Firewatch review - quite the debut
For years, playing from a first-person perspective meant you were shooting. Whether it be monsters from hell, alien lifeforms or modern day terrorists; gaming through the eyes of another meant you were probably going to war.
Things have changed in recent years thanks to the emergence of first-person exploration games like Gone Home and Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture, which forego action and spectacle in favour of quieter, more personal experiences. Next up to bat for this new genre is developer Campo Santo’s debut title: Firewatch. It follows fire lookout Henry over the course of his first summer in the job at Wyoming’s Shoshone National Forest in 1988. There’s plenty of walking, plenty of talking, and plenty to be impressed by.
Key to Firewatch is Henry’s relationship with a lady called Delilah, a veteran lookout and pretty much the only other human you come into contact with. While the game does open with a surprising peek into the whirlwind life that brought Henry to Wyoming (which carries an impressive amount of emotional punch for such a relatively short sequence), it’s really all about how things develop with your co-worker.
What’s so impressive is that you grow attached to her despite only ever communicating via a walkie talkie. She has her tower, you have yours, and – despite being able to see them both from almost anywhere – they’re miles apart. Yet you still feel close to Delilah, and have some choices to make regarding the dialogue which allows you to form a bond. As the story becomes a mysterious tale of conspiracy, you find yourself desperate for someone to trust and someone to talk to. Delilah provides both.
The ultimate resolution to said conspiracy may initially seem a little underwhelming, but it helps hammer home the key theme of loneliness. Despite its marketing placing much of the focus on snappy, humorous dialogue and lovely scenery, Firewatch certainly isn’t shy of tackling some heavy issues.
Firewatch’s relatively rushed finale is the slightest of blips in an otherwise well paced adventure, which guides you along whilst still allowing for exploration. You become very familiar with the sizeable landscape, and there’s a real satisfaction to eventually feeling confident enough to forego your map and make your own way around its valleys, caves and walkways.
In fact, that’s where the real sense of progression comes from a ‘game’ point of view. Make no mistake, Firewatch is all about telling a story. You can interact with objects in the world and the aforementioned dialogue options are handled well, but this is an undemanding game designed to be played in one relaxed afternoon sitting.
What makes that easy to do is just how well Campo Santo grip you. From the Up-esque opening to the conspiratorial second guessing, Firewatch spins a compelling yarn. It will draw laughter, fear, sadness and curiosity; a blend of emotions made all the more convincing by Chris Remo’s gorgeous score and cracking performances from Rich Sommer and Cissy Jones as the two leads.
You’ve probably seen enough of Firewatch by now to know this without me telling you, but it would be a crime not to mention just how fantastic it looks. Crafted by artist Olly Moss, the Wyoming wilderness has a beautifully soft aesthetic, like every frame has been painstakingly drawn with an easel.
Firewatch is a real triumph and one of the best studio debuts you’re ever likely to come across.
