Prioritizing who to save first and which way to go becomes a huge factor in the success of the more difficult levels near the end of the game, and an almost perfect job was done in making the game frantic in just the right way to optimize the action in each level. The catch here is that just going from one to the next in any order isn't the best use of time, and the level changes the longer the action goes on, blocking off paths that were previously opened.

There is an app that will show where the people are at, so it is possible to at least figure out which way the best direction to move is. Saving people sounds simple enough, but the layouts to the houses can be complex, and the best path through isn't always apparent.

This is that frantic, fast-paced sort of fun that makes people want to dive into the next level immediately after finishing one. More importantly though, this game is fun. One of the strengths of the game is its inherent wackiness, and even after playing for several hours players might find themselves still smiling at the absurdity of all this. It's a great package all together, and feels a bit like Overcooked, but with the possibility of people burning to death. There is this strange, quirky aesthetic to it all that is downright charming, and that zaniness is reinforced by the bizarre premise and goofy execution. Pick them up, run over to the safety zone, and chuck them into it (quite literally, if you want) and the game will spit out some cash as a reward. The people that need saving are oblivious morons, and will sit looking at their phone while their entire house burns to ash around them. The goal in each level is to save as many people in this burning building as possible, and maybe make a little extra cash along the way. The two words that best sum up Embr is 'weird' and 'fun.' This is a strange game. It is a first-person fire-fighting simulator. A variety of structures will be engulfed in flame, and the goal here is to put them out as quickly as possible, while rescuing the very flammable people trapped inside. Essentially, notices will pop up on a smart phone app that say 'help help I'm on fire' and the courageous crew of Embr races to put them out. There isn't really a story here, per se, but this framework at least establishes what is going on for the rest of the adventure. Now, private companies run around fighting fires for greed and profit, and the company you work for, Embr, is probably the best on account of them getting to the app store first, snatching up the most clever name. Somewhere Ayn Rand just let out a moan of pleasure. Embr takes place in a dystopian future/libertarian fever dream, where fire-fighters have become a privatized business.

Embr ring review