Firewatch Reviews
Unfortunately, Firewatch left me unfulfilled to say the least.
Firewatch goes for a walk in the woods and gets lost along the way.
It's a shame that the game loses the player so early, and that it takes so much of its length to win one back.
The most bizarre narrative bait and switch in video game history, as a tense, emotional thriller sticks the worst landing since Eddie The Eagle.
The way Firewatch presents two people who barely know each other, is an intriguing way of exploring relationships between characters. Henry and Delilah's tale was the sole reason I wanted to continue playing. But it's the performance issues that may leave the long lasting impression here, as the PS4 version of the game was released in an unacceptable state.
Firewatch succeeds on the strengths of its narrative, but struggles to reconcile its storytelling with inconsistent world building and awkward mechanical conceits.
Firewatch has got an interesting style to it, but it just doesn’t have the follow-through. It’s not a terrible game, but rather an undercooked one. Those looking for something new will likely appreciate its unique style, but even the most fervent of fans will be aware of its faults.
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 delivers a forest adventure that never really ignites
Firewatch has the embers of a great narrative-driven game, but it fails to ever ignite into a furnace. Unforgivable performance issues detract from the otherwise outstanding art direction, but it's the abrupt story and unconvincing characters that really douse the hype here. Campo Santo's inaugural outing starts incredibly strongly, but your alarm bells will be ringing long before it burns out without ever really sparking into life.
Despite its technical hitches and messy conclusion, Firewatch's study of a flowering friendship makes for a riveting experience, against a gorgeous backdrop that breathes with fragile solitude.
The lush environments of "Firewatch" are a joy to explore, but the story at the heart of the woods leaves something to be desired. The early emotion felt in the game's intro loses its trail among a bramble of side plots and head scratching character decisions. "Firewatch" gets lost like Henry on his first day on the job.
The vast majority of Firewatch is an utter delight. It presents a gorgeous world that you want to sink into like a hot bath, with characters you're desperate to get to know. Unfortunately, that's all sort of squandered by an ending that fizzles out into the realm of the incredibly forgettable.
Even though I thought the ending was 'meh' I loved the journey that Firewatch took me on. The great writing and performances make the game and characters enjoyable from start to finish. It's a pity though that the journey was hindered by constant frame rate issues.
With both the beauty of Firewatch and its varied tones and exploration, this is one game that will resonate with players just as variously. As such, I wonder if, like Life is Strange or Beyond: Two Souls, there is a "set path" that the developers plotted out where everything lines up perfectly if these "set decisions" are made.
A beautiful and thoughtful game with a contentious ending
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.
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.
Despite featuring some awful stuttering and skipping, Campo Santo's Firewatch is one of the strongest debut projects in recent memory. The Olly Moss-designed world shines on screen, and the engaging relationship between Henry and Delilah elevates the story, even in the face of a weak closing act.
You already know if you are going to be buying Firewatch, and if you loved Everybody's Gone to the Rapture or Life Is Strange then this is the game for you. It's small, short and almost perfectly formed, it's just the shame the game broke so many times when I was playing it. I'm hoping these problems can be found and fixed very quickly after launch and I would suggest holding off buying the game until a patch has been released, but until then we don't have much of a choice but to mark an otherwise lovely game down due to the problems encountered.