Firewatch

 PC
User Score
7.2

Mixed or average reviews- based on 1504 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 922 out of 1504
  2. Mixed: 361 out of 1504
  3. Negative: 221 out of 1504

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  1. dunnyone
    Feb 11, 2016
    4
    I'll give the developers this, the voice acting is excellent. The banter between the two characters is incredibly realistic but this falls woefully short as a game. It's three hours long (if that) and the ending is utter trash. It was also insanely overpriced for what you get. I truly do not understand these idiot official sites that tell us how excellent these games are, when they areI'll give the developers this, the voice acting is excellent. The banter between the two characters is incredibly realistic but this falls woefully short as a game. It's three hours long (if that) and the ending is utter trash. It was also insanely overpriced for what you get. I truly do not understand these idiot official sites that tell us how excellent these games are, when they are simply lackluster walking simulators. Wait for a Steam sale, when it drops to $5 then snap it up.… Expand
  2. itmo
    Feb 10, 2016
    3
    So did they forget to finish the game but still charge for a full game? The best way to sum up this game is - Good Marketing campaign, Dud game. The asking price for this game is 3 times to much for what you get, and what you get is a 3 hour walking simulator, on rails, no exploring the great wide yonder, a pretense to an interesting story which falls flat on its backside. There is noSo did they forget to finish the game but still charge for a full game? The best way to sum up this game is - Good Marketing campaign, Dud game. The asking price for this game is 3 times to much for what you get, and what you get is a 3 hour walking simulator, on rails, no exploring the great wide yonder, a pretense to an interesting story which falls flat on its backside. There is no climax, there really isn't much of a game. Zero replay value. Reminds me of the beginners guide, it's trying to be arty, cool but comes off as lame, underdeveloped and a missed opportunity to be an innovative idea.… Expand
  3. Akolyte01
    Feb 9, 2016
    4
    A very short game where the plot goes nowhere. Beautiful art direction that conveys the sense of an open world, but is really a series of corridors without any sort of gratifying exploration.

    The game is centered around the plot, but the ending leaves you thinking "Well, that was a whole bunch of nothing."

    Do not listen to the shills creaming their jeans, Firewatch is exceedingly mediocre.
  4. sjcodan
    Feb 9, 2016
    4
    The setup, the pacing, the suspense were all amazing, but that ending actively made me un-enjoy the game. There's so much setup pointing towards things that just don't matter. At all. I don't want to touch spoilers in my review, but lets leave it at this;
    The first third of the game is a 7, the middle third is a 9, and the back third is a -5.
  5. Muuvinki
    Feb 11, 2016
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. My last review was removed here, so I guess damage control has begun.
    This game is only 3 - 4 hours long, on rails walking simulator.
    Devs mislead players into thinking that this a open world game, which it isn't.
    Don't support lying devs and price tag of 20$ for a game that offers nothing new.

    PS
    I will keep posting my review back here everytime someone removes it
    You cant silence the truth.    … Expand
  6. fredhorrigan
    Feb 9, 2016
    0
    Just another "game" where you have barely any interaction and all you do is walk from point A to point B and interacting with the thing the game tells you to interact with so you'll be able to walk to point C while you choose between a handful of dialogue options that don't change anything.

    The story takes a page from Gone Home where it might look like it's some sort of supernatural    Just another "game" where you have barely any interaction and all you do is walk from point A to point B and interacting with the thing the game tells you to interact with so you'll be able to walk to point C while you choose between a handful of dialogue options that don't change anything.

    The story takes a page from Gone Home where it might look like it's some sort of supernatural mystery or something like that but ends up being a very mundane and very boring.

    SPOILER ALERT: There's no killer or supernatural elements, just a guy trying to spook people because he wants them to leave the forest because he doesn't want anyone to find his dead son's body and the two girls that go missing turn out fine.

    Don't pay money for this **** just watch it on youtube, or even better, watch something less terrible like a movie or a TV show.    … Expand
  7. Kraks
    Mar 25, 2017
    2
    I couldn't disagree with positive reviews for this game more. It is a very short adventure novella with 0 skill requirements, no puzzles, and no problem solving required. You just walk around the world for a bit and click on things and listen to a conversation between yourself and another firewatcher. The entire game may take 4 hours to complete if you go slow, but is easily completed inI couldn't disagree with positive reviews for this game more. It is a very short adventure novella with 0 skill requirements, no puzzles, and no problem solving required. You just walk around the world for a bit and click on things and listen to a conversation between yourself and another firewatcher. The entire game may take 4 hours to complete if you go slow, but is easily completed in 2.

    I wouldn't suggest this game for any more than $2. The $20 price tag suggests depth that just doesn't exist.    … Expand
  8. JazGalaxy
    Feb 14, 2016
    4
    Great writing and voice acting are stymied by a terrible plot and conclusion that leave the player scratching their head and wondering why this was a story that needed to be told at all. As usual gamers give too much credit for what is attempted rather than what was achieved. Player choose is mostly cosmetic. In short, want to read a murder mystery where the ending is that nobody was everGreat writing and voice acting are stymied by a terrible plot and conclusion that leave the player scratching their head and wondering why this was a story that needed to be told at all. As usual gamers give too much credit for what is attempted rather than what was achieved. Player choose is mostly cosmetic. In short, want to read a murder mystery where the ending is that nobody was ever actually killed? Your answer will give you the answer as to whether you should play firewatch.… Expand
  9. Ewakid
    Mar 22, 2016
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Not much content for a game I spent 19.99 on, I've player DLCs that are longer and more enjoyable than this game. The conversations between Henry and Delilah are ok, but its hard to pay attention to them when trees pop in and out of existence, or when the ground disappears. The 15 FPS is great too, I have a pretty nice Pc and I'm above the system requirements but I still have to endure a god awful framerate. [[SPOILERS]] The endings piss poor, the second they introduced the weird hiker guy with his son I knew that he would have a big role to play. Sure enough, he was the one that was doing all the weird **** After that, you just get rejected no matter what, and nothing you did affects the outcome of the story. Now you can say the ending doesn't matter and that its all about the journey, but you can't say that when the **** journey was "walk to this place, walk to another place, talk a bit". Another game that had a **** ending was Fallout New Vegas, you get a **** slideshow and you realize nothing matters. BUT the difference is in fallout new vegas I can **** do stuff, I don't just walk and walk and walk. So in the end, don't buy this game, you won't really have fun, it's just walking. Watch a full walkthrough with no commentary. You will get more out of just watching everything happen than actually playing the game.… Expand
  10. Shahenita
    Apr 29, 2016
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. the game is just 2 hours long! its too short..
    its an adventure to reveal the story.. that start very good and ends very Sad!
    raising to expectation until the middle.. and then is just disappointment after another!

    games should be fun! whats fun about a boy dead on a cave!!!    … Expand
  11. meglaa
    Aug 11, 2016
    4
    Going from point A to point B, with sometimes an additional point C. Basically the game is a walking simulator with dialogue. You can't run with the map open, which is a big deal, since you hardly learn the map before the game is over. The story is pretty interesting, but it feels like at the end, the writers were fired, because nearing the ending is just ridiculous. The actual gameplayGoing from point A to point B, with sometimes an additional point C. Basically the game is a walking simulator with dialogue. You can't run with the map open, which is a big deal, since you hardly learn the map before the game is over. The story is pretty interesting, but it feels like at the end, the writers were fired, because nearing the ending is just ridiculous. The actual gameplay time is a few hours, which is pretty sad, considering the price of the game and the game has absolutely no replay value. The decisions you make have no impact on the game itself, it's just for you to do something. Whatever you choose, whatever you do, the entire game will still be exactly the same.… Expand
  12. Vzhik
    Feb 16, 2016
    4
    Как-то всё посредственно. Ни глубокой истории, ни мега-красивостей, музыки очень мало.. Всё ждал какого-го нибудь неожиданного поворота. Ощущение пустышки, обманки. Разочарование от игры.
  13. WarPhoenix
    Oct 4, 2017
    1
    co dev threatened to dmca pewdiepie for no reason other than not liking pewdiepie and i think its honestly BS i would of rated this game a 4 out of 10 as its as others say seems like a half assed game in everything but its certain visual appeal however with the devs behavior of doing this after any coverage about fire watch during its launch but is doing it now is stupid and inmature.
  14. Polarthief
    Feb 24, 2016
    2
    Here's just a list of reasons why this game is very, very, subpar.

    - It's a very linear, story-driven, game, with practically no gameplay. It's pretty much the definition of a "hiking simulator". - It's about 3-4 hours long and launched with a $20 price tag. - It started with plenty of potential and ended with a disastrous "that's it?" feeling at the end. - It gives you the illusion    Here's just a list of reasons why this game is very, very, subpar.

    - It's a very linear, story-driven, game, with practically no gameplay. It's pretty much the definition of a "hiking simulator".
    - It's about 3-4 hours long and launched with a $20 price tag.
    - It started with plenty of potential and ended with a disastrous "that's it?" feeling at the end.
    - It gives you the illusion of choice that changes how your character and the "companion" character that you never meet communicate to one another. There is no actual choice though.
    - There is virtually no difference between watching and playing this game. Go watch any of the LPs for it and save your $20.
    - It's not even appealing to look at. At the very least it could have given us that.

    I honestly don't know what drugs the positive reviewers were on when they posted their reviews. Maybe they're only reviewing the demo (which was solid), but the full game is just trash.    … Expand
  15. StidIsram
    Feb 25, 2016
    1
    Эта игра - полный отстой, провал, позор и много чего еще. только черепашка спасает, но несильно +1 бал за черепашку. итого 1 из 10.
    Никакой сюжет, никакой мир, никакие персонажи.
    Совсем непонятна оценка изданий, но на их мнение здравомыслящие люди давно не обращают внимания.    Эта игра - полный отстой, провал, позор и много чего еще. только черепашка спасает, но несильно +1 бал за черепашку. итого 1 из 10.
    Никакой сюжет, никакой мир, никакие персонажи.
    Совсем непонятна оценка изданий, но на их мнение здравомыслящие люди давно не обращают внимания.
  16. evilnils
    Feb 20, 2016
    3
    If you cut out the hiking back and forth, this game would have less than one hour gameplay.

    It looks good, voice acting is superb, story is great, ending is underwhelming (and it is supposed to be).
    But, there is no game play and it is way way too short.
    This could have been a good movie, instead it became a pretty average game.
  17. TitaniumDragon
    Dec 27, 2017
    1
    Firewatch is a walking simulator which uses some video-gamey elements to try and make it seem more interactive. Unfortunately, like all walking simulators, it is critically important that the story that the simulator is telling is actually interesting.

    And Firewatch fails at this. This isn’t obvious at first, though. The game actually has what seems like fairly decent moment to    Firewatch is a walking simulator which uses some video-gamey elements to try and make it seem more interactive. Unfortunately, like all walking simulators, it is critically important that the story that the simulator is telling is actually interesting.

    And Firewatch fails at this.

    This isn’t obvious at first, though. The game actually has what seems like fairly decent moment to moment writing; while it starts out with a sort of text adventure thing that unfolds as you’re hiking, it quickly starts going into actual dialogue as the protagonist (Henry) talks with Delilah, his supervisor.

    Henry has taken a job watching out for fires in a national forest as a means of getting away from his problems; his wife has early onset dementia and Henry himself is something of a mess as a result, and it is implied that he might be an alcoholic.

    The problem is that we get this at the very start of the story; this is the setup. But the game ends up spending a lot of its length having Henry reveal all this to Delilah, meaning that a lot of Henry’s “character development” is stuff we already know. While his conversations with Delilah are solid enough, they lose their oomph because we, the reader/listener, already know this from the intro.

    And this is the real flaw of Firewatch – it constantly undercuts itself. There is a mystery early on, which then links into another (greater) mystery… which is a solid way to present a plot. But the solution to the mystery is an anticlimax, and as a result all of the tension it tried to build up was utterly pointless.

    The plot is, thusly, a mess, and so from a macro structural standpoint, so is Firewatch. Without a really meaningful plot, the game is nothing more than wandering around in the forest while talking over the radio and doing slice-of-lifey stuff. And if the game had just been a slice of life drama, it might have worked. But its attempt at mystery, and its attempt at a story arc, utterly fall flat, and in the end, nothing we spent all that time doing really meant much of anything. It is a story we experience rather than interact with, and the story itself is not very good, so there’s not really anything there.

    The game itself is pretty enough – or at least, the environment is, with a nice aesthetic to it. I took quite a few screenshots, and there’s some nice little details in there, such as the protagonist writing notes to himself about what has been going on. The voice actors are both solid and deliver their lines well on the whole, though there’s some slight inconsistency in a couple scenes as a character who is supposedly getting drunk immediately sobers up a few lines later.

    But without a good story to go with it, the whole thing is an empty experience, and you will spend 4-5 hours wandering around in the forest without ultimately being led to feel like your wandering mattered.    … Expand
  18. Thanksmetacriti
    Dec 28, 2017
    0
    Garbage game from garbage devs, walking sim for sure. Boring Boring Boring Boring
  19. draconianwrath
    Feb 12, 2016
    3
    This game contain two well-fleshed characters talking to each other, a pretty wilderness to walk around in and NOTHING ELSE. A literal walking simulator.

    The gameplay is basically nil. You walk from A to B over and over, meanwhile selecting dialogue choices which only change the next line of dialogue received and nothing else, giving the illusion of choice. That's it. THAT'S THE GAME.    This game contain two well-fleshed characters talking to each other, a pretty wilderness to walk around in and NOTHING ELSE. A literal walking simulator.

    The gameplay is basically nil. You walk from A to B over and over, meanwhile selecting dialogue choices which only change the next line of dialogue received and nothing else, giving the illusion of choice. That's it. THAT'S THE GAME.

    The above might have been forgivable if the game had a strong story to keep you interested throughout. Unfortunately, while the story starts off strong, it proceeds to jump of a cliff near the end, which is almost as bad as having it be bad all throughout as it leaves a very sour taste in many people's mouths.

    The only positive aspects of Firewatch are the dialogue and the environment design, however, this just adds fuel to the idea that Firewatch would have functioned much better as a story then as a game, as well as having a story that didn't stop giving a **** near the end.

    Finally, it's extremely short for it's asking price of $19.99 US. This "game" is nothing more then an interactive book, calling Firewatch a game is an insult to other games and it's proclamation of being of good quality by mainstream game sites is more proof that mainstream games media have ****ing lost the plot and/or become filled with agenda-pushing morons.    … Expand
  20. fragman
    Sep 24, 2017
    0
    False DMCA claim simulator 2017
    And yes, this is simply a statement towards the lack of character displayed by the developer, not actually about the game. But by their standards, attacking someone's income based on something that has nothing to do with you is acceptable.
  21. Morguewolf
    Feb 13, 2016
    3
    I was ready to be in love with this game. It looked beautiful and had a great set up for an amazing story. Sadly...

    It falls short in literally every department. The game is painfully short for the price tag of $20. 3 hours long with zero depth in the gameplay and a massively disappointing story. Do yourself a favor and ignore this game.
  22. Rabullione
    Sep 11, 2017
    2
    I have a single, simple requirement of videogames-- they have to be fun. This game fails to meet that requirement, and so it receives a poor rating. Enjoyable visuals, script & voice acting are the only redeeming qualities in what is, otherwise, more akin to a chore than a game.
  23. czt
    Aug 6, 2017
    0
    "Full controller support" is just a lie if dinput controllers ignored. Handling them with unity is indeed possible, see Layers of Fear or Syberia 3 for example.
  24. yogibbear
    Feb 11, 2016
    4
    Good gameplay, good humorous writing, interesting concept. Let down heavily by an unbelievable plot full of idiotic characters making stupid decisions. Entire game falls over because you cannot believe what they do or their motivations. Rest of it would be great in another game with a better story and more expanded gameplay. So... I feel ripped off. I mean I knew it was going to be a storyGood gameplay, good humorous writing, interesting concept. Let down heavily by an unbelievable plot full of idiotic characters making stupid decisions. Entire game falls over because you cannot believe what they do or their motivations. Rest of it would be great in another game with a better story and more expanded gameplay. So... I feel ripped off. I mean I knew it was going to be a story game / walking simulator, but there's just no meat here. Also there's no real choice in what happens, just different dialogue as far as I can tell. Pretty disappointed as from the reviews I'd read they made it sound like there'd be multiple endings or something so at least that would've given it some meat, but nope. Not recommended.… Expand
  25. martin03252000
    Sep 13, 2017
    0
    the developers are people that would sue a innocent person, just because they don't like them. The game is a walking simulator and if you really wanna play a walking simulator you would be beater of playing something like valley
  26. OllieGally
    Sep 14, 2017
    0
    Boring. Basically a walking simulator which is very short in a way, could be better with a different story line. It is a huge waste of time and money.
  27. dakon
    Feb 13, 2016
    1
    Game bugged out at day 79. Could not get it work. Had to watch the rest of the game in youtube.....by lord if you are a sp story driven game, bug check before release.
  28. LordScrambles
    Sep 20, 2017
    0
    Garbage walking simulator.

    That's it. That's all I really need to say. I could end this review here. But I guess I could go into a bit more detail. The game had "something" of an interesting premise at the start. Before actually taking control of the story, you read a series of text excerpts detailing the events leading up to the beginning of the game. However, as soon as we get into    Garbage walking simulator.

    That's it. That's all I really need to say. I could end this review here. But I guess I could go into a bit more detail.

    The game had "something" of an interesting premise at the start. Before actually taking control of the story, you read a series of text excerpts detailing the events leading up to the beginning of the game. However, as soon as we get into the game itself, you instantly become aware of the fact that the game is... well... nothing. Even by the standards of "narrative driven" games, this one just sucks. A clunky, confusing build up, that ultimately leads to a resolution that is simultaneously nonsensical and completely unsatisfying. That's what you're getting when you buy this game.

    There's nothing worse than a bad ending, and boy does this game deliver in that regard.    … Expand
  29. YourNeighbour
    Jan 24, 2018
    0
    FIRST UP: They BAN you for giving feedback on the forums. You PAY for a game and you give them a feedback they don't like it so they ban you? What kind of immoral developer are those? They have no shame left and should not continue to exist as a company. If you are reading this, don't buy it, or if you buy it, play it real quick and refund it.

    It might appear to be some kind of open    FIRST UP: They BAN you for giving feedback on the forums. You PAY for a game and you give them a feedback they don't like it so they ban you? What kind of immoral developer are those? They have no shame left and should not continue to exist as a company. If you are reading this, don't buy it, or if you buy it, play it real quick and refund it.

    It might appear to be some kind of open world exploration but no, it's just a linear storyline and it's helluva short for the money you will be paying.

    On top of that, the fps will jump wildly even on the best gaming PC, not very well optimized, just another cash grabbing quick asset dump.    … Expand
  30. Mygaffer
    Sep 14, 2017
    1
    Worst walking simulator ever. Boring "game" with a terrible ending. Is NOT worth the money. I highly recommend people stay far away from this and all of this developer's games.
  31. ed_aluko
    Sep 21, 2017
    0
    You are better off watching a let's Play of Firewatch as there is no gameplay only scripted dialogue and story. So save your money and watch it on Youtube.

    BTW: My first review was deleted as have most that are critical of this game and its developer in recent weeks. I would expect no better of a developer who tries to destroy someone's career because they spoke out of turn than to    You are better off watching a let's Play of Firewatch as there is no gameplay only scripted dialogue and story. So save your money and watch it on Youtube.

    BTW: My first review was deleted as have most that are critical of this game and its developer in recent weeks.
    I would expect no better of a developer who tries to destroy someone's career because they spoke out of turn than to then seek to censor those that called them out on their awful behaviour and their ludicrously overrated walking simulator.
    I fully expect Campo Santo to have this review removed as well because they are cowards and censoring criticism is what cowards do best.    … Expand
  32. SaniCorpus
    Feb 27, 2016
    2
    Its not worth the money. Its so short...I thought it would only be the 1st episode...but after 3 hours the game was over. I looks nice and the idea was good.. the relationship between the two characters is interesting. But thats all... the rest ist....BORING! Walk around, click because the ui shows you to click. Compared to "The Walking Dead", where your decisions have an impact on theIts not worth the money. Its so short...I thought it would only be the 1st episode...but after 3 hours the game was over. I looks nice and the idea was good.. the relationship between the two characters is interesting. But thats all... the rest ist....BORING! Walk around, click because the ui shows you to click. Compared to "The Walking Dead", where your decisions have an impact on the story and the story goes much longer, this game is a bad joke. And after the ending you don´t want to play it again... Don´t waste your money for this betrayal!… Expand
  33. lilpen
    Feb 26, 2016
    1
    The only pretty thing about this game is the atmosphere. I literally had to go and make an account to just rate how terribly mundane this game was. It had so much potential but honestly, the end was just really annoying. People call it "realistic." I honestly thought it would be good because of the hype but trust me you do NOT want to board the hype train on this one.
  34. SoulExcuse
    Sep 12, 2017
    0
    A very short game where the plot goes nowhere. Beautiful art direction that conveys the sense of an open world, but is really a series of corridors without any sort of gratifying exploration.

    The game is centered around the plot, but the ending leaves you thinking "Well, that was a whole bunch of nothing."

    Do not listen to the shills creaming their jeans, Firewatch is exceedingly mediocre.
  35. FlorinEmil
    Sep 12, 2016
    1
    The only good thing about this game is the art style and the voice actors.
    The best walking simulator of this year 10/10 would walk again and answer that radio.
  36. coustoe
    Sep 14, 2017
    1
    A very linear game with very little actual gameplay or game content. Total game time is about 3 hours. It plays more like if you were just watching a movie and should be worth the same price, a few dollars. The developer seem to be jumping on the bandwagon of trying to scam gamers into paying game prices for delivering a "visual novel". This combined with hearing the Developer's recentA very linear game with very little actual gameplay or game content. Total game time is about 3 hours. It plays more like if you were just watching a movie and should be worth the same price, a few dollars. The developer seem to be jumping on the bandwagon of trying to scam gamers into paying game prices for delivering a "visual novel". This combined with hearing the Developer's recent rants about the gaming community and the over generous game review you can tell that this is another "Lost at home" Developer.… Expand
  37. Chris_DK
    Feb 18, 2016
    4
    This game has a lot of great moments but I completed it in under 4 hours and that was without rushing it. The ending was a serious anticlimax and was really weak. The game ends abruptly and is very linear, the choices you make in this game does not matter in the end. There was no character development, the relationship you have invested time on througout this entire game was for nothing.This game has a lot of great moments but I completed it in under 4 hours and that was without rushing it. The ending was a serious anticlimax and was really weak. The game ends abruptly and is very linear, the choices you make in this game does not matter in the end. There was no character development, the relationship you have invested time on througout this entire game was for nothing. The game has an outstanding voice cast, an excellent soundtrack and nice visuals but is kind of shallow. I have been looking forward to this game ever since it was announced and really wanted to love it. This game had potential to be so much more.… Expand
  38. Aventinus
    Feb 14, 2016
    1
    The environments are beautiful....everything else is steaming donkey dung. From the mundane conversations to the hollow and non-existent plot...this game may be what stops me from playing games forever. I've just finished it and it left such an empty feeling inside of me that I just don't want to touch video games for the foreseeable future. Thanks Firewatch.
  39. Trunkis
    Sep 22, 2017
    0
    This is a really flawed game.
    Overhyped to kingdom come.
    Not worth your money.
    The best way to sum up this game is - Good Marketing campaign, Dud game.
  40. JMountain26
    May 13, 2016
    2
    Thsi game is **** awful. It was so damn fun and **** interesting as hell. But the goddamn ending made me want to neck myself and drink bleach at the same time. DONT BUY! 20.00 is not worth a 4 hour long train ride to a neverending circle of **** that ends with 0 questions answered.
  41. SharkyLV
    Sep 16, 2017
    0
    Way too linear and short.

    Would rather request a refund.

    The game is centered around the plot, but the ending leaves you thinking "Well, that was a whole bunch of nothing."
  42. jsven007
    Sep 19, 2017
    0
    This game is not worth the money, it lacks content, is boring, and is repetitive after a short time. If you want to buy a decent game look elsewhere. After a few hours, you will be bored with the mediocre gameplay. In summary, just do yourself a favor and avoid this game.
  43. adeadmoose
    Sep 20, 2017
    0
    The game was trash. Very little game play experience and content for me to consider it a "Game." I'm positive that Five Nights at Freddy's first game alone has more secrets and lore.
  44. realmrhyde
    Sep 26, 2017
    0
    The art style of this game is unique but for 20 bucks it is too short and ending is terrible.

    I would of given it higher but the developers also change their policy on streaming to whoever they please and have taken down streams using DMCA claims even though they clearly state on their website anyone can stream the game and even profit from it.
  45. Voodoo123
    Jan 10, 2018
    3
    This well-enough crafted game uses simple, 'nintendo style' graphics to tell its pretentious story about a fire lookout solving a mystery. It's a 3 hour long 'walking simulator' game and once you start playing, you'll quickly know if its for you or not.
  46. thumperca
    Oct 15, 2017
    3
    This game was a let-down and I regret buying it. It is nowhere as good as critics believed us to be. There isn't a lot to explore and the campaign was short. The ending of the game is also a big letdown. This game builds up suspense but ends feeling empty.
  47. willfo
    Feb 10, 2016
    3
    A 2 hour game that amounts to nothing.

    Beautiful and well made, but with a story that could have come from a bad 90's TV movie written by a failed screenwriter working for nickelodeon. Do not be fooled into thinking this game falls into a category with telltale games or Until Dawn, because the story and choice elements are sorely lacking. If you REALLY like the walking-sim style    A 2 hour game that amounts to nothing.

    Beautiful and well made, but with a story that could have come from a bad 90's TV movie written by a failed screenwriter working for nickelodeon.
    Do not be fooled into thinking this game falls into a category with telltale games or Until Dawn, because the story and choice elements are sorely lacking.

    If you REALLY like the walking-sim style genre then this may be worth a buy, otherwise wait for a sale at best.    … Expand
  48. Nogard123
    Feb 11, 2016
    0
    This game begins very interesting,but the further you go in the more obvious it is that they rushed this out.
    A very short game and very bad story, my advice would be to avoid this game.
    No replay value at all,l i also see that Anita Sarkeesian is in the end credits,that could explain why this game is a huge failure.
  49. goodterling
    Oct 3, 2016
    0
    What a WASTE OF TIME. This game is the equivalent of those modern art paintings of one simple square. It exists only to make pretentious people feel deep for "getting" it. It's a lot of unnecessarily slow and awkward trudging around a forest, tracking down very MUNDANE mysteries that end up being EVEN MORE mundane when revealed. Your OWN LIFE is almost certainly more interesting thanWhat a WASTE OF TIME. This game is the equivalent of those modern art paintings of one simple square. It exists only to make pretentious people feel deep for "getting" it. It's a lot of unnecessarily slow and awkward trudging around a forest, tracking down very MUNDANE mysteries that end up being EVEN MORE mundane when revealed. Your OWN LIFE is almost certainly more interesting than anything in this game. If not, you're doing it wrong.… Expand
  50. smith
    Jun 8, 2016
    0
    Игра шлак, полный шлак. Всё на что хватило разработчиков, это на размытые текстуры и ни одного прорисованного персонажа в игре.
    Вкратце:
    - Графика... графика полное говно. Закат смотрится неплохо, в остальном всё невзрачно. Почему не взять и не сделать игру на UE4, используя всю его красоту? Ну почему нельзя?! (Как в исчезновение Итона Картера, шикарнейшая графика, которая создавала    Игра шлак, полный шлак. Всё на что хватило разработчиков, это на размытые текстуры и ни одного прорисованного персонажа в игре.
    Вкратце:
    - Графика... графика полное говно. Закат смотрится неплохо, в остальном всё невзрачно. Почему не взять и не сделать игру на UE4, используя всю его красоту? Ну почему нельзя?! (Как в исчезновение Итона Картера, шикарнейшая графика, которая создавала тонну атмосферы.)
    - Игра длится 5 часов, из них 2,5 часа ты карабкаешься по веревкам вверх вниз - такой бред, боже, как я ненавижу такие игры с дрочерством (((
    - Очень слабый и глупый сюжет для игры такого жанра.
    - Музыка не запоминается и т.д.
    Можно все детально расписывать, но время жаль тратить на эту игры, и так 5 часов потерял.    … Expand
  51. RaphStryker
    Feb 14, 2016
    0
    This "game" is insultingly bad,its clear it came from development hell and ended right when it start to became good. Don't waste your money it's not worth it.
  52. jooob3
    Feb 9, 2016
    0
    fredhorrigan SAYS IT BEST!!!! JUST DONT BUY IT IF YOU ARE GONNA SPEND THE MONEY GET UNRAVEL FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!!!!!

    Just another "game" where you have barely any interaction and all you do is walk from point A to point B and interacting with the thing the game tells you to interact with so you'll be able to walk to point C while you choose between a handful of dialogue options that    fredhorrigan SAYS IT BEST!!!! JUST DONT BUY IT IF YOU ARE GONNA SPEND THE MONEY GET UNRAVEL FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!!!!!

    Just another "game" where you have barely any interaction and all you do is walk from point A to point B and interacting with the thing the game tells you to interact with so you'll be able to walk to point C while you choose between a handful of dialogue options that don't change anything.    … Expand
  53. Boney
    Feb 15, 2016
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. More of an interactive video than a game, It should be noted that Firewatch contains absolutely zero actual gameplay besides walking and occasional interaction with items. There are no puzzles to solve or obstacles to overcome. There is no challenge present, it is entirely narrative-driven.
    The illusion of choice is present to add an element of drama or suspense, though ultimately nothing you say or do makes the slightest difference in the plot or progression of the game.

    That being said, It's a beautiful experience with amazing graphics and incredible voice acting. I enjoyed the brief experience this game had to offer, and unraveling the mystery kept me entertained for it's duration. However, the plot really falls short at the end, and you're left with even more questions than you start with. The relationship you have tended throughout the game disintegrates into nothing, and I was left feeling a bit underwhelmed and unsatisfied.    … Expand
  54. AlkaVirus
    Feb 9, 2016
    3
    Hardly a game, more like a mediocre story-based game trying to show off animation and graphics. Lots of backtracking, uninspiring characters, and cheesy conversation lines. The only redeemable factor is that it shows a glimpse of suspense, but that which quickly dies away.
  55. hornygoatweeds
    Feb 28, 2016
    0
    It's very frustrating to me to see this walking simulator well reviewed because its creators are part of the hipster video game former-editorial club.

    "ZOMG ITS THE GUYZ FROM IDLE THUMBS THEY ARE MISERABLE HIPSTERS LIKE US, THE REVIEWERS!" Dialogue is trite, gameplay is as boring as its close cousin Gone Home. **** game, save your money.
  56. legendaryns
    Sep 14, 2017
    0
    The writing, voice acting and story is interesting for what it is but the game is short, linear and there is no replay value. It's hard for me to call it a game since it's a walking simulator as well. For a walking simulator, there's a ton of backtracking through the same environments. That removes the spectacle of discovering and looking at new locations. While it's visually appealing,The writing, voice acting and story is interesting for what it is but the game is short, linear and there is no replay value. It's hard for me to call it a game since it's a walking simulator as well. For a walking simulator, there's a ton of backtracking through the same environments. That removes the spectacle of discovering and looking at new locations. While it's visually appealing, you'll be staring at the same places for the entire game. In addition, the choices you make in the game have basically no effect on the story outside a few lines of different dialog.… Expand
  57. invizo
    Sep 20, 2017
    1
    Don't support game companies that try to grab publicity by damaging someone's reputation. Most people didn't know what Firewatch was until they pulled their little stunt.
  58. palehorse
    Sep 20, 2017
    1
    Very linear game play. Scripted in a way that is not fun. You can basically watch a stream and get as much enjoyment for free. Check it out on twitch if you're curious.
  59. ABN
    Sep 15, 2017
    0
    Boring game, sub-par quality. Extremely linear and predictable. Not to mention the company behind it, Campo Santo, seems to be big time into censorship. I will not make the mistake of purchasing another Campo Santo game.
  60. Frank70
    Feb 12, 2016
    0
    One of the most disappointing game ive ever played (and im 45 ) .The game is basically 2 actors with good acting attitudes speaking between each other . There is no story , no character development , nothing make sense. All is shallow , boring , visually nice but not at the level of other games ( it's not that something is artistic because it's cartoon style . Very shallow game .... AndOne of the most disappointing game ive ever played (and im 45 ) .The game is basically 2 actors with good acting attitudes speaking between each other . There is no story , no character development , nothing make sense. All is shallow , boring , visually nice but not at the level of other games ( it's not that something is artistic because it's cartoon style . Very shallow game .... And characters are the most disappointing part.… Expand
  61. delorean88
    Feb 12, 2016
    0
    I've made an account to rate this game a zero. I knew it was walking simulator on rails before I started playing, but this is completely and utterly a waste of time.
  62. slicshuter
    Feb 9, 2016
    3
    The best thing about this game is the visuals. If you came for the visuals and exploration, buy the game, it's probably the prettiest game I've played in the past few years. The environment and art style is beautiful. However, I feel like if you came for the thrilling story, stop playing about 2/3 into the game because after that it starts to fall flat. I can't spoil anything but all I canThe best thing about this game is the visuals. If you came for the visuals and exploration, buy the game, it's probably the prettiest game I've played in the past few years. The environment and art style is beautiful. However, I feel like if you came for the thrilling story, stop playing about 2/3 into the game because after that it starts to fall flat. I can't spoil anything but all I can see is I was pretty disappointed with how the story concluded. The characters were seemingly deep but when you think about it you actually barely learn anything about them after the first hour or so of story, and from there the story itself begins to peak before falling flat at the end.

    Overall, the game kept me entertained for about 5 hours, but I can't help but feel like the story could have been a lot better. 10/10 for visuals, 5/10 for the story. I don't think it's worth £15, but something definitely worth picking up later on in the year when it's on sale.    … Expand
  63. DRAKULIAN
    Jan 2, 2019
    0
    Similar to "Gone Home", which is an interactive exploration simulator, Firewatch is not an actual game but rather an interactive fetch-quest story. I was immediately perturbed by the fact that this was sold to me as a game when in fact it was nothing more than a poorly-written interactive story. Regardless of what you do with Henry, the character whose sole purpose is to convey a poorlySimilar to "Gone Home", which is an interactive exploration simulator, Firewatch is not an actual game but rather an interactive fetch-quest story. I was immediately perturbed by the fact that this was sold to me as a game when in fact it was nothing more than a poorly-written interactive story. Regardless of what you do with Henry, the character whose sole purpose is to convey a poorly written story with a lazy ending, you always end up with the same/identical result. I saw no evidence of any kind that Henry could have any real affect on this world at all which is evidenced by a YouTube video that effectively demonstrates this with a "Silent Henry" walkthrough. Also by the fact that Henry can't die nor can he fail any "mission" since there aren't any because this isn't a game.

    This "story" was also very glitchy. I had to go online to get a patch just so Henry could open door(s) and pick up objects.

    The interaction was tedious and repetitive with all the inane fetch-questing and annoying dialog with Delilah and the over-the-top angsty teen girls who basically kept screwing with Henry throughout the walkthrough to an unbelievable and petty level all because he scolded them for trashing the park.

    As to the story, the guy attempting to gaslight Delilah and Henry was ridiculous and unbelievable. The premise of what he was doing up there and why he was doing it was riddled with unrealistic plot holes. Like how could he afford or get all that bulky and expensive equipment way up there and behind that fence. Then, how could he do all of it by himself without anyone ever noticing while at the same time faking permits and setting up all these elaborate government conspiracies and other bs just to gaslight two below average rubes out in the middle of nowhere. All that alone was over the top and pointless. The anticlimactic ending demonstrates pure laziness on the part of the devs. If it made you feel mad or disappointed, go with that feeling because it's the right one to have. Trust your instincts. It sucked and definitely wasn't "art".

    Overall this non-game, interactive, fetch-quest of a story/walkthrough was an annoying waste of my time and money. Poorly written, poorly developed, bait-and-switch "game" was a joke. To those claiming "this is art, man" no it's not, not by any stretch. This is a badly written novella. Ask yourself, if this were a book, would you actually buy it and add it to your library?    … Expand
  64. mrmustard
    Mar 7, 2020
    0
    My experience with this **** game: Game starts out with a depressing intro, then after a short time my character bugged out and got stuck on a rock so I had to re-do the entire game. Made it to the same point and it happened again, so I uninstalled this **** game and wish I never wasted my money. What a joke, literally no idea who gave this crap positive ratings, very suss
  65. da_ReVo
    Nov 15, 2017
    3
    The only thing going for this game is the beautiful art style.
    The world is quite empty in comparison to many walking sims that take place in much smaller gameworlds.
    The story doesn't go anywhere.
    And the poor business practices hurting the industry.
  66. honest_rev7
    Sep 26, 2020
    4
    UH this falls under one more genre of "i forgot i even played this??|" cos i did. i forgot i got it and played it, and beat it. HUH, how's that for impressions?

    no idea what to give it cos at least i played it until its end. more than i can say for most stuff these days. but it wasn't a good end, anyway. ppl say this game's characters had good banter but i just thought that this is    UH this falls under one more genre of "i forgot i even played this??|" cos i did. i forgot i got it and played it, and beat it. HUH, how's that for impressions?

    no idea what to give it cos at least i played it until its end. more than i can say for most stuff these days. but it wasn't a good end, anyway.

    ppl say this game's characters had good banter but i just thought that this is kind of barren empty experience i'd never want to experience if it was my story in colorado, so why did i pay someone for an experience i'd consciously avoid?

    there's some story but idunno it all felt kinda cheesy to me. first person perspective isn't the way you get to connect with your character and immerse yourself cos it takes me away weirdly.

    such a shame about this game's ending. a cop-out    … Expand
  67. Krober
    Sep 4, 2023
    0
    Is this a game? Why there is no gameplay then? This game is a sample why people are laughing at indie
  68. visiblelight7
    Aug 29, 2023
    3
    Very boring. The story isn't even there to drag you threw the gameplay loop which is mainly you walking toward your destintion while holding your map and compass and getting annoyed because the road is not ''obvious''. This gameplay loop begins IMMEDIATELY. The story consists of you talking on the walkey talkey with a very annoying feminist. I was bored out of my mind. There's noVery boring. The story isn't even there to drag you threw the gameplay loop which is mainly you walking toward your destintion while holding your map and compass and getting annoyed because the road is not ''obvious''. This gameplay loop begins IMMEDIATELY. The story consists of you talking on the walkey talkey with a very annoying feminist. I was bored out of my mind. There's no characters , no worthy story either. don't download this if you are bored. Good thing i had gamepass. The game is VERY overrated. It's at most a 4/10… Expand
  69. ARTMIS
    Sep 30, 2018
    3
    At first, I would give this game 8 - 9, but, after I finished the game. I dropped it to 3. I believe everyone already wrote the good things about this game, so I want to write the bad.
    The ending. Totally bad, my worst video game ending I believe, anti climax, in the end, we never know much about Delilah, and the truth about her, so much plot-lost. So much mystery never solved.
  70. Kratos_Redfield
    Nov 28, 2021
    0
    Waste of money. Performance problems, rushed ending and that attitude of “if you don’t like me you don’t understand me”. Avoid at all costs.

Awards & Rankings

61
#61 Best PC Game of 2016
13
#13 Most Discussed PC Game of 2016
55
#55 Most Shared PC Game of 2016

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 65 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 51 out of 65
  2. Mixed: 14 out of 65
  3. Negative: 0 out of 65
  1. CD-Action
    May 1, 2016
    80
    Firewatch is hands down the best, the most engaging first person walker I have ever played. Something doesn’t let me rate it higher though, and I guess it’s my common sense. [04/2016, p.50]
  2. GameSpew
    Apr 15, 2016
    80
    The look of this game is nothing short of stunning… Each detail is carefully designed and thought out with a charming feel to it overall.
    Read full review
  3. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Apr 12, 2016
    100
    This unconventional game combines strong story, beautiful natural surroundings and fantastically written and played characters. What it lacks in classic adventure mechanics, it makes up in great dialogue system between the main protagonists. [Issue#262]
See all critic reviews »