Firewatch Review

Composer: Chris Remo

Developer: Campo Santo

Genres: Indie Game, First-Person Adventure, Walking Simulator

Designers: Jake Rodkin, Chris Remo, Nels Anderson, James Benson

Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC

Introduction: Firewatch was a Indie game I originally played and completed back when it originally released back on February 9th 2016. During this time I had no website only youtube channels. To make a long story short I am going way back into my memory to write this review for an Indie game that I believe deserves some internet clout if at all possible.

Presentation: Firewatch is a first-person walking simulator adventure mystery game heavy on atmosphere, dialogue and story. There isn’t a gun in this game. Still interested? Personally, from time to time I need to play a chill walking sim heavy on story and Firewatch delivered just that. You spend your time In a Wyoming national park during the late 1980’s summer. Character development is vital and mystery are the central focus intertwined with a few gameplay elements. Technically Firewatch is 1080p at 30fps on the Playstation 4. At least that’s what it looked and played like to my naked eye. Framerate wasn’t perfect but it ran good enough for my liking. I don’t remember any bugs or glitches in my four hours playthrough.

Story: Firewatch is a story that takes place in Wyoming during the late 1980’s. It’s about middle-age Henry M who gets a job at a Two-Forks Lookout as a park ranger of sorts. The prologue tells the story of Henry and his very sick wife Julia who is in Australia. Delilah June is the other half of Firewatch’s story of sorts who happens to be Henry’s boss stationed at the north lookout tower. Character development is focused between Henry and Delilah for the entire game. Combine dialogue choices, humor, potential romantic innuendos fleshes out Henry and Delilah’s relationship really good. All of this is done via Henry’s radio. You never actually meet Delilah face to face. Firewatch comes off as a lonely game where you walk and only talk to Delilah. The main mystery of Firewatch is about a missing boy named Brian Goodwin that became missing.

Gameplay: You pretty much just walk, climb, and crawl down hills making your way to waypoints playing as Henry. You do have tools that you need to use while on the job like a radio etc. Gameplay pretty much just revolves around dialogue trees choices while on your radio talking to Delilah. Too me this is a walking simulator that’s sorta relaxing to play. I’d rate the gameplay decent.

Visuals/Graphics: Firewatch has a water painting artstyle that I really dug. A game like The Witness has a similar look. Technical graphics-wise nothing stands out too much visually. There aren’t really any deep textures that I remember. Wyoming has canyons, lakes, rocky hills, green forests that looked really good visually. The colors change as time passes by the earth rotates around the sun changing the colors.

Sound/Music: Music was very mellow barely able to remember it honestly. Let’s say the music was mellow but atmospheric. What is very memorable was the dialogue sequences between Henry and Delilah. Those two really sold the story. Whoever those voice actors are I salute you!

Final Verdict: Firewatch is a mystery game involving Henry and Delilah. It’s an Indie game and was worth my four hours. Firewatch is now six years old. If you played walking simulators and enjoy them buy it. I would first check to see if you can get the game on a service first or dsicount. Either way, it will be cheap in 2022. Thank you for reading – Jason