![]() ![]() However, we will say that even through a simple series of text-based screens in its prologue, Campo Santo manages to swiftly invest you in a story that tackles a subject we’ve never really seen in games before, deftly pulling at your heartstrings without too much cliche. The poignancy of Firewatch’s story is best enjoyed from start to finish on your own terms, so we won’t reveal the details of what drives main character Henry to take a fire lookout job at Shoshone National Forest in the northwest of Wyoming. It’s not perfect, and there are some noticeable technical sacrifices to justify its existence on Switch, but it’s no less essential. ![]() It’s heartfelt, silly, unsettling and beguiling all in the space of its roughly six hours of story. It’s a walking simulator and proud of it, but it tells a very specific story about a very specific person as they attempt to cope with the heartbreaking truths that are defining their very specific life. Released back in 2016, Firewatch is many things – tense, intriguing, charming and a little frustrating – but it’s never, ever boring. “It’s the most boring job in the world.” And yet, despite that rather eye-opening reality check, the studio went away and created one of the most memorable games of this current generation. “Why would you make a game out of this job?” some of their interviewees would say. During the early days of Firewatch’s development, Washington-based indie studio Campo Santo made a point of speaking to real fire lookouts to get a sense of what it’s like to be stationed for months on the end, deep in a North American forest.
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