Week 1 Firewatch
The game I chose for this week is Firewatch, produced by Campo Santo Studio. As a non-frequent game player, I was recommended to play Firewatch for its unique aesthetic and scene structure. Frankly speaking, the images on the introduction page was the only reason I decided to spend an hour on it. But as the game went on, I realized there were more inside this game than graphics.
The story began with a series of choices, which turned out not to affect the game direction later. The texts told me a story about a love story of the main character Henry and how it eventually led to the result that Henry took the job as a fire watch. The choice part was quite intriguing during the course of playing Firewatch. Knowing that the choices wouldn’t make any differences, the choices helpt the player to engage and immerse into the game world. It created the atmosphere for the player to feel and get involved. After finishing the intro part, the game revealed its essence: a walking simulator. The basic moves were controlled by the keyboard, following the instructions mostly from the other character Deliah through a walkie-talkie. The game was about adventure and the seeking for truth. Though I didn’t have enough time to go all the way to the end, I was convinced that the game would eventually lead the player, or Henry, to the ultimate truth after peeling off all the mysteries and false information.
The flow of the game’s storyline is extremely slow. Normally, players, especially me, will not be patient enough to follow the story and thus, put the game in the recycle bin. In this case, however, the normal and slow timeline creates a unique engaging environment and through the slow changes of time and space, intensify the mystery atmosphere and the player’s urge to find it out. This trait makes Firewatch different and more than the old games that I have played. The experience is highly immersive and almost theatrical. It starts with a story and ends up telling a larger and more complicated story. It goes beyond “playing the game.”
The graphics of Firewatch, as I mentioned before, are one of the cores of the game. Without the graphics, I might even look at it. The whole game, except for the introduction part, is based on a yellowy and warm undertone. The tone fits the name of “Fire,” and also construct a soothing and relaxing start of the game. The large and well-constructed map of the game makes the graphics itself a masterpiece. The detailed portraits of the forest make players want to go on.
No game is perfect. Aside from all the wonderful things Firewatch has achieved, there is still something pending to be improved. As much as I enjoyed the storyline and the immersive storytelling environment, it sometimes seems too simple and pale compared to the graphics. The only story setting surely guarantees the story’s integrity but it also loses part of the playability. Also, the slow rhythm is fascinating for some players like me but I am sure that some other players are looking for the complexity and the tension of the story brought by a faster pace.
All things aside, Firewatch is an excellent walking-stimulating game with great intentions on the story and fantastic graphics. The game is not impeccable, but great already.
