Firewatch Reviews
An industry supergroup brings together their experience to tell an engaging narrative in a beautiful world. Firewatch explores love and commitment through two of the most authentic videogame characters I've seen. A simply wonderful game.
Firewatch distinguishes itself through integrity of its structure and preservation of its characters. Allowing control over Henry and Delilah's perilous connection provides a sense of ownership over the narrative and creates an important bond between action and place. Other story-focused games suffer from a damaging disconnect between agency and intention, almost as if they don't trust the player to act reasonably in accountable situations. Firewatch proves this dynamic not only to be valuable, but necessary to go forward.
Firewatch left me both disappointed but also pleased. The system performance on PS4 is a bummer and I can overlook it, as this is a game about its story and choices in dialog, so performance never affected my input to the gameplay. It just simply feels rough around the edges and it shows. Meanwhile, as hyped as I was for this and I can't really explain this as doing so would spoil elements of the story, but things were not as I expected, and while it's refreshing, sometimes elements feel like a cop out or as I said earlier, a red herring and that doesn't always rub me personally the right way. I enjoyed my time with Firewatch and I really cared about both of these people… or characters I should say.
Firewatch is amazing for many reasons, but above all because it's an adult game that deals with serious issues, with realistic adult dialogue to match. And it deals with those issues just like actual adults would: sometimes with humor, sometimes with anger, and sometimes with sadness. It is among the very best of the first-person narrative genre, and it reminds us what video game storytelling is capable of in the right hands. It's a game I can see coming back to every year or two just to revisit its beautiful sights and memorable characters – just like a good book.
A gorgeous, spellbinding game that plays with your thoughts and delivers a narrative throughline that you never see coming. An absolute must for fans of storytelling in games.
Campo Santo's first game is a narrative-driven adventure about a man trying to escape his troubled life in the wilderness of Wyoming
Firewatch sees relationships rise from the ashes of loss
A brilliant adventure packed with some of the best dialogue gaming has even been medium to, Firewatch manages to engross you from the moment it begins and throughout its fittingly brief tale. Even if the journey is far more captivating than the eventual destination, Firewatch is more than worth the price of admission. Wyoming and it mysteries await.
The analog inputs (pulling up the walkie-talkie or map, spinning the same "1234" tumblers to unlock every single park lock box with Henry's paws) combined with unique animation and believable voice work help ground Firewatch, which manages both restraint and maturity in its story without ever going full mumblecore "walking simulator." The warmth of the budding relationship between two voices with natural chemistry is undercut by harsher realities and the drawn out segments of feeling stalked and vulnerable are legitimately stressful. The result is a tight, taut human tale well worth the trek.
If you were expecting a video game replete with all the big budget thrills you're accustomed to, you might find Firewatch a lean, almost sparse affair. You wouldn't be wrong either. This isn't a game for everyone. In fact for some, it could barely pass off as a game, due to its narrow focus on telling an immersive tale. Nonetheless, it achieves what it set out to do. Namely, using well-worn video game elements to tell a story that stays with you long after you're done. And for that, Firewatch's a triumph.
Firewatch really gets you thinking, plays on your emotions, and delivers a unique experience that stays with you long after the final credits roll.
Firewatch is truly more about the journey, than it is the destination. In the end, I didn't care all that much about the mystery being solved, however, I did care about Henry's overall progression. You not only feel for this character, but you more or less are this character.
Firewatch has a fun and exciting storyline, with very interesting characters and well-constructed dialogues with humor and mystery. It is a game that goes beyond the basic premise of Walking Simulators and tries to add layers and give more depth to the gameplay of this genre. It hits all the right spots with its realistic themes creating an intimate relationship between the player, the main characters and this world that Campo Santo created. The small drops of rhythm and the end that can be a bit divisive do not take much of this great remarkable adventure,
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Though its plot doesn't fully pay off, Firewatch gives you a thorough, thoughtful insight into the formation of a meaningful relationship.
The look of this game is nothing short of stunning… Each detail is carefully designed and thought out with a charming feel to it overall
Firewatch is the loneliest game about human beings you might ever play.
Firewatch is a rare and beautiful creation, that expands the possibilities for how a narrative game can be presented, without bombast or gimmick. It's delicate, lovely, melancholy and wistful. And very, very funny. A masterful and entrancing experience.
Buy it if you want to take a relaxing trip to the great outdoors without ever leaving your home.
Firewatch was #6 on my Top Ten Most Wanted Games of 2016, so I don't think it will come as much of a surprise when I say that Firewatch was a game I truly couldn't wait for, and that's also why I am very pleased to tell you that the game is an utter delight.
An immersive experience that gives the player a sense of vulnerability, of being watched, of inducing paranoia but intriguing them enough to press on and uncover the mystery afoot - it's also a game that's best played knowing as little as possible.