The third release in MonkeyPawGames’ ‘Retro Rush’ campaign is an obscure PSOne title that’s actually a sequel to a Super Famicom game. Developed by Human and never released Stateside (which is the case for most of the games in the ‘Retro Rush’ campaign), The Firemen 2: Pete & Danny follows the story of two heroic fire fighters, as they battle raging fires at an Amusement Park on Christmas Eve.
Seen from a top-down perspective, the player must navigate through maze-like environments, while extinguishing fires and rescuing people from dangerous situations. Once you have been briefed on your ‘mission’, you are sent in with your water tank and hosepipes to drench the environment.
As fires rage through the level and leave scorch marks in their wake, you must spray a blanket of water to put out ground fires and use your hose to combat giant fireballs. Your CPU partner will assist in putting out fires with his axe (how is this done exactly?), but there are times when he will get caught on corners or get lost inside rooms, making it difficult to rely on him. But when you’re not battling fires, you’re rescuing adults trapped inside buildings and children that have fallen victim to malfunctioning Amusement rides.
Among the damaged merry-go-rounds, roller coasters, and Amusement park displays are computer panels that have gone awry. Some computers can be reached rather easily, while others require the player to press Circle button to crawl on their belly to reach the malfunctioning panel. Sometimes disabling a panel can reignite a fire, causing more trouble than it’s worth.
Most of the missions involve finding a trapped victim, freeing them, and watching the paramedics carry them off. By the end of each level, you are confronted by a boss that is a variant of all the fires you have previously extinguished. These boss encounters are lengthy excursions that involve dodging fireballs, fires, and heat trails, while countering with your hose. Your CPU partner is at the ready to assist with his axe(?), but he isn’t very effective. Once a boss is defeated, you can free the final victim and move on to the next level.
The only drawback to the Firemen 2 is the Japanese speech – unless you understand the Japanese language, the cutscenes between levels will leave you scratching your head. Luckily, the gameplay is simple enough that you can follow along without getting lost.
The Firemen 2: Pete & Danny is a cute game that is based on a simple premise – save the day by putting out fires. And while the language barrier could turn off some gamers, it’s a small hurdle to overcome to enjoy this incredibly addictive PSOne classic.
Mike Pittaro
Platform: PS Vita (Available on PSN / Compatible w/ PS3)
Developer: Human
Publisher: MonkeyPawGames
ESRB: N/A
Price: $5.99
MonkeyPawGames’ Official Website
| Review Score | |
|---|---|
| Graphics |   |
| Charming 2D graphics that have aged well over the years. | |
| Sound | |
| Plenty of voice acting (though in Japanese) and a rocking' sound track. | |
| Gameplay | |
| Solid controls and addictive gameplay. | |
| Overall | |
|---|---|
| The Firemen 2: Pete & Danny will light a fire you simply can't extinguish. | |
