Towards the end of Firewatch’s five or six hours this becomes especially incongruous with the urgency of the story being told. I pick up and inspect things - that neither Henry nor I have any interest in - through a completionist desire to experience 'everything'. However, outside of these fluid dialogues, I find myself playing Firewatch too much like a game. This results in my developing a strange urgency to get responses “right” and moments of genuine panic as I worry I may miss a hint or offend Delilah. Enthralling conversations color your perception of events as things become increasingly tense and uncertain. This is the narrative focus of Firewatch. Suspicion impacts their thinking, causing them to find links within Firewatch’s mysteries and the happenings surrounding them that they may not consider in usual circumstances. This time constraint - coupled with choices that actually correspond to how a real person would react - makes you care about each interaction.Įven with this outlet, the solitary nature of months in the wilderness starts to play on both characters’ sanity. There is no going back, and your responses can alter the tone of the relationship. When prompted, you have a limited time to respond or the conversation draws to an end. This can degenerate into almost mindless pestering with you wanting to hear her thoughts on every little thing - but, when true a choice appears, Firewatch forces a decision. You can direct Henry’s answers on every topic - from deciding what to reveal about his past, to reporting trash. It's a friendship that seems to grow organically, and proves the perfect distraction to Henry's worries.

As you explore the open-world she goads you into tasks that you are not 100% comfortable with, but there is a lightheartedness to this that feels believable thanks to the fantastic script and voice acting. There is a flirtatious antagonism to this relationship from the outset. Your interactions come via a two-way radio, and add drama and direction to Firewatch. Henry’s only company is his boss Delilah. It is vast, yet its winding trails always get you to your destination before you start to tire of the breathtaking vistas. But it is Firewatch's use of scale that is truly impressive.

It is a stunning environment, filled with vibrant colors that change with the sun. As Henry, your only job is to sit out the dry summer in a tiny watchtower and be vigilant to signs of fire.

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