Firewatch

 Switch
Firewatch Image
Metascore
87

Generally favorable reviews - based on 4 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
6.9

Mixed or average reviews- based on 41 Ratings

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  • Summary: The year is 1989. You are a man named Henry who has retreated from his messy life to work as a fire lookout in the Wyoming wilderness. Perched high atop a mountain, its your job to look for smoke and keep the wilderness safe. An especially hot, dry summer has everyone on edge. YourThe year is 1989. You are a man named Henry who has retreated from his messy life to work as a fire lookout in the Wyoming wilderness. Perched high atop a mountain, its your job to look for smoke and keep the wilderness safe. An especially hot, dry summer has everyone on edge. Your supervisor Delilah is available to you at all times over a small, handheld radioyour only contact with the world you've left behind. But when something strange draws you out of your lookout tower and into the forest, youll explore a wild and unknown environment, facing questions and making choices that can build or destroy the only meaningful relationship you have.

    A Note: Firewatch is a video game about adults having adult conversations about adult things. If you plan on playing with a younger gamer, that might be good to know going in.

    Includes

    * A stunningly beautiful wilderness environment that expands as you explore.
    * A tailor-made story: the choices you make shape the narrative and build relationships.
    * An edge-of-your-seat mystery.
    * Secrets and discoveries to be made over every hill.    … Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 4
  3. Negative: 0 out of 4
  1. 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.
  2. Nintendo Life
    Dec 17, 2018
    90
    It really doesn’t matter that Firewatch came out over two and a half years ago, because it’s just as engrossing and enchanting as it was the first time around. From the warm glow of its forests in the morning summer light to the subtle tension of exploring a rocky gorge in the isolating silence of night, Shoshone National Forest is a character in its own right. With a story that’s both funny and heartbreaking – and enhanced by some brilliant performances by its two central actors – this is an essential purchase, irrespective of whether you're playing it for the first time on Switch or simply using it as an excuse to revisit an old favourite.
  3. 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.
  4. 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]
    All this publication's reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 13
  3. Negative: 1 out of 13
  1. Linzlue62
    Apr 25, 2021
    10
    FireWatch is one of my all time favorite games. It’s an emotional story that you feel a part of. Explores the concepts of human interactionFireWatch is one of my all time favorite games. It’s an emotional story that you feel a part of. Explores the concepts of human interaction and the need to be wanted and loved, our nature for companionship and our need to be in nature. This game has a way of sucking you into its world, and you feel yourself feeling the emotions with Henry as he experiences them. I’ve revisited this game several times and I’m satisfied everytime. Drop your guard and you will be surprised what this game has to offer. Hope to see more games like this one day. Enjoyed every minute of it.… Expand
  2. Awaiko
    Aug 8, 2021
    10
    Without hyperbole, this is one of my favourite games. The story is engaging, the number of paths you can generate with your choices isWithout hyperbole, this is one of my favourite games. The story is engaging, the number of paths you can generate with your choices is non-trivial, and the visual and sound design are simply excellent. The game design is a delight. When I finished the game, I found myself wishing that I could play it again for the first time all over.… Expand
  4. Shouka
    Jun 24, 2020
    10
    I absolutely loved this game from end to beginning, absolutely lovely visuals. And the story was awesome too. Overall a 10/10 for me
  5. abhijeetgaiha
    Apr 24, 2019
    8
    The game play is simply a hiking simulator but the engrossing story and stunning visuals keep you hooked till the very end. The Switch versionThe game play is simply a hiking simulator but the engrossing story and stunning visuals keep you hooked till the very end. The Switch version has frame rate issues that can be occasionally jarring and the length is short at less than 5 hours. Overall, still enjoyed the game a heck of a lot.… Expand
  6. lowey
    Oct 12, 2021
    8
    The good: Engaging story, lovely graphics, great voice acting and character design.

    The bad: The game starts badly, in my opinion. The    The good: Engaging story, lovely graphics, great voice acting and character design.

    The bad: The game starts badly, in my opinion. The premise that catapaults the main character into this wilderness environment felt somewhat lazy and, honestly, added nothing to the story or the game. Take it out, let the player decide for themselves what the main character is running away from. On the Nintendo Switch I found there were a number of places where the game would stutter and struggle for a second or two.

    All of that said none of those things turned me off this game. I felt like I was living in the park, and knew all the areas the main character explores like the back of my hand. I felt like I really knew both the main character and Delilah, the ever present voice on the radio. And I would happily replay this in a year or two to refresh my memory.    … Expand
  7. Gerdo
    Jun 30, 2020
    8
    Yes, this is not a perfect game. It is a bit clunky and the visuals are not the best. However, the story and the narrative are at the top ofYes, this is not a perfect game. It is a bit clunky and the visuals are not the best. However, the story and the narrative are at the top of their game. It manages to touch your feelings and that is what I appreciate the most in gaming. Highly recommended not as a game but as an experience.… Expand
  8. denden1088
    Feb 14, 2021
    4
    A great game marred by frame drops and low resolutions and blurry textures. While the Nintendo Switch is not the most powerful of consoles byA great game marred by frame drops and low resolutions and blurry textures. While the Nintendo Switch is not the most powerful of consoles by a large margin, the game could be running much better instead of the mess it is now and as a tip for many people, don't try to run the game while on handheld mode unless you're ok with sub 29 FPS framerates for most of the game.… Expand

See all 13 User Reviews

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