FBC: Firebreak Review – Controlled Chaos

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Firebreak, a game by Remedy Entertainment, is primarily recognized for its immersive single-player titles that focus on storytelling. However, over time, they’ve dabbled in various game types. Firebreak: Firebreak stands out as their most notable departure yet, being a three-player cooperative PvE first-person shooter set within the Oldest House (the same location as Control from 2019). This unique setting allows Remedy’s distinctive quirkiness to shine in a fresh context. As I delved deeper into Firebreak, my appreciation for it grew, despite encountering several challenges along the way.

The game places players in the role of ex-office workers from the Federal Bureau of Control (FBC), now forced to craft their own weapons and equipment to fight off the Hiss danger within the Oldest House. This setting lends a vibrant, humorous atmosphere to the game, where your character banters about completing paperwork and frets over work hours despite being in a chaotic supernatural battlefield. Essentially, Firebreak combines the FBC’s bureaucratic nature with its improvised DIY struggle against otherworldly creatures, creating a unique tone that echoes Remedy Entertainment’s style. Its class-based combat system enhances this quirky vibe.

The game features three distinct “Tool Kits” as its classes:

1. The Fix Kit is outfitted with a large wrench and is capable of fixing various items such as lighting fixtures, breaker boxes, and even healing showers.
2. The Jump Kit includes an electro-shocking device, reminiscent of Ghostbusters equipment, which can be used to stun enemies and activate electronic devices like broken fans in the game’s initial mission.
3. Lastly, the Splash Kit is equipped with a large water gun that shoots bubbles of water to extinguish fires or neutralize negative status effects affecting team members or oneself. This kit synergizes well with the Jump Kit, as dousing enemies and then shocking them can be an effective strategy for reducing their numbers.

In essence, the basic fighting system in this game adds an interesting twist to what might have been a more monotonous gameplay experience. However, upon initial play, the class-specific tools seem lackluster and not particularly effective. For instance, the wrench, which you might assume is for melee combat, doesn’t deal significant damage. It’s important to note that this tool can be improved over time by choosing and stacking various perks as you advance through the game’s progression system. But at the beginning, all three classes, along with their standard weapons, feel somewhat ineffective.

In simpler terms, the impact weapon in the Jump Kit doesn’t seem powerful enough due to insufficient audio and visual cues. Games often use a specific style of teaching to help players understand how they should feel about their actions, but this isn’t always present in Remedy’s shooter. It’s not just about the meter on the screen indicating when I’ve done my best as my character, but also about the way the weapons interact with targets. Ideally, these interactions should sound and look distinct to make me feel like I’m making a difference in the game environment, instead of feeling that the tools are ineffective.

In-game tasks, referred to as Jobs, can contribute to early-game troubles. Each Job is broken down into three distinct difficulty levels, progressing from easier to harder sections, culminating in a boss battle or similar climactic event. Initially, you’ll have to complete the first and then the second clearance level to unlock higher difficulties. However, runs at only the first level can seem lackluster and short, potentially leading to dismissing the game based on that initial experience. This suggests that the game could have improved its introductory missions to provide a more engaging first impression.

In Firebreak, if players don’t cooperate as a team, the enemy hordes can overpower them quickly. Unfortunately, Firebreak lacks in-game voice chat, which can be frustrating. Utilizing platforms like Discord or built-in voice chat features for coordination works well for groups of friends, and it’s ideal for playing this game. However, many players join random groups with strangers instead. While the ping system helps, in some instances, it might not be sufficient in Firebreak.

In this game, your shield won’t recharge if you stray too far from your teammates. This is a characteristic of the “resonance mechanic.” However, it can be easy to miss how the game functions in this regard because many games put shield recharging on cooldowns. Firebreak’s shield mechanism might seem similar, but it doesn’t work the same way.

Likewise, getting status effects in the game is as common as catching a cold at an airport. Players may not fully grasp some basic principles: If I’m on fire or poisoned, please help me put it out. Some of these issues are due to Firebreak not always showcasing its core combat elements effectively, which can lead to confusion among players. To succeed, team members need to work together and watch each other’s backs. Frequently, I’ve seen players who are on fire or sick from radiation, yet the player with a Splash Kit, capable of curing them with a few shots of water, is unaware of their healing powers.

This clarifies that some challenges in the game are for the developers at Remedy to address.

Fortunately, there’s usually a backup plan for players who are missing a class or two from their team, as well as for those who can’t depend on their teammates to help them out. For instance, many rooms in any of the game’s five jobs often have sprinklers installed, allowing you to shoot at them and reap the same benefits you would if your teammate understood how fires behave.

Initially, Firebreak might come off as harsh, but I’m grateful I persisted, as it eventually becomes quite enjoyable. The weapon handling could be a crucial factor here. Although the initial weapons seem weak, they handle well, which is consistent with other low-tier items in the game. For instance, the SMG has an unpredictable recoil, while the revolver delivers a strong impact. Over time, you can obtain heavier weapons like machine guns and rifles, each offering a unique feel when held, providing the expected weight, power, and accuracy.

As a gamer, I’ve primarily mastered the Submachine Gun (SMG) in this game, and enhancing its performance has been incredibly gratifying. Watching the recoil decrease, making it possible to effortlessly decimate waves of enemies with just one clip, is an exhilarating experience. While Remedy is known for creating games that lean towards action-adventure with heavy shooting elements, the mechanics in Firebreak have never been as central as they are here. In their past titles, shooting was more of a supporting act. But Firebreak is undeniably a first-person shooter at its core, and it truly shines as a result – it feels like a well-crafted shooter should.

The game excels at customizing character classes, thanks to an extensive perk system. This system offers numerous passive abilities, including faster reloads, stronger melee attacks, increased throw distance, and many more. Each perk has three levels of enhancement – from “weak” to “strong” and finally to “resonant.” This allows the benefits of these perks to extend to nearby teammates as well. I’ve discovered that these perks can significantly impact gameplay, leading me to focus on creating the most effective or experimental builds. As a result, I’ve found myself becoming increasingly engaged with the game over the past few hours.

I developed a Fixer, a close-combat specialist, who can navigate levels without ever discharging his weapon. This character is particularly effective on the Ground Control mission, where you gather supernatural “pearls” and transport them to a mobile payload device using a Jumper with incredible speed and throw range. The game’s more challenging aspects seem like distant memories now, and even when I join games with strangers who may be new to it and prone to errors, my characters are typically powerful enough to guide them to victory. Navigating the Oldest House feels effortless, much like a Prime Candidate from the Remedy Connected Universe would.

To truly tap into Firebreak’s potential in gameplay terms, it’s crucial to unlock its top-tier weapons, gadgets, and grenades. However, that’s not all this character excels at. The game boasts stunning visuals and special effects, much like Control and the upcoming Alan Wake 2. Remedy’s in-house Northlight engine showcases some breathtaking feats, and Firebreak makes full use of its capabilities. Among the game’s most impressive visual effects is the Jump Kit’s ultimate ability, which transforms a lawn gnome launched from the shock weapon into a massive electric storm, obliterating anything within its range. It’s as if Storm from X-Men has descended to rain lightning upon the Hiss with each deployment. Other ultimates, such as the Splasher’s water cannon switching to fire molten lava and the Fixer’s exploding piggy bank attachment to the wrench, also come with eye-catching displays. The use of an ally’s ultimate is always noticeable, drawing attention like a dazzling fireworks display. However, some parts of the game can be confusing, but you’ll never doubt when an ally is using their ultimate.

In this game, the diverse types of adversaries in Control, reminiscent of Left 4 Dead, are an advantage. These range from nimble melee attackers, armored behemoths, airborne enemies, and invisible demons that reappear with a bang nearby, requiring constant vigilance and teamwork to handle. Although Firebreak could be more transparent about certain aspects, I find there’s an element of exploration in the game. For instance, figuring out how to disable enemies who can only be shot from behind (you must first shock them to make them kneel) adds a strategic depth to the gameplay. Additionally, discovering that the black goo from Ground Control’s pearls acts as a shield against their radiation is crucial for survival. If I had known this earlier, it would have alleviated some initial struggles, but teaching new players about these aspects has been an enjoyable part of the experience.

In each stage, the layout, objectives, and characteristics of enemy groups vary, but Firebreak introduces an original twist to missions through Corrupted Items. These items serve as in-game modifiers that significantly influence your strategy for any level. When activated, you must locate and destroy a specific item, such as a crowbar, lantern, or even a traffic light, to clear the area of its effect. Interestingly, some of these items can be advantageous or at least useful. For instance, enemies with shields or increased speed are just obstacles, but I’ve found myself wanting to preserve items that cause low gravity and one that makes defeated enemies explode. The strategic possibilities with this last one are quite beneficial if you manage to avoid being caught in the blast radius. Like many aspects of Firebreak, Corrupted Items make the later stages of the game more engaging and thrilling, as long as you can overcome an initial underwhelming impression.

Firebreak stands out in its gaming environment due to its unique features. While it has elements of a live service, such as Classified Requisitions which are cosmetic reward trees similar to battle passes, these will be periodically released over time. However, the game’s requirements within the attention economy are limited to this aspect.

Firebreak allows you to play at your own pace without worrying about catching up or missing out on rewards due to daily or weekly challenges, or event-locked rewards. Unlike many multiplayer games today, it doesn’t require a significant time commitment, and this makes it feel like a beneficial subtraction rather than an additional demand.

What stands out most is that my fascination with the game has grown significantly over time. Yesterday, instead of writing a review, I ended up spending hours playing with different players in the evening. I found myself guiding them through the Oldest House, eagerly working on refining my next builds and enhancing my perks to their full potential. I’ve talked about how battle-pass systems can sometimes keep me attached to games I want to leave, but it’s refreshing to play Firebreak for pure enjoyment. I’m looking forward to trying out the new Jobs as they are added, such as the ones scheduled for this year.

With the game now available on two separate subscription platforms, it’s possible that some players might give it a try but be quickly discouraged due to an initial poor impression, potentially dismissing Firebreak without giving it enough time. It would be great if those who appreciate cooperative PvE games stick around beyond the early rough edges, as there’s a lot of fun to discover within. Occasionally, the game can struggle to explain crucial aspects such as managing status effects and playing roles effectively. However, once you’ve grasped the essentials, Firebreak: Remedy’s Battle-Commander becomes an exhilarating, chaotic power trip, and an intriguing experiment for Remedy between their more substantial, eccentric projects.

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2025-06-18 21:10