Firewatch Reviews
Between its excellent dialogue, enchanting visual design and care handling delicate subject matter, Firewatch is one of my favorite narrative experiences of 2016 so far.
If "walking simulators" aren't your thing, this may not be a fit for you. I wasn't a fan of the genre before playing Firewatch, so maybe it might change your mind as well. It is hard to make the call as a critic, because the experience can be pretty personal at times. But what I can say definitively was that I was surprised.
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 kept me engaged from beginning to end. The dialogue and the voice acting were believable and relatable, and I felt like the choices I made were ones I might make in real life. I wish Campo Santo added greater ramifications to some choices but it didn't diminish the emotional effect they had on me. The ending will be a point of contention for some, but it all comes down to a perspective and regardless of that, you should play this game.
So, the opening to Firewatch may be a little too strong for the game's own good, then – and as you slowly realise the confines of your role in the game world, it's not without a little disappointment. Nevertheless, it's still a journey you should consider going on – one of human and flawed characters, compelling mystery, and sobering, bitter sweet realisations.
Firewatch is one of those games that you need to take a step back and think about after it's over.
Firewatch is beautiful. Firewatch is intriguing. But ultimately I don't think Firewatch is very good. At its best, this is a quiet game about two characters struggling with real-life insecurities. But when that's sidelined to make room for a main plot, Firewatch suffers. It's a game perfect for trailers, a game full of excellent dialogue and breathtaking moments and stunning vistas that ultimately amounts to nothing much at all.
Firewatch could have, and should have, been so much better than it is. You can see the greatness shrivel up like a dying flower when the mystery elements are introduced, and it's heartbreaking. On brief occasions that greatness peaks through the mediocrity, but that only makes everything else more disappointing.
By attempting to invigorate a genre which many feel has gone rather stale, Campo Santo has simply reminded us what it is we liked about that genre in the first place. Perhaps in time Firewatch will be considered a forerunner, the one which broke the mould, but right now it manages to only fall painfully between two stools.
A beautiful and thoughtful game with a contentious ending
Firewatch is narrative-driven adventure game dealing with adult issues in ways unlike any other game out there, and is one of the best looking games so far this year.
An above average narrative, excellent dialogue, and wonderful pacing should make Firewatch enjoyable to any adventure fan.
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.
Like a good thriller, the whole time I was playing Firewatch I was completely engaged and couldn't wait to see where the story went next. The tale raises interesting questions about solitude, privacy and paranoia. However, a weak ending and some occasionally strange pacing ultimately detracts from Firewatch's spark of greatness.
I really liked Firewatch. I really liked Delilah. I really liked the story told, even if the game doesn't end in an interesting or exciting way. Firewatch is simply the type of game you'd turn to if you're in the mood for story telling. It's a one-off game, and something that can be enjoyed without really putting much effort into playing it.
I'm not sure where I left Henry at the end of the story, let alone Henry and his wife or Henry and Delilah, but I'm okay with not knowing. The experience in Wyoming might have complicated things in a way they weren't ready for, and it might have veered into the surreal, but I think it's what they both needed to move on — in whatever way that might be.
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 sees relationships rise from the ashes of loss
Firewatch has an affective and engaging story that draws you in, and I couldn't put the game down after the halfway point. What initially seems like more of a relaxing walking simulator becomes something more consequential and dire. Anyone interested in great stories—not just those told through video games—needs to pick up Firewatch. Like Celeste and GRIS, Firewatch is a triumph of artistic and thought-provoking game design, and it can remind you of summer as you bundle up for the cold winter ahead.
Do not let the ending put you off Firewatch, nor let the talk of 'Walking Simulator' give any sort of preconceived notion of this being boring. What has been delivered is one of the most engaging narrative experiences in recent times, draped beautifully over a thoroughly enjoyable adventure, with plenty of scope for going back to uncover more details, finding new conversation avenues, and stumbling upon all manner of intriguing information not seen the first time round.