I kinda like these gameplay free new adventures and Firewatch is one of the better so far. The sub-genre name feels very fitting as first person adventures from the 90s actually bothered to feature real puzzles. For the record, I completed the game in seven and a half hours and I often got lost in the woods I can't see anyone taking much longer unless his sense of direction is truly abysmal! 7/10įirewatch is the first independent game by the writer of TT's Walking Dead S01 and part of the ever growing 'walking simulator' genre. Still, this can be a short but engrossing experience. While the narrative kept my interest until the end, the last act feels anticlimactic, with some setups never paid off and some developments weakly set up. There really are no *puzzles* as in 'use the thing with the thing to unlock the other thing' like in LucasArts, Sierra or even Wadjet Eye adventure games. The player basically: 1) hikes through the wilderness checking map and compass to reach various destinations 2) chooses dialogue options when discussing with Delilah 3) interacts with items in a way that never goes beyond 'pick up, open or activate'. The story is compelling, sometimes emotional, often quite unnerving, with an atmosphere of rising paranoia as your main character explores the area, often at night, while he and Delilah realize mysterious enemies conspire against them. Acting and dialogue are top-notch: the interactions between Henry and Delilah, ranging from amusing to touching, are the core of the game. Visuals are luscious, no surprise here given Moss' talent. This first-person adventure/mystery is the kind of game some players praise as an incredible experience while others contemptuously peg as a boring 'walking simulator'.

However, strange events begin to occur, park visitors disappear, someone stalks Henry and spies on him and Delilah. The premise: in 1989, Henry (Rich Sommer), a man escaping from serious family problems, accepts a job as a fire lookout in the Shoshone National Park, which means he will be alone for months doing menial tasks in the beautiful wilderness his only contact is Delilah (Cissy Jones), his quirky supervisor, who lives in a relatively nearby tower and communicates with Henry via walkie-talkie. I picked the game up because of graphic designer Olly Moss, whom I knew for his awesome movie posters (seriously, check them out).

Firewatch game reciew