There’s a lot to love about the deal that is Xbox Game Pass, and this month is an excellent example of how it’s continuing to get better and better as more titles make their way to the service. With December adding big titles likeAmong Us,Aliens: Fireteam Elite, andMortal Kombat 11, it’s only natural that some gaming enthusiasts might overlook smaller titles that are being added alongside them likeLakeorThe Gunk. That said,December’s Game Pass additionsfeature one of indie gaming’s absolute best that shouldn’t be overlooked even when placed next to newer, bigger titles that are being listed on the service alongside it:Firewatch.
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Firewatch is Still One of the Medium’s Best
Although it’s pretty gameplay light,Firewatchis still a standout in terms of storytellingin the medium. Its writing is superb and because of its small cast, players spend the game’s entire playtime intimately getting to know its two main characters so when the drama starts to ramp up in its final hours,Firewatchhits on a personal, emotional level that gives even the most dramatic, big-budget titles a run for their money. When it first came out, the game’s narrative was the talk of the gaming community as everyone took away different things from the experience.
While not intended,Firewatch’s narrative hits homeeven harder today during the current pandemic landscape, as its story about two people connecting despite their physical isolation feels almost as if it’s intended to be a commentary on the social distancing practices that have changed the way everyone lives their lives today. That aspect of its story is just another of the many different takeaways that players can turn over in their minds for hours after the game’s credits roll.
Even though there isn’t a dedicated Xbox Series X/S version of the game, it’s still a pretty experience from a graphical standpoint. Its art style, while not as exaggerated as other titles likeBorderlandsorThe Legend of Zelda: Windwaker, has a cel-shaded look to it thatgivesFirewatcha timeless feelingthat’s also in line with its 1989 setting. When played on current-gen consoles and high-end PCs, it’s going to get the additional fidelity boost that comes hand in hand with better hardware, giving its art style and imagery an additional level of beauty.
The first is that while it doesn’t feature a branching narrative in the same vein as other titles, choosing different dialogue throughout the game changes the ending in terms of how both characters feel and behave in the final hours. The other reason that makes a second playthrough ofFirewatchworth it is that players will be better equipped to pick up on some of the foreshadowing done throughout the narrative, and begin to see the seeds planted in the earlier hours of the game that become main parts of the mystery later on.
Firewatchis available now for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
