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. 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
  2. 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
  3. 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.
  4. 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
  5. 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
  6. 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
  7. 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.
  8. 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
  9. 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.
  10. Thanksmetacriti
    Dec 28, 2017
    0
    Garbage game from garbage devs, walking sim for sure. Boring Boring Boring Boring
  11. 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
  12. 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.
  13. 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.
  14. 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.
  15. 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.
  16. 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.
  17. 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.
  18. 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
  19. 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
  20. 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.
  21. 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.
  22. 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.
  23. 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.
  24. 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."
  25. 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.
  26. 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.
  27. 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.
  28. 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
  29. 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
  30. 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
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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 »