However, this caused the subject to be dropped in such a way that I never really got any sense of closure on it. I was avoiding talking about Henry’s past as I personally found those options fit best with my understanding of the character, or at least the character I was playing. In a way, this works to make each experience it’s own special thing, but the way that you answer questions can effect what topics do or do not get brought up in conversation later in the game to the point of being dropped completely. While, it wouldn’t be a stretch to expect the ending to be more spectacular, Firewatch puts such emphasis on the mundane things that can please or bother us as human beings, that a spectacular ending would have felt more incongruous than it would satisfying.Īnother way that game can be a victim of its own success is in the branching dialogue. With little else in terms of mechanics, the story is ultimately what Firewatch lives or dies on, and I personally found the conclusion to be slightly disappointing, but only because the build-up was so engrossing that the real thing could never live up to the expectations I had formed. This persists throughout the game leading up to its conclusion, and it’s here that mileage may differ significantly from person to person. This becomes even more pronounced as the idea that Henry and Delilah are not alone in the park sets in, and soon enough every corner had the potential for a surprise scare or startling set piece. More than once there was a creeping sense of lurking dread as I made my way through the woods in twilight, the burnt orange sky staining everything with a surprisingly evil glow. Perhaps the most striking and effective quality of the game – even more so than the strong characterization – is that of the oppressively lonely and unsettling atmosphere.
![wikipedia firewatch game wikipedia firewatch game](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/416eUDL-QcL.jpg)
The game effectively has no other characters besides these two, and by not seeing either (you can look down at Henry’s body, but never really see his face) the feeling of isolation sets in at an early point. These exchanges can vary so much that they almost work against the game in a strange way, and I’ll touch on that later, but they are the reason one might want to play the game again, as there are no alternate solutions to the puzzles outside of the one true answer needed to progress.Įnough can't be said about how wonderful the game looks, thanks to art from Olly Moss. The conversations between Henry and Delilah showcase Firewatch’s excellent writing and character development, as well as allow the player to create their own version of Henry to some limited extent.
![wikipedia firewatch game wikipedia firewatch game](http://pm1.narvii.com/6048/c5b5e2fe453b8c36126392edbd53027f596ad7ef_00.jpg)
Like other *sigh* … “walking simulators”, there is very little in terms of game play outside of the light puzzle solving and navigation of the world, with the critical exception, however, of conversing with Delilah. Once there, he begins a friendship/working relationship with his boss Delilah – played by Cissy Jones – whom he communicates with exclusively through radio, and it is here that the meat of the player agency takes place.
![wikipedia firewatch game wikipedia firewatch game](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/fire-watch/images/2/2e/Firewatch_Poster_4.jpg)
The job in question is a lookout in a national park in Wyoming, far from his home in Colorado and secluded from the rest of world. It’s hard to talk about the story without getting into the particulars, but suffice to say that Henry has taken a new job in order to run away from his responsibilities and a bad situation that he couldn’t handle. The player character Henry, played by Rich Sommer in one of the games two standout – albeit only – performances, is afraid. This may seem like a flimsy distinction, but I think it’s an important separation to make. Instead, it’s a game more about being scared than it is scaring the player. However, I wouldn’t be surprised by anyone who were to see portions of it, or even someone who was halfway through it’s four to five hour narrative, reaching the conclusion that this was a game instead to scare or frighten. This is something I knew – or at least thought I knew – going in, and it’s something I can confirm coming out of it.