Raw Danger

Overview

Raw Danger!, the sequel to Disaster Report, is a game centered around several ordinary people trying to survive a major catastrophe. Each character is playable in their own storyline that gives a different perceptive on the disaster with the choices made and endings obtained in each playthrough affecting the events of the next character's story. Raw Danger was developed by Irem for the PlayStation 2 and was initially published in Japan on March 30, 2006 before being localized for Europe by 505 Games on May 18, 2007 and being released in North America shortly after courtesy of Agetec on June 12th. The title was the second installment in Irem's Zettai Zetsumei Toshi series of survival adventure games and would later be followed up by the Japanese-exclusive Zettai Zetsumei Toshi 3 for the PlayStation Portable in 2009.

Gameplay

Raw Danger focuses on situations that require the player to solve puzzles and/or react quickly, such as overcoming obstacles, finding or creating navigable paths through the city, avoiding being caught up within any carnage being enacted upon the city due to the flood waters, as well as possibly having to avoid certain other people or characters.

There are a total of six playable characters in the game, each with his or her own unique abilities and histories that affect their ability to survive the disaster and escape Del Ray. The player must keep their character (and any allies of that character) warm to avoid succumbing to the wet, cold environment the metropolis has become. Players achieve this by finding kerosene heaters (which also operate as stoves and save points) to warm up next to, using items such as heating pads that increases their body temperature, and equipping clothes better suited for the rainy, gusty weather.

There is also a relationship aspect to Raw Danger. Characters paired with an NPC ally can foster good or bad relationships with that ally based on certain decision-making events in the game, as well as how or if players decide to share their resources with them. Also, decisions the player makes during the course of the game can have a significant effect on the plot lines of other potentially playable characters, and the player can also leave items they don't require behind for other characters to use in a later game.

There are collectables in the form of compasses, such as one that resembles a Trotmobile from Steambot Chronicles, and less than practical outfits for characters, such as a Santa outfit.

Story

Near the Christmas of 2010, catastrophe strikes the city of Del Ray, a city designed to be the pinnacle of urban settlement. As the levees that protect the municipality fail and the Cascade Lake begins to flow in from the dam, the lives of every Del Ray citizen are in danger.

Trivia

One hallmark of the series has been its bizarre localization. To make the characters look more "western", the models were retextured, though without changing the eyes or proportions of the model itself. Josh and Stephanie, the characters featured on the box art, were given blond hair in-game and look nothing like the cover. Other standouts include the golden-blonde mayor (who looks to be about 60) and what appears to be an attempt at a black police officer.