This review contains spoilers
The Good:
-Superb voice acting
-Great dialogue
-Immersive gameplay
The Ok:
-Constant backtracking
-Minor stuttering
The Bad:
-Weak ending
Conclusion:
I’ve had my eye on Firewatch ever since I first started browsing the PS4 store; it looked like a simple, short game with a great story. Well it finally went on sale recently, and I can’t say I’m not a little disappointed. In its defense, Firewatch does a few things very well. The voice performances of both main characters are outstanding, and the naturalistic and fun dialogue really helps you to invest in these people. The central gameplay of walking around with a compass and a map was actually a little refreshing, although repetitive backtracking and getting caught on the environment did hinder that a bit. Presentation-wise it was pretty good. The art style was simplistic, but it worked, and the music was effective as well. There was semi-frequent frame-rate buffering, but nothing game breaking. Sadly, however, my biggest critique of this game is with its story. In the first two acts I was completely in; I learned of two relatable people, running from their problems, who stumble across a possible mystery. That’s a great premise, but the execution is completely fumbled. The answer to the mystery is very anticlimactic, and explained via a minute of dialogue. There are also a few unanswered questions, and a heavy feeling that your relationship with Delilah was just unresolved. I didn’t expect them to meet, but I at least wanted a heartfelt goodbye, or a promise to meet up later. What I got was an awkward phone call, a helicopter ride, and credits. That’s probably the point; perhaps the game’s themes hinge on the idea that sometimes life is life, and there’s no great resolution. Even still… I already knew that. I enjoy great stories partly because I like satisfying, emotional endings, and I’m well aware that those hardly ever occur in real life. In summary, I think it’s telling that the most upvoted post of the game’s sub-reddit discusses the disappointing ending.
-Superb voice acting
-Great dialogue
-Immersive gameplay
The Ok:
-Constant backtracking
-Minor stuttering
The Bad:
-Weak ending
Conclusion:
I’ve had my eye on Firewatch ever since I first started browsing the PS4 store; it looked like a simple, short game with a great story. Well it finally went on sale recently, and I can’t say I’m not a little disappointed. In its defense, Firewatch does a few things very well. The voice performances of both main characters are outstanding, and the naturalistic and fun dialogue really helps you to invest in these people. The central gameplay of walking around with a compass and a map was actually a little refreshing, although repetitive backtracking and getting caught on the environment did hinder that a bit. Presentation-wise it was pretty good. The art style was simplistic, but it worked, and the music was effective as well. There was semi-frequent frame-rate buffering, but nothing game breaking. Sadly, however, my biggest critique of this game is with its story. In the first two acts I was completely in; I learned of two relatable people, running from their problems, who stumble across a possible mystery. That’s a great premise, but the execution is completely fumbled. The answer to the mystery is very anticlimactic, and explained via a minute of dialogue. There are also a few unanswered questions, and a heavy feeling that your relationship with Delilah was just unresolved. I didn’t expect them to meet, but I at least wanted a heartfelt goodbye, or a promise to meet up later. What I got was an awkward phone call, a helicopter ride, and credits. That’s probably the point; perhaps the game’s themes hinge on the idea that sometimes life is life, and there’s no great resolution. Even still… I already knew that. I enjoy great stories partly because I like satisfying, emotional endings, and I’m well aware that those hardly ever occur in real life. In summary, I think it’s telling that the most upvoted post of the game’s sub-reddit discusses the disappointing ending.