Firegirl: Hack 'n Splash Rescue Reviews
Gameplay is well thought out, but unfortunately not fantastically executed. In addition to extinguishing fires, the story also has little to no depth. That's why Firegirl gets a 4.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
While Firegirl has more than a few singed edges, there’s definitely potential here. The visual style, an evocative combination of 3D world and 2D pixel art characters, is very easy on the eye and the core concept is solid. If Dejima Games are given the time to patch out the bugs, fiddle with the balancing and smooth out the plot pacing, Firegirl will be a good game eventually. Right now though, it’s distinctly average.
A player will rely on their gained knowledge and skill to beat the timer and is left with a rush of relief and feeling of success. However in Firegirl there is no set-up and the game quickly devolves into frustration because of a disorienting layout, repetitive gameplay and the occasional bug or visual glitch. While there's definitely an idea here it seems that Firegirl is unable to escape this Switch port unscathed.
With more time in development and tweaks here and there to its overall design, Firegirl: Hack 'n Splash Rescue DX could really have been something. As things currently stand however, the superb premise, gorgeous visuals and compelling platforming roguelike gameplay all feel stifled under the weight of some really nasty game breaking bugs that make the game almost impossible to play for any decent period of time. A real shame.
Firegirl: Hack 'n Splash Rescue would have a lot of potential, but at present it has too many problems to be enjoyable.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Firegirl: Hack 'n Splash Rescue DX is kindling; easily combustible and not much else. A platformer that makes platforming impossible at times. It also wants to borrow from roguelikes and Metroidvanias, but ends up taking all the wrong elements from them. Firegirl feels repetitive well before it should, including a camera that frustrates and leads to cheap deaths. The art of Firegirl is excellent. The 2D-HD made me feel like I was sitting in the living room of my parents house and I was nine years old again. But that's nothing more than smoke and mirrors.
Firegirl: Hack n Splash Rescue DX is fun, but only when you get past a frustrating initial hump. It suffers from balance issues with its progression and economy. It may be a push that many players are unwilling to grind through.
Firegirl: Hack ‘n Splash Rescue has some issues, but it also has its fair share of moments where it really shines. I adore the protagonist and the world she inhabits, their charm and personality untouched by the devastating flames. I enjoy the game’s unique concept and gameplay, a completely new experience in both the 2D platforming and roguelike genres. So while the mechanics might not be the most finely-tuned at the moment and the learning curve perhaps a bit steep, Firegirl: Hack ‘n Splash Rescue has the potential to become better refined in the coming months. Firegirl: Hack ‘n Splash Rescue certainly brings the heat; after a few updates, it might be safe enough to go back into the kitchen.
Firegirl: Hack ’n Splash Rescue is a gorgeous game, as the 2D sprites against 3D backdrops go really well together. The core gameplay of putting out fires and combating the various monsters is really fun, as is engaging with the metagame that drives the upgrades. But the repetition and lack of variety in the levels is very draining and tiresome. Future content patches could address these concerns, but until then I advise caution. Firegirl: Hack ’n Splash Rescue has a solid foundation, but the over-reliance on repetition and grinding is not as enjoyable as it should be.
Firegirl: Hack 'n Splash Rescue DX is a super-fun and unique game but its frustration factor can be high, especially if you're a perfectionist.
Firegirl could be an inspiration for young players, but the overall weak presentation, glitches, cheap visuals and especially the price probably won't convince you to buy the game.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
There’s a lot to like about Firegirl, but it’s not free of issues. You’ll undoubtedly grin with glee whenever you’re lucky enough to successfully complete a run, having rescued all survivors. But chances are you’ll come across insurmountable frustrations more often than not, bringing your time with the game to a grinding halt. Continually upgrading Firegirl‘s abilities certainly helps, but the mechanics need a bit of tweaking before this is as enjoyable as it deserves to be.
Firegirl: Hack 'n Splash Rescue isn't necessarily a hot mess or a dumpster fire, but it is a rather unstable experiment made of promising elements that went up in smoke. The basic platforming and firefighting action is enjoyable enough, but the rest of the possible enjoyment is buried under a mound of RNG, bad procedurally-generated levels and a lack of good progression. Unless you're up for a big challenge, this is one title likely to leave you cold instead.
This means, unfortunately, Firegirl: Hack ’n Splash Rescue is still a work in progress. All of the right elements are here, but they’re not coalescing into what should be the optimal firefighting experience. I truly believe there is a great game buried somewhere within the lines of code that brings it all together. We just got to hold onto hope that Dejima Games will be able to find it.
The core gameplay is fun, but the constant and unrelenting fists of failure really put a damper on things. Some of the issues I found with Firegirl: Hack ‘n Splash could be improved with more polishing. However, others might take a little more work.
I hate titles where I feel so torn about their uniqueness and promise crashing up against the reality of their implementation, at least for launch...
Overall though, Firegirl: Hack ‘n Splash Rescue DX is a fun little rogue-like / lite that can easily net you half a dozen hours to complete the main story before sticking around for more. With easy to pick up controls, especially with the PS5’s locking shoulders which makes shooting water that much more precise, if you’ve been looking for a bit of a challenge but not one that will cause you to rage quit, this could be the one for you.
Firegirl: Hack 'n Splash Rescue DX is an imperfect but interesting roguelite on Nintendo Switch. The premise is promising, and it's even entertaining, though performance on the console could be improved. Its length can make certain levels repetitive.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Overall Firegirl: Hack ‘n Splash Rescue is a fun but short experience that I enjoyed my time with. I do wish there was a bit more variance in how many different stages there are but still this was just a small issue I had with it. If you like roguelites and want to play something for a few hours then pick this up. It is a fun action game if you don’t go in expecting a grand story or a super long game.
Firegirl: Hack 'n Splash Rescue DX manages to be an incredibly fun and original action platformer. Now more improved, the game's challenges are demanding and fair, leaving that desire to play “just one more time” with each failure or victory. There's still more variety and fixes for this fire rescue game to be a must-see, but it's certainly a good suggestion for lovers of the genre who also enjoy a roguelite.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review