Wildfire (2020)

On both the surface and deep within, Wildfire is a success, and we definitely see this as a franchise in-waiting. Hopefully all the fanfare and positive critical reception the game has received so far continues, and we see it go beyond even Sneaky Bastards’ own expectations. There’s room for it to land on consoles down the track too, where it would fit nicely. Especially having played it on PC using a controller (which I found more rewarding than the initial mouse and keyboard approach). But all of that will depend on how it’s openly received by punters now that it’s out in the wild.

The love of Thief, and even more recent stealth gems such as Mark of the Ninja shine through in Wildfire, but it’s the game’s own systems that help it to stand out amongst its peers. There are a small number of issues affecting the gameplay, but overall this is a very polished, suitably challenging and wonderfully realised concept that toys with your pre-conceptions of the genre.

In the end, Wildfire is a solid stealth title that plays well on the idea of restricted power. The various uses of your three elemental powers works well in adding a puzzle element to the stages and makes each stage feel chaotically fun, while the stealth emphasis and lack of focus on killing makes the endeavor feel fresh. The journey is a long one, but it doesn't feel like it drags on, thanks to the various objectives thrown your way. Wildfire is a wildly enjoyable romp that genre fans will absolutely enjoy.

Thanks to impressive level design, a nice range of cool abilities to try out and a spark of something truly unique (pun semi-intended), Wildfire succeeds at delivering a great stealth experience, even if it can be demanding at times. The controls are top-notch, the gameplay is simple to learn yet nicely tricky to master, and the numerous optional objectives provide a decent dose of replayability (definitely one for speedrunners). For those wanting something new in the genre, Wildfire has nice and crispy tricks up its sleeve.

A 2D stealth platform that lets you glimpse, between some limits and many beautiful ideas, the charm of the indie games. At the end of the short journey, master the elements made in pixel art is really nice.

There’s considerable joy to poking at the edges of its ingenious interlocking systems to see what happens.

Much like its namesake, Wildfire takes a while to kick off, but once the perfect conditions are met, it can be chaos. The unique abilities make for interesting moments, which is needed thanks to the often monotonous stealth systems that plague the game. For those looking for a neat game to play co-op, you’ll find it in Wildfire.