The disparate choices made me replay the game just to see the difference that it will bring into the life of Henry. The brilliant voice performance makes it an empathetic and plausible experience. In fact, it made me feel sad and disheartened. But after you remove the expectation of something big, then the ending doesn't seem that bad at all. The amazing build-up that it creates ultimately fails to pay-off as the ending is anti-climactic (not in a good way) and certain things just don’t add up. You ultimately discover the reason for the weird happenings encircling you and Delilah. I slowly started craving more of such prompts as each one of them expand on the character, their back-story and the game. Simple events like forest fire or even a great vista prompts up the radio icon on screen to interact with your only companion. The game gave me ample events to shape out the protagonist’s character and his relationship with Delilah. Delilah is friendly and approachable from the beginning which provides a great fit for the initially grumpy and serious Henry. The dialogue choices let me choose the way I wanted Henry and Delilah’s relationship to be. The conversations between you and Delilah is powerful and engaging leaving me wanting for more.
Your only means of communication is through a walkie talkie radio which suffices for the time being but gradually made me want to go beyond it. That idea is short-lived as you find out the mysteries of this forest surrounding you and your boss Delilah. You take a job as a forest fire lookout in Shoshone National Park, Wyoming for some alone time in your watch tower which is the starting point of the game. She starts recognizing you less and less and you continue to go in a downward spiral of sadness.
Circumstances make her move in with her parents or to a care facility depending on the choices you make. You are Henry living a happy life with your wife Julia who develops dementia. This sets the premise of the game and the characters, making me feel connected to the protagonist, with the music and visuals only accentuating this feature These set of questions are inter-cut with scenes of you walking up the forest and introduces the basic mechanics fairly well. You embark this power journey with a splendid array of dialogues with occasional decision making choices which though takes a different route, end up on the same note. Firewatch developed by Campo Santo is an exciting expedition which plucks the right chords with its great appeal in every aspect of a game. Looking for games other than ones focusing mainly on cool fights and action sequences led me to one of the most beautiful looking game with an experience that lingers long after it is over. Some students, 16-18 year olds, really engaged with it while others didn't quite have the maturity to accept some of the messages the game presented and were thus indifferent to it. I've taught this as a media text in a senior level high school English class before with mixed results. Worth a play for adults and perhaps older teens as well. I found it refreshing to experience a game brave enough to address such topics as loneliness, infidelity, trust, and resilience in a way that feels very grown-up. Aside from some swearing (f***, s***, etc.) it is this depiction of imperfect adults dealing with adult problems that makes the game unsuitable for younger players. The two central characters in Firewatch are neither all good nor all bad but are just as likely to behave selfishly as they are altruistically. It's an interactive story adventure that deals quite brazenly with the shades of grey that adulthood is known for. There is a lot to love about Firewatch from its simple gameplay and clear structure to its superb voice acting and lush visuals.
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