![]() ![]() Considering that Rich Sommer (voicing Hank) and Cissy Jones (as Delilah) are essentially called upon to carry the entire plot on the strength of how well they read their lines, this game lives or dies on how well they fit into their roles - and the fact it lives and breathes and feels real is a testament to their successes. In this respect, Firewatch is helped immensely by some pretty impressive voice acting performances. When (again, kind-of-spoiler alert) a game hits you with the spectre of early-onset dementia just moments after you begin playing, you know you’re in for dealing with topics that aren’t usually broached by games, and that feeling carries itself all the way through to the game’s conclusion. I don’t want to say anything about it for fear of spoiling it, but I will say that this game’s narrative carries more emotional heft than almost anything else I’ve ever played. All of this adds together to create a tense, claustrophobic environment - not the sort of atmosphere one usually associates with the great outdoors, but this shows that there’s no contradiction.Ībove all else, though, Firewatch has an amazing story. ![]() Even though you’re equipped with a map and a compass, it’s awfully easy to get lost amongst all the winding trails - and it doesn’t get any easier as the game progresses and (spoiler, sort of) you have to deal with deteriorating weather conditions. People are something you experience either at a distance, over the radio, or via lost and forgotten mementos left behind. Like I said, nature has never been my kind of thing, but I suspect that all but the most woodsy nature-lovers would find this empty Wyoming forest a little disconcerting. On top of that, the game has a setting that’s conducive to creeping unease. Couple that with forest noises that sound ever-more-ominous as the story progresses, and you can see how Firewatch gets you off-kilter in that regard. For one thing, it has a score that’s perfectly suited for that purpose: hauntingly sparse guitar that wafts in and out of your consciousness, never quite resolving into an obvious melody, leaving you subconsciously unsure of what’s coming next. Between the overabundance of nature and the near-total lack of other people, we’re already basically talking one of my nightmare scenarios, so it’s not like Firewatch had that far to go in terms of getting me into the right mindset.Įven if I wasn’t pathologically put off by the wild, however, I have a feeling Firewatch still would’ve had me feeling tense and nervous in no time. You play as a forest ranger, Hank, isolated in the Wyoming wilderness, with nothing but a voice at the other end of a radio to keep you company. In other words, it doesn’t take much for Firewatch to put me in an uneasy state of mind. I’ve gone hiking, like, once in my 35 years of living. * Secrets and discoveries to be made over every hill.I’ve never been what you’d call an outdoorsy person. * A tailor-made story: the choices you make shape the narrative and build relationships. * A stunningly beautiful wilderness environment that expands as you explore. If you plan on playing with a younger gamer, that might be good to know going in. But when something strange draws you out of your lookout tower and into the forest, youll explore a wild and unknown environment, facing questions and making choices that can build or destroy the only meaningful relationship you have.Ī Note: Firewatch is a video game about adults having adult conversations about adult things. Your supervisor Delilah is available to you at all times over a small, handheld radioyour only contact with the world you’ve left behind. An especially hot, dry summer has everyone on edge. Perched high atop a mountain, its your job to look for smoke and keep the wilderness safe. You are a man named Henry who has retreated from his messy life to work as a fire lookout in the Wyoming wilderness. ![]()
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