A few years ago charities starting using basic Flash and downloadable PC games to build awareness of their activities - there have been a few really good titles that have managed to combine both playability and information about the cause. And here's a decent new example.
Developed by I Sioux Game Productions and sponsored by SPIL games, The Red Cross Game: Emergency Response Unit is an RTS, challenging you to manage the relief efforts in a series of disaster zones. Using a familiar drag-and-drop interface you farm out emergency supplies and medical aid to stricken areas, ordering in planes to drop aid, or sending your doctors over in transit vans. It's all done against the clock though, so you need to carefully prioritise your efforts.
It's a well-presented game, with lots of background info on the Red Cross and the work they do. The neat overhead visuals did remind me a little of the original Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines, which meant I kept expecting to gain control of several heavily armoured soldiers with appalling regional accents. That never happened.
You can play a couple of free missions online, but the full game is available for £13, a percentage of which goes to the charity.
