I just finished Firewatch. I slogged through to the end, but I would not recommend this game. I am sorry that this game did not work out better, because I can see the obvious effort put into this game. I can see what the developers were trying to do, and I would have thought I was just the type of person for that idea. And technically, it works without crashing and the support team works hard, including support for linux. So, sorry that I feel compelled to express my negative sentiments.
I usually like narrative in games. But in Firewatch, you have to play a game of "mother may I?" with an emotional wreck to get any story information. And the story did not grab me, because it didn't seem plausable. It all seemed so forced, including feeling sorry for the main character.
I usually like exploration in games. But in Firewatch, the level design was painful. I was constantly trying to get around obsticles, constantly checking the map instead of enjoying the views, the navigation signposts would point in inaccessible directions, and terrain would not follow natural topography. Trees would block your view of the one path to exit a field, and the hill with a gentle slope could not be climbed. But for what reason? What was the purpose of making it a huge pain to get around the map?
I usually like open world games. But in Firewatch, I felt like I was always being railroaded from one place to another. And, yet the trails were not easy to follow, so I was going back and forth in an area trying to figure out how to continue in that specified direction.
I just wanted a game with a natural area to explore, that maybe had some interesting features. The description seemed to indicate that Firewatch was at least that type of game, but I felt really let down. If they wanted to make a game where you shuttled from one place to another, then they should have made levels like that. When I had to go back and forth through a mine passage, toward the end of the game, I felt strongly that the designers were most comfortable making that type of game.
I played it to the end, but I could not share in the game's efforts to make me feel sad about leaving. The ending reminded me of the whole experience: it looked great at first, but you could only move toward it, in the way the game told you. Then, it was over.

I just finished Firewatch. I slogged through to the end, but I would not recommend this game. I am sorry that this game did not work out better, because I can see the obvious effort put into this game. I can see what the developers were trying to do, and I would have thought I was just the type of person for that idea. And technically, it works without crashing and the support team works hard, including support for linux. So, sorry that I feel compelled to express my negative sentiments. I usually like narrative in games. But in Firewatch, you have to play a game of "mother may I?" with an emotional wreck to get any story information. And the story did not grab me, because it didn't seem plausable. It all seemed so forced, including feeling sorry for the main character. I usually like exploration in games. But in Firewatch, the level design was painful. I was constantly trying to get around obsticles, constantly checking the map instead of enjoying the views, the navigation signposts would point in inaccessible directions, and terrain would not follow natural topography. Trees would block your view of the one path to exit a field, and the hill with a gentle slope could not be climbed. But for what reason? What was the purpose of making it a huge pain to get around the map? I usually like open world games. But in Firewatch, I felt like I was always being railroaded from one place to another. And, yet the trails were not easy to follow, so I was going back and forth in an area trying to figure out how to continue in that specified direction. I just wanted a game with a natural area to explore, that maybe had some interesting features. The description seemed to indicate that Firewatch was at least that type of game, but I felt really let down. If they wanted to make a game where you shuttled from one place to another, then they should have made levels like that. When I had to go back and forth through a mine passage, toward the end of the game, I felt strongly that the designers were most comfortable making that type of game. I played it to the end, but I could not share in the game's efforts to make me feel sad about leaving. The ending reminded me of the whole experience: it looked great at first, but you could only move toward it, in the way the game told you. Then, it was over.