Firewatch

 Switch
User Score
6.9

Mixed or average reviews- based on 46 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 27 out of 46
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 46
  3. Negative: 9 out of 46

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  1. nusco
    Jan 7, 2019
    7
    An intriguing short story that doubles as a hiking simulator. Great voice acting, but the immersion is slightly spoiled by a low frame rate on the Nintendo Switch.
  2. btmgov
    Dec 3, 2022
    7
    This game is highly overrated. It's not a bad game, but it is totally forgettable. I wouldn't go out of my way too far to give it try. After all the reviews I read before playing, I was disappointed.
  3. n3d
    Nov 24, 2019
    5
    I would recommend playing it on another console and this port doesn't do justice. Frame drops, excessive load times and overall choppy experience on otherwise an excellent game.
  4. BeeSting1
    Jan 1, 2021
    7
    Hiking. Discovering. And making a friend.

    The Good: - The scenery is beautiful. Lighting is done very well. It adjust accordingly if you're surrounded by a lot of rocks, making it more orange. And changes again if you're amidst a lot of trees. I felt very relaxed while journeying through the areas. - Having no HUD and a traditional map with a simple compass, made the navigation    Hiking. Discovering. And making a friend.

    The Good:

    - The scenery is beautiful. Lighting is done very well. It adjust accordingly if you're surrounded by a lot of rocks, making it more orange. And changes again if you're amidst a lot of trees. I felt very relaxed while journeying through the areas.

    - Having no HUD and a traditional map with a simple compass, made the navigation more realistic, and more adventurous. It made me feel I was in the wilderness with only my wits and very basic equipment.

    - There isn't much background music, but when there was, it matched what was happening in the game, like if you were about to discover something important, it'd ramp up. If you were just hiking leisurely, it'll be relaxing.

    - The conversations with Delilah was very natural. Both your dialogue choices and her responses felt like they were having a real conversation. By the end of the game, I really felt like I made a friend. The jokes and puns were plentiful, but when things were serious, it was made believable too.

    - The plot went in all sorts of directions. Started off slow and heavy, but went into mystery mode. But finished with a rather mellow ending.

    - As a person who has lived alone most of my life, and prefer it, I could relate to the life style Henry had during his time at the watch tower. The experience of living in a small area, and travelling alone spoke to me. Having a single reliable companion is also all I really want in life, which happened to be what Delilah was to Henry during his time there, which I could also deeply relate to.

    - I've also lost a past partner partly due to an incurable illness that she developed. So in a way, I could relate to how Henry felt during the time he struggled with Julia's dementia. Though dementia is probably worse, since she temporarily forgets Henry, only for it to get worse as time goes on.

    - The ending was rather disappointing, but it wasn't bad. Admittedly, it was more realistic than a government cover up. But what made me sad was how Delilah didn't give Henry a chance. I felt they bonded so much during that time, even if only through radio. I chose dialogue options that geared towards moving on, and starting a new life with Delilah. Although what Julia and Henry had were great, I just can't see how it could work out with her dementia. It's a very hard situation either way.

    - There were parts in the game where I felt a lot of suspense even walking through a cartoon looking forest, which no game has ever made me feel with that kind of art style. Spoiler ahead: This was during the time when Henry and Delilah were found out they were being tracked. After Henry got knocked out the first time, I thought someone might come out of nowhere and attack him. I even thought Delilah might have been plotting this. The game really through a lot of possible spins at you mid game.

    The Bad:

    - It's a very short journey.

    - The ending is very anti-climatic. Total buzz kill, albeit down to earth.

    Note:
    - This is a walk em' up, point and click, story-telling game. Meaning no action what so ever. Don't play Firewatch if this genre isn't your thing.    … Expand

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
87

Generally favorable reviews - based on 4 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 4
  3. Negative: 0 out of 4
  1. Nintendojo
    Apr 16, 2020
    83
    It sets out to tell a story and does it astoundingly well. I found myself melancholy when all was said and done, and although I’ll likely never get to hear more about the lives of Delilah and Henry, I’m grateful for the summer I got to spend with the two of them. Firewatch seems to want players to understand that sometimes, life is about the moments you’ll never get back, the decisions you can never unmake. I’m glad I chose to spend that night in the woods with Campo Santos’ inspired first effort.
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  2. Nintendo Force Magazine
    Aug 28, 2019
    80
    Despite only being a few hours long, I found the entire experience satisfying. [Issue #39 – May/June 2019, p. 25]
  3. NintendoWorldReport
    Dec 20, 2018
    90
    What initially seems like more of a relaxing walking simulator becomes something more consequential and dire. Anyone interested in great stories—not just those told through video games—needs to pick up Firewatch. Like Celeste and GRIS, Firewatch is a triumph of artistic and thought-provoking game design, and it can remind you of summer as you bundle up for the cold winter ahead.
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