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. Paulpolska
    Feb 25, 2016
    6
    This game was for me too boring. Very often we must across the same paths. Map is too little and quests are very ... strange. I expected from this game much more. Positives is maybe not bad and interesting details other things are bad like not full free movement. Game allows jump where are scripts area etc.
  2. Juanit
    Feb 28, 2016
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I think the reason so many people are upset with this game is because of how they are used to all these Grandiose endings which in this games case would have meant a revelation of some big conspiracy or something along those lines. However anybody who actually felt the game as they played it and didn't just spend their time thinking forward to the possible explanations of the many questions the game created who have realised that this game is way to Human to end in any kind of Epic manner. This is a game about escapism and its futility. The game serving as both his physical Haven and a metaphor for his psychological one. The which started small then grew into an roaring beast was his Demons and problems back home which he could only every distract himself from but could never get rid of. always lingering in the back of his mind increasing in presence until it was once again brought to the forefront of his thoughts. This goes for all the characters in this game who are all on some escapist type situation as well. As for people complaining that Henry never got to meet Delilah, I honestly think it was better off this way. Imagine how horribly typical it would have been for Henry to meet Delilah, fall in love, and go off with her. The games purpose was too show the futility of escapism and how Delilah was only ever an escape for Henry and how the real woman in his life was Julia his wife back home. A happy ending between the two would have been i completed conflict with what the game was meant to represent. As for him never seeing her in general, I quiet liked that because it leaves Delilah seeming like some sort of perpetual mystery which only made her more interesting.… Expand
  3. ThecriticGoD
    Mar 15, 2016
    8
    After the unnecessary beginning where you go through all kinds of details about the Julia and Henry relationship I have to admit the game gets really interesting. You are on your own on that empty forest with only Delilah to talk with on the radio, I definetely enjoyed their conversations a lot. And then the intriguing story comes in. All of a sudden you go from being in a forest withAfter the unnecessary beginning where you go through all kinds of details about the Julia and Henry relationship I have to admit the game gets really interesting. You are on your own on that empty forest with only Delilah to talk with on the radio, I definetely enjoyed their conversations a lot. And then the intriguing story comes in. All of a sudden you go from being in a forest with nothing to do to not knowing who the hell is out there spying you and delilah, the game gets so intriguing and exciting and then... Then the game finishes... and with a terrible ending that makes you feel you've been losing your time.

    What looked like it could be a huge interesting plot ends with an extremely disappointing lazy outcome, and then you realise you paid 20 bucks for a game you've only been playing for ~3 hours (the game is no longer than that), doing nothing (it's one of those annoying walking simulators) and with a storyline that you will forget after a couple of months due to its bad ending.    … Expand
  4. yenno
    Apr 22, 2016
    10
    I am seeing very negative reviews against this game. This game is meant to be explored, people are complaining about how short it is but, they did not explore. I would love to see another game from them as this was a very fun game for me. Sure there was some disappointments from them here and there but, altogether it was a nice change of pace from all of the rpgs and fps's out today.
  5. Tagirix
    Jul 5, 2016
    8
    Firewatch is a short game, but very interesting one. It has got an awesome graphics, gameplay (which is so-so... just walking), strange story. Albeit the cost is very high, I definitely recommend this title for picking up! But my advice is to wait for sale.
  6. EntitySeven
    Jun 11, 2016
    9
    A very beautiful and story-rich game. It's like a movie but in the version of a game. This game involves a lot of walking, so don't play it if you expect action. The game conveys a strong message, if you are smart enough to figure it out what it is. One of the best games I've played so far!
  7. MajorCraic
    Jul 2, 2016
    8
    The story for Firewatch is well told and keeps you, the player, guessing as to what is possibly happening right to the end. Although any choices made in the game will not have any consequences on the outcome of the story, I think this game is best thought of as a visual novel, letting the story develop in your head as the main character reveals more and more about himself or discovers moreThe story for Firewatch is well told and keeps you, the player, guessing as to what is possibly happening right to the end. Although any choices made in the game will not have any consequences on the outcome of the story, I think this game is best thought of as a visual novel, letting the story develop in your head as the main character reveals more and more about himself or discovers more information about his current setting until finally the whole picture is revealed.

    The visuals are beautiful and overall I really enjoyed the game and just wished it played for a little longer.    … Expand
  8. knuckle_rap
    Sep 10, 2016
    6
    Waiting for the price tag to drop would've probably taken a half a year at best so I went ahead and snapped this up yesterday on a whim. My thoughts:

    Excelent chemistry between Hank and Delilah. Great dialogue, scenic but nothing special. People make out as if cel-shaded backdrops and autumnal hues are worth the ticket price alone. (I did like the protagonist's body texture though).    Waiting for the price tag to drop would've probably taken a half a year at best so I went ahead and snapped this up yesterday on a whim. My thoughts:

    Excelent chemistry between Hank and Delilah. Great dialogue, scenic but nothing special. People make out as if cel-shaded backdrops and autumnal hues are worth the ticket price alone. (I did like the protagonist's body texture though). Decent run time for 20€, although it feels like the third act was cut completely due to budget restraints and replaced with "revelations" that missed the mark completely as far as emotional impact was concerned.

    I was also peeved because even on a decent enough rig - I can run Skyrim on high res on my brand new ultrabook - the game was choppy as hell on anything but low graphic settings. Maybe bad porting?

    In any case, I enjoyed playing this game but the underwhelming ending and the lack of character development in the last act was a huge letdown and I left unsatisfied.    … Expand
  9. mikepatyaev
    Oct 6, 2016
    7
    Extremely short and it doesn't leave you satisfied.

    There is almost no interaction aside from the "dialogue" (which was good), which at the end doesn't matter, there is absolutely /zero/ gameplay, the story was okay (aside from the terrible ending) and that's Firewatch.

    Simple and short.
  10. LuckyLuky
    Jan 24, 2017
    10
    Amazing ambience. Great adult story, about adult problems, and especially about adult choices..choices that change you, like when you leave someone for other someone, or when you are vulnerable and cross paths with someone who (on owns right) just want to have some fun but ends up hurting you.. Great stuff. But likesaid only an adult, (and an experienced on) could understand some of theAmazing ambience. Great adult story, about adult problems, and especially about adult choices..choices that change you, like when you leave someone for other someone, or when you are vulnerable and cross paths with someone who (on owns right) just want to have some fun but ends up hurting you.. Great stuff. But likesaid only an adult, (and an experienced on) could understand some of the nuances and the pain. But dont give up kids youll get it on due time. Meanwhile play COD, It has your phew-phew.… Expand
  11. ameya_mtacritic
    Jan 31, 2017
    9
    Video games over the past few years have become bigger in size and scale. Creating a convincing and visually appealing world is no longer a hinderance as studios invest a lot of money and effort in games. Despite the advancements in technology and scope of games the core objective of it remains telling a compelling story. Firewatch is a game which does'n have a huge scope and scale butVideo games over the past few years have become bigger in size and scale. Creating a convincing and visually appealing world is no longer a hinderance as studios invest a lot of money and effort in games. Despite the advancements in technology and scope of games the core objective of it remains telling a compelling story. Firewatch is a game which does'n have a huge scope and scale but manages to tell an intimate and heartfelt story.Developer Campo Santo has crafted a game which feels fresh and is also a welcome respite from bloated video games.

    Story of Firewatch

    Firewatch tells the story of a fire lookout named henry at Shoshone National Forrest. Henry takes up this job to escape from his troubled marriage and life. Henry has a supervisor called Delilah with whom he interacts over a walkie talkie. Over the course of the game both of them encounter strange situations which are part of the overall mystery. The prologue of firewatch reveals Henry's past which reveals his relationship with his Alzheimer stricken wife.

    Firewatch tells a intimate story with strong character progression

    Firewatch manages to weave a compelling yet intimate story around it's characters. It's a effective retrospective of human behaviour and it's traits in the event of adversity. Escape is a common theme in firewatch where all the characters are running from their problems. Henry is not as much interested in his new job as much he is in running away from his troubles. Delilah drinks a lot and though not confirmed she is also running from her troubles. A Father character in firewatch (part of the mystery)is also running from something which I will not reveal. Henry's escapade as a fire lookout mirrors his intent to right the wrongs he has regret over.

    Firewatch has excellent world building

    The world building in firewatch engages you with the dialogue driven story to the far reaches of Shoshone national forrest. You believe in the world and can identify with these characters.Both Henry and Delilah engage into conversations and dialogues which acts as tools for character progression. Even having not met before Henry and Delilah develop intimacy through these conversations. Even with a limited scope of the world these characters exists in everything feels fleshed out and purposeful. Henry's escapades as a fire lookout are surprisingly nuanced and fun. You feel like you are in the forrest with these people navigating through the eerie silence of the forrest landscapes.

    Firewatch has a unique visual style

    Firewatch feels like a painting with oversaturated colour palette spread over a beautiful canvas. Green Trees and grass basks in the morning sun & light giving us mix of green and orange colours. Everything feels realistic and stylistic but filled with whole lot of optimism.

    fire watch

    Gameplay is mundane but fun

    Most of the tasks Henry takes up come from Delilah.Henry treks this terrain investigating trouble making teens and looking for missing people. Interactions with object is also simple with no complex key combinations required. The dialogue system is much like what it is in RPG games with your answers deciding the course of your interaction. Though the interactions are long they do not rely on heavy expositions. Gameplay mechanics are designed in spirit with what a fire lookout needs to do as a daily work.

    Music helps in the World building

    The background score of firewatch helps in setting up the mood & environment of the game. It evokes the ambiguity and uncertainty spread around the premise. When Henry is near an objective we get a pacing in the music. When he is disappointed we get a slow track of country side music.

    Conclusion

    Fire watch is a daring step towards reinventing the storytelling in video games. It does that with only handful of characters and effective world building. While firewatch is short in length it's length is long enough to convincingly narrate it's story. Studio Campo Santo in it's debut game has set expectations for both big and small games in terms of storytelling    … Expand
  12. MAFIAxMaverick
    Jun 22, 2017
    8
    Definitely an unexpected treat. Glad I finally got around to playing Firewatch after picking it up a year or so back. It's definitely a different kind of game. Beautiful art directions and graphics. Short, but with a pretty good story. Really enjoyed the dialogue between characters and the options you were given in regards to conversation paths.
  13. joenorth
    Jun 24, 2017
    8
    The game definitely is a walking simulator, but if you can get past that it's an incredible game. The art is amazing and found myself going back when they made an exploration mode to look at the details of the world. The story is very good, and your decisions seem like they matter (even though they don't really). The characters are very fun and the chemistry between Henry and Delilah isThe game definitely is a walking simulator, but if you can get past that it's an incredible game. The art is amazing and found myself going back when they made an exploration mode to look at the details of the world. The story is very good, and your decisions seem like they matter (even though they don't really). The characters are very fun and the chemistry between Henry and Delilah is very good. It's fun to just sit back and appreciate a game for what it is. Once you start sinking your teeth into this game you won't want to stop playing.… Expand
  14. auditbadger
    Jul 30, 2017
    9
    I think that this is truly a unique game and I would recommend that if you are a fan of this type of genre then I think you should give this game a try.
  15. DimitrisKatsa
    Aug 2, 2017
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Very short game and there's no something interesting on it, you just walking from point to point to find things just to find yourself at the ending you were fooled by that **** at least its a short game that worth to play for me, plus bad ending… Expand
  16. Knightsabez
    Aug 29, 2017
    8
    A very entertaining and different game. Very good writing, good soundtrack, good game overall!
    The core of the game is dialog, good dialog. Some may say it had a bad ending, but it made sense to me. Took me 4 hours :)
  17. PolarFox
    Dec 5, 2017
    9
    This game deserves the title of masterpiece.
    With a graph that puts you in a trance. This game offers an intriguing narrative experience, a mystery that makes you want to find out more, a game that carries you through feelings like a rollercoaster ,with overturning situations that makes you want to find out even more, the game unfortunately leaves you with a bitter taste from the fault of    This game deserves the title of masterpiece.
    With a graph that puts you in a trance. This game offers an intriguing narrative experience, a mystery that makes you want to find out more, a game that carries you through feelings like a rollercoaster ,with overturning situations that makes you want to find out even more, the game unfortunately leaves you with a bitter taste from the fault of the end that leaves more questions than answers.
    This game though has a strange end has an incredible story with a stunning graphics and for 20 euro game this is a must buy    … Expand
  18. imnOth
    Jan 7, 2018
    10
    Please do a second part or something with more maps and stories, i don't know, just do something more! Really loved the game, and it's curious, because i found the game on steam and thought "Yeah an open world game in the forest, something that i love.. let's play it then.. why not?" and i loved it since the beginning!!! Do something more please! amazing game!!!
  19. fake_nikpap
    Jul 14, 2022
    9
    A short but beautiful indie game where you play as a volunteer fire watcher when suddenly a mystery arises. It's very well told and walking never felt as good. The environment is astoundingly gorgeous and it makes you want to look around every nook and cranny
  20. clem666
    May 22, 2023
    8
    The game starts with choices to be made that shine by their uselessness. Once you are dropped in the forest, things begin to be interesting. 'Firewatch' is beautiful, has a terrific atmosphere that can change as fast as the wind.
    The characters are very attractive and manage to engage in an intense relationship without even seeing each other. Delilah (pull me out of here!) easily takes a    The game starts with choices to be made that shine by their uselessness. Once you are dropped in the forest, things begin to be interesting. 'Firewatch' is beautiful, has a terrific atmosphere that can change as fast as the wind.
    The characters are very attractive and manage to engage in an intense relationship without even seeing each other. Delilah (pull me out of here!) easily takes a special place in our hearts.
    The soundtrack is amazing. Special thanks to this free-roam mode at the end of the game, which allows you to play with the music you love the most (I have to go with the 'Prologue' one).
    The map is large enough to offer many different scenes and environments without being huge or boring to navigate.
    We can complain about the ending, but it feels like it was premeditated. because there are way more clues than we actually think there is. It is like the more you get into it, the more you invest yourself in the mind-blowing plot.    … Expand
  21. Kadirov
    Jul 12, 2021
    7
    At first I was disgusted by the game's graphics, but generally this experience is worth trying. Story gave me some good emotions, I don't regret spending my time on it.
  22. Mehrshad_MB
    Mar 19, 2022
    7
    Firewatch has excellent environment to explore and interesting dialogues throughout the game (Sometimes I had to stop playing and just listen to the conversation between H and D!) . Voice acting was incredible. Usually such games forces player to go from one side of the map to the other, several times to make the game's beating time longer but luckily Firewatch wasn't like that.
    Story was    Firewatch has excellent environment to explore and interesting dialogues throughout the game (Sometimes I had to stop playing and just listen to the conversation between H and D!) . Voice acting was incredible. Usually such games forces player to go from one side of the map to the other, several times to make the game's beating time longer but luckily Firewatch wasn't like that.
    Story was good at first and had lots of potential to be amazing, but then it went nowhere. Not to mention unmeaningful and simple ending.
    Game gives you different choices for almost everything but has ONE ending? Pfft. (Secret ending is so dull that you can't count it as second ending!)
    Game lacks music. You can hear music at some points but that's not enough in my opinion. Such beautiful and mysterious environment needs beautiful music.
    To conclude, I had fun playing Firewatch. The game is quite different with any other games I've played; being a fire lookout and reporting stuff were fun. Maybe if the game had better story, challenging puzzles, and detailed environment, it would be one of my favorite games.
    (March 2022)    … Expand
  23. Denis94
    Dec 22, 2021
    9
    Empecé este juego una noche de diciembre con un buen café caliente y así es como los desarrolladores tienen pensado que juegues a este título, relajado y adentrándose en esta pedazo de historia, ambientación preciosa con toque cartoon y los misterios del bosque se juntan para crear un auténtico Juegazo... Y si os lo preguntáis... Si esa misma noche lo terminé.
  24. pedraww
    Dec 8, 2019
    9
    Don't care if it's a walking simulator. Every single pixel of this game is beautiful and the story is nice.
  25. 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
  26. hileger
    Dec 27, 2022
    7
    ....................................................................................................k
  27. kezzyhko
    Aug 4, 2020
    9
    ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍
  28. 2I2l1a
    May 1, 2022
    8
    In Firewatch you play as a man named Henry who has retreated from his messy life to work as a fire lookout in the Wyoming wilderness. Perched high atop a mountain, it’s your job to look for smoke and keep the wilderness safe.
  29. Wrecktangled
    Jun 28, 2022
    8
    What a ride. Starts out as a peaceful walk in the woods, but that doesnt last too long before you are trying to uncover many mysteries and guess who is lying to you. Still not sure what to think of Delilah, but I love that about this game. Keeps you thinking about it, even after you shut it down for the night.
  30. Umur
    Aug 25, 2023
    8
    If you wanna play this game it is an amazing game to play but you have to be prepared to be walking endlessly.
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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 »