Firewatch
News, coverage and analysis tracking Firewatch across the outlets.- 6 Vacation Week Games to Finish Before Flying Home | TAGThis guide recommends six games that can be completed within a 5-10 hour playtime, ideal for finishing during a week-long vacation. It emphasizes narrative-driven and handheld-compatible titles like Inside, Stray, A Short Hike, What Remains of Edith Finch, and Firewatch, with Outer Wilds suggested for longer vacations. The article also provides advice on session structure, device choice, and avoiding common vacation gaming pitfalls.
I've been trying to get my Steam Link to work for ten years, but I've fixed it just in time to save me spending £1000 on a Steam MachineAfter a decade of troubleshooting, the author finally got Valve's Steam Link to work reliably by disabling the Fraps benchmarking tool. This success allows for PC gaming on a big screen without the expense of a Steam Machine, offering a viable alternative for users with existing desktop PCs.
Weekend Console Download Deals for June 19: Dispatch your walletsThis article highlights various digital game sales available on PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch for the weekend of June 19. It features discounts on a wide range of titles, including notable games like Resident Evil 4 Gold Edition, Dave the Diver, and Grand Theft Auto 5, across different storefronts and subscription services.- You Are Everyone’s Intrusive Thoughts In Citizen Sleeper Dev’s Upcoming Fungal RPGSignet City, the upcoming first-person fungalpunk RPG from Gareth Damian Martin, the developer behind Citizen Sleeper, will feature players as a sentient spore infecting individuals to influence their actions. The game mechanics revolve around emotions and a six-sided die system, similar to tabletop RPGs, allowing for diverse approaches to challenges. Martin aims to explore complex perspectives on control and revolution within the game's narrative.
How to be a dad and a gamer and still get a good night’s sleep - Reader's FeatureA father of two young children shares his struggle to balance gaming with family life, finding that long, time-consuming games are no longer feasible. He details his process of organizing his extensive game library by length to better manage his limited playtime and rediscover enjoyment in shorter, more self-contained experiences.
Weekend Console Download Deals for June 12: PlayStation Mid-Year DealsPlayStation is offering mid-year deals on titles like ARC Raiders and Mortal Kombat Legacy Kollection, with additional free games for PlayStation Plus members. Xbox features Capcom publisher sales, including Resident Evil 4 Gold Edition, while the Nintendo eShop also has Capcom discounts. Various other publishers like Atari and RGG Studio also have sales across platforms.
Podd-dags - Kontrollrummet intervjuar PaperKlay-pappanKevin Andersson, the developer behind the indie game PaperKlay, discusses his creative process and inspirations in an interview with the Kontrollrummet podcast. He shares how he overcame development challenges independently and his approach to making the game more than just a nostalgic experience. The interview also features hosts Viktor and Björn from Kontrollrummet, who share their favorite indie titles and their passion for games as a cultural medium.
6 Story Games for Players Who Don't Want to Talk | TAGThis article highlights six story-driven games that do not require dialogue choices or role-playing, catering to players seeking a narrative experience without conversational effort. Titles like Journey, Cocoon, Inside, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, Return of the Obra Dinn, and Outer Wilds are discussed for their unique methods of storytelling through environment, music, and observation, with many also being compatible with handheld devices like the Steam Deck.
OPINION: Is Mixtape really a 10/10 game?This opinion piece questions the prevalence of 10/10 review scores for narrative-driven games like Mixtape, arguing that personal emotional resonance is often conflated with objective quality and innovation. The author suggests that while Mixtape is a sincere experience, it doesn't redefine the medium in the way landmark titles like Elden Ring or The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild did. The article calls for a clearer understanding of what review scores truly measure in modern game criticism.
Review: Outbound (Switch 2) – A Cosy, Crafty, Open-World Driving SimOutbound is a relaxing open-world driving and crafting simulator for the Nintendo Switch that offers a compelling yet chill experience. Players collect materials to upgrade their campervan, explore diverse environments, and manage survival needs. Despite some minor visual and control gripes, the game provides a satisfying loop and extensive exploration, making it a joy to play.
9 Story Games Under 15 Hours to Play After Work | TAGThis guide highlights nine narrative-focused video games that can be completed in under 15 hours, ideal for playing after work. The selection includes titles like A Short Hike, What Remains of Edith Finch, and Return of the Obra Dinn, all offering emotional payoffs and satisfying conclusions without demanding extensive playtime. Most of these games are available on PC, with many also supporting platforms like Steam Deck, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox.
12 Games You Can Actually Finish Under 30 Hours (2026) | TAGThis article highlights 12 games that can be completed in under 30 hours, with many falling under 10 hours, emphasizing that their short length is by design rather than due to cut content. The list includes titles like A Short Hike, Firewatch, Stray, and Outer Wilds, categorized by playtime and offering a solution for players struggling with large backlogs.
What are we all playing this weekend?Several members of the gaming publication share their weekend gaming plans, ranging from revisiting Cyberpunk 2077 and Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag to starting new games like The Third Shift and Generation Exile. Some are opting for handheld play on the Steam Deck due to minor injuries or while waiting for home renovations.
6 Video Game Destinations We’d Happily Risk Our Lives to VisitThis article discusses six video game worlds that the author would happily visit for a vacation, despite their inherent dangers. Games like Firewatch, Cyberpunk 2077, Red Dead Redemption 2, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Grand Theft Auto V, and No Man's Sky are highlighted for their immersive and appealing digital environments.
Best Games Under 5 Hours That Are Actually Worth Playing (2026) | TAGThis article highlights several games that can be completed in under five hours, arguing that shorter experiences offer significant value and impact. It features titles like What Remains of Edith Finch, Florence, and Portal, detailing their playtime, price, and platforms, and emphasizes that brevity does not equate to lesser quality.- BAFTA Award-winner Cissy Jones joins the cast of WILL: Follow The Light, launching 28 April for PC and consolesTomorrowHead Studio announced that BAFTA Award-winner Cissy Jones has joined the cast of their upcoming narrative adventure game, WILL: Follow The Light. The game, inspired by titles like Firewatch and Alan Wake, is set to launch on April 28 for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.
'Forever Ago' Looks About Ready To Break Your Heart On Switch 2Annapurna Interactive has released a new trailer for its single-player adventure game, Forever Ago, which is set to launch on the Nintendo Switch this autumn. The game features a narrative-driven experience where players control Alfred, who embarks on a journey of redemption after a personal tragedy, exploring environments and documenting his experiences with an instant camera.
"We're not perfectly replicating the real world, that would be crazy": The invisible design behind Firewatch's pine cones and picture framesThis article analyzes the subtle yet impactful design choices in Firewatch, focusing on how interactive elements like pine cones and picture frames convey character and narrative. Developer Campo Santo intentionally differentiated object interactions to create a tangible and grounded world, contrasting physics-based objects with those that return to a 'put back spot' to match player intention and character behavior.
"You're swimming against the tide making games like this": Why more developers didn't copy Firewatch's reactive storytellingChris Remo of Campo Santo discusses why Firewatch's reactive storytelling model, which focused on player choices influencing dialogue and world reactions rather than traditional gameplay, did not inspire many imitators. He attributes this to the inherent difficulty in implementing such systems in games, the high cost of creating convincing character interactions, and the medium's natural inclination towards more interactive genres like those found in Minecraft and Roblox.
"You're not doing parkour off a roof, but the principles were the same": How the makers of Firewatch pulled from Mirror's Edge, Far Cry 2, and Bioshock to tell a new kind of story in a walking simulatorCampo Santo developers discuss the inspirations behind their narrative exploration game Firewatch, drawing from titles like Mirror's Edge, Far Cry 2, and Bioshock. The team focused on creating a grounded, human-scale story with reactive gameplay elements and a strong sense of place, influenced by their camping trip to Yosemite National Park.