Burning Rangers

Description

Burning Rangers was among the final Saturn titles published in the West and is often remembered as one of the system’s most technically ambitious projects. Set in a futuristic society where fire is the last great threat, the game follows an elite emergency response team known as the Burning Rangers. Players take on the role of rookie members Shou Amabane or Tillis, guided by senior teammates Chris Parton, Reed Phoenix, and Big Landman. Missions unfold in hazardous environments such as a power plant, an underwater habitat, and a space station, culminating in a zero‑gravity rescue aboard a spacecraft. The story introduces Iria Klein, a girl discovered in suspended animation aboard a doomed spacecraft. Her rescue forms the emotional climax of the story, tying together the game’s themes of heroism and sacrifice.

Gameplay revolves around extinguishing fires, rescuing civilians, and collecting energy crystals. Crystals serve as both a scoring mechanic and a means of transporting survivors to safety. Instead of a traditional map, the game employs a voice navigation system, with teammates giving real‑time spoken directions, a novel feature for the era. Players also use jet‑assisted suits to leap, hover, and manoeuvre through multi‑tiered 3D environments, showcasing the Saturn’s hardware at its limits. Visually, Burning Rangers was praised for its colourful lighting effects, reflective surfaces, and large polygonal environments, though critics noted issues with collision detection and slowdown. The soundtrack, composed by Naofumi Hataya, Fumie Kumatani, and Masaru Setsumaru, blended upbeat J‑pop themes with dramatic orchestration, reinforcing the game’s anime‑inspired tone. The game included the theme song on an audio CD single.

The game was developed by Sonic Team and directed by Naoto Ohshima, with production led by Yuji Naka. It has been cited as a spiritual precursor to Sonic Team’s later work on Phantasy Star Online. It was well received with its originality and technical ambition, though its short length and occasional glitches were criticised. In retrospect, Burning Rangers is remembered as a bold experiment in non‑violent action design, reflecting Yuji Naka’s desire to create a game about saving lives rather than taking them.