It’s now time for another Retro Ad Replay article! This is the series where we take a trip back in time to reminisce and celebrate the anniversary of some of the most significant moments in gaming. If you find yourself hungry for more content like this, be sure to visit Mandatory.com.
In this February 9 edition of Retro Ad Replay, we’re going back four years to when Firewatch first became available. Launching first on PS4 and PC on February 9, 2016, the game was later released on Xbox One (September 2016) and the Nintendo Switch (December 2018). Developed by Campo Santo, Firewatch tells the tale of a man called Henry, who becomes a fire lookout to escape his life back home, choosing to leave everything behind to completely surround himself with nature. He makes friends with another lookout, Delilah, and together they investigate mysterious goings-on in the forest.
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The GameRevolution Firewatch review awarded the game a very impressive 4.5/5, praising the “beautiful natural environments,” “phenomenal voice work,” and “compelling tale centered on inaction and helplessness.”
Here’s a snippet from the GR review:
To its credit, Firewatch is just exploring and talking, and this boiled-down approach worked its wonders on me. It also plays into one of the more fascinating aspects of this game juxtaposed against so many others. You play a lone, able-bodied white man as you do in HUNDREDS OF GAMES, but Henry is sensitive instead of cynical, scared instead of brave, and powerless against both his emotional and physical turmoil. He’s not tasked with fighting fire, just reporting and avoiding it. The axe he finds is just used to clear pathways, not cut enemies down.
Firewatch is now available on all major consoles and PC, making it easy for any gamer to get immersed in the story. A Firewatch movie was also reported to be happening back in 2016, so perhaps that’s still in the works? Hopefully we’ll hear more about it soon!
Get a taste of the unique Firewatch visuals and sounds by watching the reveal trailer below:
