Firewatch was one of my most beloved (if not THE most beloved) game of my childhood. Markiplier's playthrough of this beautiful indie mystery game was a huge source of comfort for me. I was just recently reminded of the games existence after almost 6 years, and when it went on sale for a mere $7, I figured I would play it for myself and see how it compared to how I remembered it. My view was different because I had never played the game myself, which was a small downfall for this game.
This game is just as beautiful as I remember it being, maybe even more so. The general colour palette was perfectly chosen to coincide with the art style and story. The warm greens and oranges are inviting during the first section of the game, take a full 180 to very eerie and off putting during the height of the mystery, and finally make you just plain sad when the wildfire grows. The music is also the perfect balance between peaceful and unsettling, morphing to fit different emotions based on when they are played like a children's song playing during a horror movie. In regular context, there isn't anything sinister about it, but due to the surroundings, it is extremely off putting. The sound design is also something worth mentioning, it was extremely immersive and just as pivotal to the story delivery as the other media elements I mentioned.
The world building was heartbreaking, establishing that Henry wanted to escape the pressure in his life surrounding his wife, who was diagnosed with early-onset dementia as soon as you launch the game. This gives an idea of who takes these Firewatch jobs, something supported by Delilah asking "So, what's your deal?" once she speaks to Henry. It also gives an idea of what Henry is like, what his motivations are and where his more...prickly...dialogue options come from.
Since this game wasn't a 10/10, there were obviously some flaws. First was the navigation system. There were WAY too many times I found myself wandering in the complete opposite direction of where the objective was. I love open world games, but I do appreciate a bit of guidance here and there. This could've also been a creative choice, representing how it truly feels to be in the wilderness, but it was ANNOYING! I absolutely enjoy the idea of this, but I would've greatly appreciated some more distinct landmarks to help me orient myself. I knew where one path was because it was next to the tower's outhouse, and I knew every direction stemming off of cave 452... Why couldn't we have had more unique rock formations or bodies of water to help the country be less confusing? The other issue I had with this game I was completely aware of before buying it, and that was the general performance issues on Playstation 4. I rarely had any visual or audio glitches, my main issue was with the considerable amount of lag spikes during gameplay. They weren't too debilitating, but they were...slightly inconvenient.
BACK TO GOOD! I found the mystery portion of the story very intriguing. I remembered Brian Goodwin's tragic death, but I completely blanked on the "secret testing facility" and the "someone tapped our radios" storyline. It was fun to have something fresh that I didn't remember well, but god that jumpscare when Ned knocks you unconscious? Got me a little too good... My brain was very confused, I was so on edge but the game was so GORGEOUS! I wanted to admire everything, but simultaneously wanted to run as fast as I could in case someone was behind me.
Another huge positive is the addition of the free-roam mode that is unlocked after finishing the main story. I absolutely LOVE THIS THING. Your walkie-talkie is replaced with a cassette tape of the OST, you're given all unlocked tools (rope and hooks, axe, map, compass) and you set off to explore the wilds at your own pace. This was GREAT for me to not only get familiar with the country, but to truly take in the beauty of this game without looming dread over my head. An incredible addition, and so worth the hour or two I spent roaming.
Overall, revisiting Firewatch was a very rewarding experience. I can confidently say it is still in my top 5 games of all time, and I thoroughly enjoyed my playthrough.
Rest in Peace Brian Goodwin, I bet you were a great "Wizards and Wyverns" player.
No comments:
Post a Comment