Charles White

Firewatch burned hot but burned fast! It's immersive, the dialogue between the characters coupled with the ambient noise was incredible. The colors used throughout the day were vibrant and beautiful. However, I felt that I was running the same trails to the same locations at different parts of the game. The lack of wild life or any other signs of life was rather disappointing. Making this walk in the Wyoming woods seem empty at times. The story is gripping but short lived only taking 3-4 hours at an average pace to get through. The voice acting has to be some of the best in a video game. Both Henry and Delilah come alive and it's easy to build a real connection with the two characters. They both have personality that can be felt. Just sometimes the dialogue felt short and rushed which could get rather annoying. In a character driven games there was a lot of build up to a rather unrewarding end. The gameplay had a very "walking simulator" feel to it. Without the characters this game would be miserable to sit through. Controls felt clunky and slow. Overall, the story and atmosphere are spectacular although both are slightly anticlimactic. If you're looking for a short lived indie game then Firewatch is perfect. Looking for something to really sink your teeth into then probably best to look elsewhere.