Critical Play: Firewatch

In Firewatch, players become Henry, a park ranger in the Wyoming wilderness. He is tasked with watching out for fires in the surrounding forest, hence the name. The storyline is kept intentionally vague, creating a shroud of mystery over the game. Once I began playing, I realized the primary game mechanic was in fact walking and exploring the virtual environment. As Henry, I was guided by the narration to look for certain objects and conduct dialogue with certain characters.

The characters including Henry, Julia, and Delilah were all well-developed and complex. Henry, for instance, is undergoing a lot of emotional turmoil with his crumbling marriage. I could tell the game creators were trying to make a “slice of life” game, instead of the typical competition-based games. The level of reality in the game, as well as the simplicity of walking through the game, made for a refreshing gameplay.

This experience was enhanced by the sheer beauty of the game, it was beautifully illustrated and I found myself looking forwards to play the game if only to be immersed in the Wyoming wilderness instead of my own house. I found enjoyment in simply exploring the setting, with no ulterior goals or motives, which is part of what a great walking simulator should deliver its players. However, I could see how a walking simulator with poorer graphic design or a less well-developed narrative arc could become boring or tiresome to players who are used to a scoreboard or constant action in video games.