Welcome to the show Buyer Beware, where we take an objective look that will hopefully
help you make the decision on whether this game is good and worth picking up.
Were rounding up what the critics are saying in their reviews, any controversial news regarding
the release, and what the fans are saying online.
Today were looking at Firewatch, an exploration game taking place in the wilderness.
So does this walking simulator provide any enticing gameplay?
Lets find out.
Firewatch is currently sitting at a score of 82 on OpenCritic with a lot of passionate
reviews about this independent title.
Destructoid, GameTrailers, Guardian, and VideoGamer gave it an 80.
PC Gamer gave it an 85 and said it was a captivating journey into a beautiful, atmospheric wilderness,
with a touching story that doesnt always hit the right notes.
IGN had the highest score saying Firewatch is among the best of the walking simulators
thanks to stellar writing, art direction, and voice acting.
The most negative reviews were from Daily Dot and Push Square who both gave it a 60.
The values that some reviewers felt was endearing were actually boring according to them.
The reviews have been impressive considering that this is the debut game from both the
publisher Panic and the developer Campo Santo.
Firewatch takes place in the wilderness of Wyoming where your only emotional lifeline
is the person on the other end of a handheld radio.
Theres no quicktime events, combat, or even NPCs to interact with.
Its about exploring in the atmospheric forest.
Many reviewers have agreed that it delivers when it comes to atmosphere thanks to the
detailed environment.
The world also does an excellent job concealing its edges, making you feel as though the forest
extends for miles in every direction.
New areas always feel distinct, and the everpresent sounds of leaves rustling, birds chirping,
and brooks babbling, make every moment spent in Firewatch feel like all the best parts
of a real life camping trip.
Its not just about the setting, the game has an interesting way of showing the passage
of time using its art style.
IGNs review described how the game world utilizes color.
Once you arrive there, Firewatch�s powerful ambiance takes hold.
The story takes place over the course of an entire summer, with different days which are
treated as chapters of the story playing out at different hours of the day and night.
That allows bold reds, yellows, and oranges to color this fictional Wyoming forest�s
beautifully painted scenery all in a comfortable and immersive firstperson perspective.
Theres no denying that how much you enjoy the games premise can be very subjective in
a walking simulator.
If youre just walking around and theres no action, some people might find that boring.
In Push Squares review they kind of trashed the games premise.
Firewatch is a game about rambling.
Youll spend much of Campo Santos outdoorsy adventure navigating the Wyoming wilderness
on your lonesome, chatting with a lady who youve never met over your handheld radio.
Forget the walking simulator � this is very much a walkietalkie simulator.
But if you go down to the woods today, can you be sure of a surprise?
Well, yes but not entirely of the pleasant kind.
One positive aspect that everyone is talking about in the game is the voice acting.
Firewatch sounds as good as it looks, thanks to a world class script acted to perfection
by its two leads.
Rookie lookout Henry is given a playful vulnerability; you can choose to play him serious or funny,
and the performance is up to the task either way.
The game does have a familiar cast with Cissy Jones from The Walking Dead: Season 1 and
Rich Sommer from Mad Men.
Whats most interesting about the games characters is that they arent typical heroes.
Theyre more relatable people.
A game about characters in their 40s is rare enough.
To be about despondent, struggling people, without resorting to cartoonish crap about
midlife crises or outlandish unrealism, is a truly special thing.
Henry�s specific situation is something with which almost no one in the game�s audience
will immediately sympathise, but surely all will quickly empathise.
However, despite the strong voice acting some reviewers felt like they couldnt get invested
in the characters.
And even the most positive reviews said that the ending was lackluster.
The game becomes not quite a character study but a patient, reflective examination of how
two people grow to trust and care for each other.
Its a bold and admirable choice.
Unfortunately, the plot cant quite match the quality of the characters.
Without spoiling too much, a central mystery gradually emerges as you play, and the stakes
continue to rise until the story finally crescendoes towards the end.
At first I got wrapped up in the characters panic and paranoia and started to analyze
all the little narrative threads that felt so much like clues.
But once I learned the truth behind all the strange events, several story moments simply
didnt add up or seemed a bit too convenient.
One fact that has been understated are the performance issues on the PS4 version.
A few reviewers cited framerate drops, but also keep in mind this is based on prerelease
copies.
Push Squares review wasnt afraid to chew the game out for this issue.
The problem is that the game, in its prerelease state at least, has some of the worst performance
issues that weve seen on the PlayStation 4 to date.
The framerate chugs like a teenager at a house party, stuttering to autosave and plunging
into the low teens as it streams in new environmental data.
Granted, this is not a title that ever requires flawless controller response, but the constant
juddering is still jarring regardless.
That might be something that could be patched in the future or maybe most gamers are better
off with the PC version?
Since this game is all about atmosphere, a good soundtrack is essential.
A stylish, minimal soundtrack by Gone Home composer Chris Remo uses sparse layers of
electric guitar and bass to give weight to important moments, but most of the time all
you can hear is the sound of nature around you: trickling streams, rustling leaves, the
quiet howl of the wind, squawking birds.
This limited use of scoring makes the times when the music does come in more special,
because you know its arrival heralds something emotional, dramatic, or revelatory.
And although you�re almost always in conversation with Delilah, there are some sections of quiet
where you can enjoy the game�s excellent environmental audio design.
The biggest discussion happening on reddit regarding Firewatch is the game length.
Its about 4 to 5 hours in duration.
Some people love this idea, because theyre busy and dont have hours and hours to invest
in a game.
While other gamers think its not worth it.
Some level headed redditors are saying listen its an independent title for a lower price,
show some respect for the developers.
Ultimately game length is a complex topic and its very subjective.
For fans of a walking simulator style game with modest expectations, there seems to be
enough to keep you entertained.
Even so, these slightly offkey resolutions do not ruin what is otherwise an entertaining
and original experience.
If there can be such a thing as a pageturner in video games, this is one.
For anyone who enjoys narratives within games, Firewatch is certainly worth playing.
Player agency is woven into the games characters and plot, unmasking mysteries as they curve
toward their conclusion.
In the end, it feels like its about the emotions and cares of real people, not the animations
of puppets.
The game retails at 19.99 on PS4 and on Steam with a small discount if you purchase the
game early.
Its digital only, sorry for you guys that like physical copies.
So what about VR Support?
On the official blog, the devs stated that there is currently no VR support, but its
something that they are very interested in exploring.
The game also has one interesting feature that we havent seen in a long time.
On the PC version you can actually develop physical prints of images you capture in game.
Technobuffalo tried this feature out and apparently after you finish the game you get a link in
the menu to a web store where you can buy prints.
Something to remember the memories of walking around in Firewatch.
Its not something I would buy, but I can definitely see gamers who are into collectors edition
and memorabilia purchasing a few prints.
What do you think of Firewatch?
Is it a game that you would like to play or are you waiting for something bigger to come
out this month?
Let us know in the comments and subscribe to the skilled channel for latest news on
game releases.