Firewatch

⭐ 8.0/10

(Originally written by Joseph)

This is a story-driven indie game that falls under that "walking-simulator" style. I'm still not sure this is the style for me, but I appreciate that it exists. In this game you play as Henry, who experiences a personal tragedy and as a result signs up for a job as the Firewatch - sitting in a tower alone, watching out for fires in a national park. While there, he stumbles on some suspicious stuff and has to work through it. The only other real character is your boss who you hear through the radio.

This game is certainly more about the characters than the plot. It's a very reflective game, more about growth and decisions, and the stuff happening in the park moves it forward. It's a really thick atmospheric game, hiking through this beautiful forest alone, and it feels like you are breathing fresh forest air as you sit on the couch playing. With that said, the plot is still plenty engaging. Without wanting to spoil it, they did an amazing job sucking me and spurring me on to get to the bottom of what's going on. This is helped by some great voice work (Harry from Madmen!) and solid direction.

This is a good game. I wanted to like it more than I did, but I still really enjoyed the 5-6 hours it took to get through it. It has a great setting, fascinating characters, and gives the player plenty to think about. Definitely has those strong indie vibes, but I kinda like that. Definitely recommend for those into this style of game, and is probably a pretty good first game for those who have never played one.