Platform: PC, Steam

Developer: Fully Involved Game Studios

Do you have what it takes to be a firefighter? Look no further; Into The Flames is here to rinse away your burning desires.

What Does Into The Flames Entail?

Embrace the role of a firefighter in an open-world game. Drive around in a fire truck to emergencies and use authentic tools to get the job done. Play either solo or with up to 12 other players online.

Multiple environments to choose from, suburbs, commercial businesses and rural farmland. These include building fires, hazardous gas leaks, propane tank fires, and more. According to steam, more emergencies are being added over time.

There are plenty of vehicles to choose including multiple engines, rescues and a tiller. But you can play as a firefighter, volunteer, and drive cars and SUVs, with more vehicles to come.

Break down doors with your axe, or knock down an electrical fire with an extinguisher. You certainly won't be running out of any tools. Which means you can tackle an emergency in many ways.

What is Gameplay Like?

Starting with the tutorial, you may feel swamped with knowledge as there is much to learn. I felt somewhat overwhelmed remembering everything needed to be a successful firefighter.

I like tutorials to be broken up into segments so that I can get the hang of all parts of a game at a slower pace. However, that is down to personal preference. It doesn't help that the tutorial throws everything at you all at once, starting in a large practice area, with each section teaching you different game mechanics. Just getting through the tutorial alone will take about an hour or two.

Everything is available from the start, including medical emergencies and toxic hazards, so you can jump in and learn while on the job.

Graphically speaking, it's not all that worth mentioning, as it's rather unimpressive and empty. However, the amount of things to this game certainly makes up for its roughness.

Driving physics is "charmingly scuffed." Speed, for example, is primarily realistic, but turning and suspension can be unpredictable. 

Movement can be somewhat nauseating as the screen slightly wobbles when walking or running, and unfortunately, there is no option to turn it off. Though it gives that realistic feel, the sound of footsteps only adds to that.

While within the gameplay, the only audio noise you will hear is the realistic noises of life. From the inferno of fires, your fire engine alarm being activated, breathing through a gas mask, the sound of gushing water from your pipes and more. Thankfully there is no music playing while in the game. I say thankfully, as it would take away from the realism otherwise. The music on the main menu is pretty good to listen to, as it gives me that rock genre feel.

Pros:

• It is spot on what real-life firefighter deals with daily in their lives.
• You won't be running out of things to do for a couple of hours.
• It has replayability.
• There is an option of three free mode maps or specific location maps.
• You can play with friends or randomers.
• Get to drive fire engines and other types of vehicles.
• Mods can be used.

Cons:

• The graphics aren't all that great to look at.
• Buildings feel empty as there is next to no if any, furniture.
• The tutorial is overwhelming.
• You cannot customize your character. 

My Perspective

Into The Flames is as realistic as a firefighting simulator gets in terms of methods and processes for dealing with that kind of emergency. 

I didn't enjoy it all that much, but only because there was too much information at once, which overwhelmed me. However, that doesn't mean it's a bad game, as I can see the scuffed charm within it.

I made a friend on Into The Flames as I hopped on their server, so we fought fires together and got to know one another like a firefighting team would in the real world. 

Every scenario is different, even if you went to the exact location you had been to before. So it has a good replayability value and having friends make it even better. 

Some bugs need to be fixed, and with a clunky design, it could do with polishing up by the devs. But with some patients and forgiveness, the game can be great fun. 

Therefore I give it my stamp of...

 Recommend