That desire is something we can all relate to, as our coffee catchups and social gatherings have been replaced by stagnated Facetime calls and an incessant barrage of Zoom parties. These were the elements that consumed me on my first playthrough, yet as I felt the digital Wyoming sun on my face once more, its mystery faded away, leaving two characters kept in isolation, with a deep desire to connect. ![]() However, as the days tick over, Henry and Delilah become engrossed in an eerie mystery, with late-night break-ins, hidden science camps and recorded conversations. Players spend their time hiking across the idyllic sunset-tinged forests, dealing with boozing teens and menial tasks. Separated by miles of woodland, the two communicate through the use of handheld radios, as Delilah slowly familiarises Henry with the various responsibilities of his job. I experienced something far more nuanced, heartbreaking, powerful, and unexpectedly uplifting this time around.įirewatch centres around Henry and Delilah, two fire lookouts spending the summer of ’89 guarding the peaceful forests of the Shoshone National Park. However, amid our current landscape, where isolation has become so common and reviled a word, I started Firewatch for the first time since. (Pun intended, obviously.) Fancying myself a bit of a critic at the time, I revelled in this quiet gaming affair – likely influenced by my recent playthrough of Gone Home – and was confident that I got what the game was trying to say, as our protagonist throws himself into the throngs of isolation. Back in 2016, Firewatch was among my most anticipated games, and reading about its warm disposition married with a mystery narrative, superb performances and tackling of isolation only added fuel to that fire. I found that, despite standing atop the same watchtower, the view was different.Īcross those five years, things have… changed. So long in fact, that the game has reached its fifth birthday and, to mark the occasion, I decided to take a trip to the peaceful peaks of Two Forks Tower once more. It has been some time since Campo Santo delighted our senses with the soothing soundtrack and autumnal colour palette of Firewatch – a game that could set even the most uptight person at ease. On its fifth anniversary, Firewatch – with its themes of isolation and forging relationships over great distances – hits differently in the midst of a global pandemic.
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