Henry and Delilah's growing fear and panic resonate, because they are isolated, lonely and, above all, well written characters. The paranoia only works because the plot and tone mimic the style of a thriller, creating a tension that doesn't actually exist. Is it believable that an unknown research company would move to the wilderness to start monitoring conversations? It's certainly not outside the realm of possibility because, until the rules of the world are established-the extent to which it operates in parallel with our world- nothing is outside the realm of possibility. Players are left unsure if this is the sort of thing that could happen in this world. At its peak, the pair think they're part of some strange monitoring experiment-a Lost-esque zoo in which they're the primary attraction. As Henry and Delilah's paranoia builds, it tips the scale of realism. Or not, because, from that initial assumption, the creator gets to define their own rules-to confirm, withhold, subvert.įirewatch is drama in a thriller's clothing. In a sci-fi film, the same conversation would mean something different.

A conversation about religion might have particular significance, because gods can be a real and active participant in events. If all you knew about a fantasy novel was its genre, you'd still be armed with some basic context. To an extent, genre mitigates the uncertainty. In fiction, there's no guarantee what you're experiencing will follow our world's rules. It's a sequence that does nothing to rein in our own expectations as players, resulting in a genre fake-out that I feel undercuts the final resolution. The game gets so much right that I can't help but be disappointed by its overarching plot-specifically the middle-act, when Henry suspects his conversations are being monitored and his paranoia starts to build. Its environments, soundtrack, dialogue and animations are all superb. No low-effort or clickbait style posts.I love a lot of what Firewatch offers.If the thumbnail contains spoilers please mark it as NSFW.

In Firewatch you’ll explore a wild and unknown environment, facing questions and making interpersonal choices that can build or destroy the only meaningful relationship you have. Firewatch is a single player first person game in production being developed by indie studio, Campo Santo.The game is currently released for PC, Mac, Linux, Xbox One, PS4, and Nintendo Switch.

Firewatch game online