Firewatch

Visually, the game is an incredibly beautiful experience. The intense, pastel cel-shaded look—without black outlines—is super cool. The highly atmospheric soundscape and the sometimes Zen-like background music complement the relaxing vibe. The exploration-based, story-driven, walking-sim-style gameplay is also very laid-back. The only real gameplay element, aside from the on-screen prompts to press buttons when interacting with objects, is navigating the world using a map and compass, which greatly enhances immersion (if you want, you can even disable the HUD and the “I’m here” marker on the map). Be warned that the story starts off very sad, but in the middle section—in keeping with the game’s likely message of escapism—it becomes quite laid-back. To build suspense, the second half is sprinkled with a bit of mystery, thriller, and drama. I found 90% of the story to be very good and exciting; only the resolution could have been a bit more creative in my opinion. However, it serves as a good reminder that escapism isn’t real and that we players, too, must eventually return to the real, less fantastical world. Thankfully, not everything is spoon-fed to you, leaving plenty room for interpretation and reflection :). It’s worth specifically highlighting that the voice acting (in English) is absolutely brilliant—top Hollywood standard! I’d say it’s the best I’ve heard so far. Bottom line: Even though the story doesn’t quite hit the mark (for me), I’d highly recommend this fantastic “game” (aka. story-driven walking sim) to anyone who can appreciate a melancholic, laid-back mystery story and values art over “photorealism”. I think this is a game that will stay with you long after the credits roll.