Firewatch (2016)

It's a pretty good and simple story about broken people, as I got it, of course.

I think it makes almost no sense to write about gameplay, since such games are usually played only for the sake of aesthetics and history, and everything is fine with that. Although I came across a couple of bugs, one of which was with graphics and scared me even a little (GPU go bzzz), but it didn't knock me out of the dive into story.

A great game for the evening, the duration is just the thing to go through once and remember on occasion, like "oh, I have played it, good game"

I remember playing Firewatch when it first came out. A lot of people seemed to be playing it since it was the upcoming indie game everyone kept talking about, and after seeing some reviews about it, I went ahead and bought it.

The only regret I have at the moment is having played it as a younger kid and not now. Of course, I fell in love with the visuals and the story, but playing it all over again has made me realize the many things I overlooked and didn't really understand until this second playthrough. I think that, had I played it for the first time as an adult, it would have impacted me more emotionally.

Still, it's nice to see that the game hasn't aged badly at all and that it has made me tear up due to many different reasons. Back when I played it, the map and compass mechanic was something I recall being very confusing, but I'm happy to say that my brain (thankfully) has developed more and that it wasn't really all that bad in the end.

So, to me, Firewatch has it all. Pretty graphics, interesting story, relaxing atmosphere, and a soundtrack that is a delight for the ears. The only reason I haven't given it five stars is because it felt extremely short! (Or that may have been me, since I got really hooked.) A very recommended game indeed!

A stunning walking simulator with a mystery told in such a way that keeps you on your toes. The gameplay is straightforward but does a good job of immersing you in the world. It is gorgeous in graphics and sound design (once you finish the story there is the option to simply roam around and I think some people may really enjoy that).

I couldn't bring myself to give this 5 stars because as fascinating as the story is, there are some elements to it that I couldn't suspend my disbelief for enough. I had to look up other people's findings to clarify some things. This is purely personal taste.

Despite this, the dialogue between the characters and the way the plot unfolds is brilliantly done. It's extremely suspenseful.

Choices in dialogue do not affect the story at all - they just affect your understanding of it, which I think worked well for this. Replayability would come in if you felt like re-experiencing the story again and trying out different dialogues.

Let's get one thing out of the way: I'm a sucker for a good narrative-driven walking sim. Especially when there's a unique way to interact with the game. Now I wouldn't put Firewatch quite at the top of the walking sim pile (which is, in my mind, headlined by What Remains of Edith Finch and The Stanley Parable), but it comes pretty close.

You play as a man in his late 30s, Henry, who has taken a job as a fire lookout at a national park. This is not, as his new boss, Delilah, wryly notes, a thing people do on a lark. He has to be running away from something. And he is. He's running from his wife, whose early onset dementia means she no longer recognizes him, doesn't know who he is. So he takes a job that can only be reached with a two-day's hike.

Most of the narrative takes place over walkie talkie. Dialogue between Henry and Delilah, with the opportunity to choose a lot of Henry's responses. It gets easy to become invested in these interactions, partly because the alternative is working silently, and partly because the friendship that develops between the two is nicely balanced between humor and honesty. I may have found it easy to appreciate their repartee given my natural alignment with Henry (approx. the same age, a desire to figuratively hit the "Reset" button on career and escape), but I do think it's well-written. I'm not sure whether the dialogue options have any major effect—this feels like a story that's going to more-or-less advance in one specific way regardless how you play the dialogue—but I do think the dialogue options serve a very important purpose, regardless: They develop short-term undercurrents that make the interactions feel fluid and real.

But I am—ahem—missing the forest for the trees, to slightly misuse a very appropriate idiom. The experience of playing Firewatch is about walking around this national park and, essentially, "doing the job," right? They do this by giving you a compass and a map. A literal, in-hand compass, not the sort that hangs out on the top of the screen ala Assassin's Creed titles (or, frankly, most open world games). And a literal, in-hand map that you have to squint at and try to figure paths out from. No pin drops, no GPS lines or arrows to follow. Just you, a wilderness, a map, and a compass. The only "quality of life' concession the game makes to make things easier (and if I ever play through a second time, I might see if one of the options removes this) is giving you a blip on the map that shows your current position.

Outdoorsy people may not find that to be particularly incredible. Navigating the wilds with these sorts of tools is kinda de jour for people who like to "rough it." But for those of us who only go outside to drive to work or to smoke (I am in the process of quitting and it sucks lol), successfully navigating with a map and compass is... a helluva charge.

In terms of in-game scale, the map is about 5 miles x 5 miles (I'm basing that mostly on in-game signage; it might actually be less than that) although it plays a lot smaller. The cynic in me says it's just a handful of paths (mostly running North/South or East/West) stitched together by impassible mountains or dense foliage. Which is to say, when you first see the map you might think, "I'm going to rough it across the map and see what there is to see!" but the reality is you're following very distinct pathing that you can't deviate from. The combination of needing to follow branching paths, the sense of elevation (some of these paths do go through mountains, after all), and larger, open spaces without distinctly marked paths make the map something you'll want to consult semi-regularly (until you're familiar with everything; after playing the game once I could reach most—most—major points of interest without consulting the map).

And maybe that's fine. By the time the joy of navigating via map/compass wore off, the story became gripping. Firewatch understands its scope, giving you just enough story and emotion to make use of the setting without completely wearing it into the ground. It's a good 5-hour game map. If you follow the story without doing any extra exploring on your own, you'll see the whole thing. You do get a few upgrades as you play, so there may be a few hidden places you can access, but I'm not convinced that's a thing—or that there would be anything notable to find if there is. And I'll say this: Despite being an "open world" (insofar as you can go anywhere at any time), the map design—and the way the narrative effortlessly leads you through it—is phenomenal. I think most people (who aren't specifically looking for any opportunity to "break" games) will take very similar pathing that I did. I find that really impressive.

It's a nice weekend-type of game, you know? Its length doesn't turn it into a months long lifestyle, but for one weekend it's a super experience.

Firewatch Game Review

Firewatch is an immersive narrative-driven adventure game that captivates players with its unique atmosphere and engaging storytelling. Set in the picturesque wilderness of Wyoming, the game takes you on a journey as Henry, a fire lookout stationed in the Shoshone National Forest. Here's a detailed review of Firewatch, highlighting its strengths and notable aspects:

• Engaging Storyline:

Firewatch excels in its storytelling. The game presents a compelling mystery that unfolds gradually, keeping players hooked from start to finish. The narrative explores themes of isolation, personal relationships, and the weight of choices, creating a deep emotional connection with the characters and their struggles.

• Beautiful Visual Design:

The game's visual design is breathtaking. The stylized art direction beautifully captures the serene yet haunting beauty of the wilderness. The vibrant colors and detailed environments make exploration a visually rewarding experience, immersing you in the vastness of the forest and its hidden secrets.

• Atmospheric Sound Design:

Firewatch boasts an exceptional sound design that enhances the immersive experience. From the rustling leaves to the distant sounds of nature, the audio creates a sense of realism and contributes to the game's atmospheric ambiance. The superb voice acting further brings the characters to life, adding depth to their personalities and interactions.

• Choice and Consequence:

The game offers a branching narrative that responds to your choices, providing a sense of agency and influencing the outcome of the story. Dialogues and decisions you make throughout the game shape the relationship between Henry and his supervisor, Delilah, leading to different emotional outcomes and story paths. This element of choice adds replay value and encourages exploration of different story branches.

• Exploration and Environmental Detail:

Firewatch encourages exploration of its richly detailed environment. As you navigate through the forest, you'll come across hidden trails, breathtaking vistas, and intriguing landmarks. The attention to detail in the environmental design makes the world feel alive and invites players to unravel its mysteries at their own pace.

• Emotional Depth:

One of the game's strengths lies in its ability to evoke genuine emotions. The writing and character development create a sense of empathy, making you care about the fate of the characters and their personal struggles. Firewatch's narrative tackles complex themes and delivers an emotional experience that lingers long after the game is over.

While Firewatch excels in many aspects, there are a few areas where it falls slightly short:

• Gameplay Mechanics:

The gameplay mechanics are relatively simple, primarily focused on exploration and interacting with the environment. Some players may desire more varied and challenging gameplay elements to complement the strong narrative experience.

• Pacing:

At times, the game's pacing may feel slow, emphasizing the solitude and contemplative nature of being a fire lookout. While this contributes to the game's atmospheric tone, it may not appeal to players seeking fast-paced action or constant excitement.

In summary, Firewatch is a compelling and emotionally-driven adventure game that immerses players in a captivating story set in a stunning wilderness. Its engaging narrative, beautiful visuals, atmospheric sound design, and meaningful choices make it a standout experience. With its few minor shortcomings in gameplay mechanics and pacing, Firewatch still manages to deliver a memorable and thought-provoking journey worth undertaking.

Rating: 4 stars.

I recently played through Firewatch and it was a really nice experience. It introduces itself as some sort of character exploration, but halfway through the game you're introduced to some elements of mystery and drama. It's a cool experience, although probably not what you'd expect.

Gameplay-wise, this is just a walking simulator. The world is pretty well made though, and the map is very well made, so you don't ever get tired of walking around. Plus there's a few secrets to find while you're out in the woods. As for the presentation, the sound design is great, and the graphics have a really simple and stylized look, yet they're still detailed and beautiful. The environment in particular is super pretty, which is really appreciated when most of the game is just walking across the forest trying to get from point A to point B.

The real meat of the game comes from the writing. And it's really damn good at that. The world feels alive during every single second you're playing. Every single character has their own lives, their own stories, even if they only show up for one scene. The world you're playing through is expertly crafted, with so many cool places to explore, all filled with so many little details enhancing the world and making it feel more alive bit by bit. You can totally get immersed in the world of this game, and I absolutely love that.

The story is a bit lackluster in my opinion. It falls short on trying to deliver a satisfying conclusion to everything that happens throughout the game. It has a great setup and beginning, with the main character trying to escape his previous life and find himself, all while a giant forest fire starts engulfing the entire forest. And right when you think this will just be a character exploration, the game introduces a huge mystery into the world. There are so many questions, so much stuff happening, to the point where none of the characters know what to think or who to trust anymore, all exacerbated by the raging fire happening in the background. And yet, when you finish the game, it turns out to be nothing important and the characters just go on with their lives.

However, when I look back at the game, I really don't think there could have been a different conclusion to this game. I feel like the developers tried to introduce some exciting elements into the middle of the story, but weren't able to fully integrate them into the world. Don't get me wrong, it's still a good story, with a great setup and a beatiful ending. However i still feel a little weird about the whole middle part

In conclusion: I liked this game. I like walking simulators a lot, so playing through this and getting to explore the world was great fun. The characters are really well written and feel totally alive, and while the worldbuilding is expertly done, the story falls a bit short at the end. 7/10

I had this game on my wish list for a while but had never pulled the trigger. As it recently arrived on Game Pass I decided to give it a go. Now I wish I had played it much sooner, as I had no idea what I was missing out on.

What an amazing game. Rarely have I experienced such immersion in a virtual world as I did here. The whole thing is so engaging that I often felt I was actually in Wyoming’s Shoshone Forest. The vibe the devs were able to convey throughout the entirety of this short game is beyond impressive. It’s a strange thing: Firewatch can’t be described as a horror game by any means, yet I commonly felt literal chills down my spine as I was exploring the park and delved deeper into its mysteries. Can’t remember feeling like that in any other game with a similar style. There is this tense, creepy feel to it because the game preys upon what you don’t know which is, of course, one of the most effective fear-inducing tactics.

I also loved the story. I know some have criticised it for what they perceive as overpromising and underdelivering, but I personally really enjoyed both the tale and how it was told, precisely because of the grounded realism that came with it, thus subverting my expectations. I initially thought I was being set up for a highly depressing tone as I went through the text portion of the delivery, which I wasn’t exactly prepared for, but I was glad to find out that wasn’t the case. I also felt the pacing in which the story was laid out was really well delivered, even though sometimes it may feel weird when it moves forward so many days at once.

Another fantastic thing about Firewatch is its voice acting. You almost never see anyone, not even yourself, and the bulk of your exchanges are handled via walkie-talkie. At first I thought this would be a turn-off, but it ended up resulting in the exact opposite feeling: this is actually a brilliant, non-intrusive way of offering the player a backdrop onto which they can project their own emotions and perceptions. And all of this was anchored in wonderfully realised voice interaction, as both main actors deliver what I would almost consider Oscar-worthy performances that make you fully invested in the characters and events that unfold. Fantastic stuff.

The game can definitely feel bit clunky (to the point of even feeling slightly unresponsive at times), and some people may criticise it for its short duration (you basically need a 4 hour sitting to get through the whole thing). But for what it is, Firewatch is a remarkably enjoyable gaming experience, easily making its way into my top favourite walking sims of all time. 8.5/10.

I wrote some personal journal entries along with a game journal over the last two nights. I'd love if you read those entries and shared your thoughts. You can find them here.

Firewatch is a deeply beautiful adventure game. It has a strong relationally driven drama at its core... until it doesn't. The game makes the puzzling decision to switch genres during the third act. While the dialogue and performances still end up being exceptionally strong, the game faces a tonal and pacing struggle for the remainder of the game. For me, the game is at its most dull when it seems to believe it is at its most interesting.

Regardless, Firewatch is a style masterpiece. It is worth playing just to live in its dynamic, colorful, relaxing park. Somebody pay Olly Moss to make another game please, or I will be forced to utilize my downpayment I'm saving up for a city home and give it to him so I can live in more of his pretty virtual landscapes.

This game was really unique. It's basically a story, a really good story, delivered in a totally revolutionary way. At face value this game looks a bit like Dear Esther or something, another story-driven walking simulator. But it's more than that. If anything it's closer to Miasmata. Basically you play the role of a guy who gets a job as a fire lookout to escape the realities of his normal life. But upon arrival things aren't quite as they seem and mysteries start to unravel. The story is basically told through the environment and it's brilliantly orchestrated. Though you never actually come face-to-face with another person during the entire experience, the game is filled with deep, colourful characters. That's an achievement. The story is told through a diverse variety of clever techniques and gameplay mechanics. Overall the story is expressed through the forest itself and your explorations within it, and the little things you find, with the addition of occasional radio contact with the other fire lookout.

Generally I don't like story-heavy games, especially ones that are on rails without much interaction. But this game cleverly gives the player a lot of agency. The main game mechanic is the map and compass. As you pass through the forest and move the story forward you're constantly referring to your map and compass and it really feels like you're lost in the woods orienteering. Also, the visuals and sound are brilliant, adding further to the immersion. It truly feels like you're out in nature, and it's a nice feeling.

Ultimately though, the crowning achievement of this game is the story itself. It has so many little twists and turns, characters and surprises, it's like a brilliant short novel, almost impossible to put down. Though it starts off a little slow, 20 mins in it really takes off, and the whole game only takes about 4 hours to complete. I don't know if I've ever seen a story told in this way, through this medium with such an addictive Hollywood-style polish. After you finish playing you'll have many questions and conspiracies, in fact, days later I'm still pondering the meaning of certain things and formulating theories about the game, it goes deep.

I only have a few minor complaints. Firstly, the two main characters are kind of unpleasant, not very likeable, even irritating at times. I felt a bit uncomfortable, playing the role of this asshole, who narrates every step of the way. Secondly, as I mentioned earlier, I'm not really a big fan of story-on-rails games; this is an exception perhaps, but still, I'm subtracting a couple points. Finally, though one could explore deeper and find all the hidden secrets, this game doesn't have any re-play value really. There are no branching paths or alternate endings, it pretty much plays out the same way each time. Still though, it's a hell of a ride and well worth experiencing.

I came to this game knowing that it looked gorgeous, took place in the Wyoming wilderness (which I've visited several times... I even have "an aunt in Cody," which made me chuckle at a particular line of dialog), and was published by a company whose interactive sign I walk past on a regular basis.

What I wasn't prepared for was the emotional roller coaster this game put me through. From the earliest "text adventure" moments through the conclusion, I was torn. On one hand, this is a beautiful world I really enjoyed exploring for the handful of hours I did. On the other hand, I felt relieved at its conclusion, happy to return to my own problems than continue to grapple with Henry's.

The closest comparison I can draw is to the graphic novel work of Craig Thompson, specifically Blankets. Achingly beautiful, unquestionably brilliant, easy to recommend, but difficult to revisit for how hard it punched my heart in the gut.

Hours played according to Steam: 6

Finished?: Yes

Head Notes: 1) As an Idle Thumbs listener, I've been aware of this game's development since before it had a title. 2) During undergrad, I did a long form research paper that included close readings of the parts of Kerouac's Dharma Bums and Desolation Angels where he spends a summer employed as a firewatcher in the Pacific Northwest. 3) I once ended a multi-year cohabiting, romantic relationship by taking off on a solo cross country bike ride.

Firewatch:

I lost my second playthrough of Firewatch. Curiosity got me.

At the end of a satisfyingly bittersweet first run, I grabbed the hand of the helicopter evac dude--completely surprised and delighted to see that the developers had gone through the trouble of modeling and animating this lone living Other in the very last moments of a four hour game that had otherwise tactfully avoided bodily human contact (save for poor Brian, long dead at the bottom of his lovely cave) and that had thoroughly embraced that rare but beautiful beast: the video game jump cut.

I had spent the game talking to Delilah over the radio, but I had already told her not to wait for me as I tried to hightail it to her lookout tower. Two months had elapsed in the story, but it was the first time my character, Henry, would have the gear and/or will to cover the last mile or so to get there. I told her to go not out of chivalry (romantic or otherwise) or fear, but because it was the practical choice--no need to endanger her life too. I can't say for certain because I've decided not to look into it, but I suspect that even had I taken the bait and asked her to wait for me, she would not have done so. And I thought that this was at least as much a practical likelihood as a narrative one--because why go through the trouble of creating a body for that voice in the last moments of the game, unless the story was going to suddenly and treacherously turn into a sappy, bald-faced romance.

But then, after a moment to study the spartan trappings of Delilah's empty tower, Helicopter Man put out his hand and whisked me away to the credit sequence. It felt like a sincere and fitting end for Henry's not entirely lonely summer.

But I couldn't leave well enough alone. The gamer in me--and now, I suppose, the blogger also--wanted to know how things might have gone for a different Henry. So a week or so later, I loaded back up, with the explicit idea of a Henry who really, truly hated himself and had no patience for Delilah's banter.

Firewatch begins as a text adventure. "You are Henry," it says, and you make a set of binary choices as Henry begins to court Julia circa 1975. Time passes quickly, Henry and Julia get married and in small degrees, you influence the tone of their relationship. But no matter your choices, the relationship is heading for tragedy as Julia drifts into early-onset Alzheimer's.

In both of my playthroughs, when Henry and Julia decide to get a dog, I went along with Julia's choice of a beagle, instead of suggesting the German shepherd that could "keep her safe." Personally, I would have argued that beagles are usually obnoxious howlers and suggested we keep looking, but that did not occur to Henry, and pushing the German shepherd on Julia just seemed misguided and controlling. Likewise, when one of the bigger choices--whether to support Julia in her opportunity to take a professorship at Yale--came up, I settled for Henry's stubborn refusal to move and told Julia to take the position, both times--and both times, Julia and Henry suffered the pains of a long distance relationship. I could not stomach being a Henry so thoroughly stupid and selfish that he would ask his wife to give up on her dreams. My Henry has his share of the usual human foolishness and frailties, but he isn't a sociopath.

My second Henry though, was a less rational being than my first, and when the game asked me to decide whether to send Julia to an assisted living facility or to have Henry try to take care of her himself--Second Henry decided to shoulder that load on his own. It did not go well. To compensate for the stresses and hopelessness of his situation, Henry starts to drink more. He makes bad choices. He gets a DUI, and, ultimately, Julia's family intercedes and takes her away.

In this narrative, Second Henry takes the job as a firewatcher full of self-loathing. Both Henrys were looking to get their heads right after having their worlds fall apart, but Second Henry may be running from his alcoholism as well. And so far, this all fit with my idea for the second playthrough--it even added extra dimension to the drama because I know from my first go round that Delilah likes a drink or five, meaning that Henry would have to wrestle with either being sympathetic toward that aspect of her personality or repulsed by having his own weakness reflected back to him.

But an hour and half into that second playthrough, I couldn't be Second Henry anymore.. As it makes clear from the start, Firewatch is at least as much a game about relationships as it is about exploring and meeting goals in the lovingly crafted wooded areas surrounding Henry's tower. It is also about the tension of escapism--about indulging the impulse to get lost while tacitly keeping an eye toward home. Ironically, Second Henry was so busy trying to maintain a guarded stance toward Delilah that he may as well have stayed home. Aside from some Metroid/Zelda gating tools found along the way, Henry has very few opportunities to interact with or have an impact on the world outside of the "reports" that he makes to Delilah. By refusing to report, Second Henry was largely refusing to interact, and therefor, play the game.

Simply put: playing as Second Henry was too miserable an experience to make it worth my while--so I quit. While it could be argued that this is a real shortcoming of the game--failing to provide avenues for playing to fit the type of character that I was attempting to create--I am looking at it as an authored fail state. From the very start of the game, we are asked to create a negotiated Henry--a Henry with a history, with certain fixed qualities and a limited set of malleable traits. This stands in strict counterpoint to the typical Everyman Amnesiac video game hero. Too often, games feature an emotional range that is hamstrung by that storytelling approach.

Firewatch asks its players to work with Henry, not be Henry. My second approach to working Henry lacked the grace of my first attempt. I have, in my own ways, studied and been the kind of guy who runs off into the wilderness and First Henry was largely a seamless reflection of what I knew and could guess about Henry and his motivations. My attempt at Second Henry was to some extent an effort to reconcile the few moments where First Henry's experiences and responses didn't entirely jibe with my understanding of the character. Heavy drinking Delilah might jump rashly to conclusions and be given to paranoia, but First Henry didn't strike me as the excitable or reactionary type. So, in that way, Firewatch also conjured Second Henry into existence, but ultimately, neither of us were willing to support the lout.

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