffle, these status effects add no visible issues to the player’s character when doing any and everything the game requires of the player. Any time the protagonist falls over due to an aftershock the “Stress” meter will appear; cutting off some of the avatar’s overall health. By resting at one of the few save locations scattered around each level, the player can deplete the stress gained; though only by eating or drinking lost health will be restored. There is also a points system that ultimately means nothing as certain choices will dish out “Moral” or “Immoral” points that don’t do anything but unlock a trophy if the player attains 1000 points of either. The game is also fully in Japanese with English subtitles and is probably better for it instead of the developers trying to do an English dub. The soundtrack, when used beyond the natural ambience of city sounds or the various noise made by people in distress, is fantastic to listen to especially when the vocal performance of Mai Iida is utilized.
“Disaster Report 4” is an obvious niche product that certain gamers wouldn’t care for because of lacking features or action like tons of character creation options or shootouts respectively. Unfortunately for those who enjoy games built on character development & impressive narratives, a majority of what is provided leaves a lot to be desired even if there is some satisfaction from being declared a miracle worker during the fall of society.
Should You Play “Disaster Report 4”?
The biggest knock against “Disaster Report 4” beyond technical performance issues and a lacking objective presentation is the price. Given an initial price tag comparative of a triple-A experience, “Disaster Report 4” doesn’t warrant its asking price even if the style of gameplay is right up your ally. No matter if you’re a fan of the previous entries in the series or are simply intrigued by the interesting premise the only options are renting it or waiting for a major sale. The potential for a better sequel is definitely there especially if the developers learn from their mistakes, but what is here can be the equivalent of suddenly being crushed in a subway or stumbling upon a woman obviously suffering from metallic poisoning.
