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KevinJRoeder's Firewatch (PS4)
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| [January 18, 2018 09:56:32 AM]
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#3
When I got home to my base I noticed that one of the windows was broken. Neither me or Delilah know who we can suspect about this. This seems weird. Who would damage my base? Anyhow, I feel tired and sleep through the night.
The next morning I am woken up by Delilah's radio call; she informs me that a storm has damaged some wires she normally uses for communication. She asks me to see if I can find the area where the cables are down. So I begin walking again. This seems to be the main mechanic of the game. Walking, talking, and wondering about what is actually happening beneath the surface. There have been little instances of what Delilah says and little items lying around which do seem to suggest that some things are currently not mentioned yet. There seems to be more than just us watching for Fire. This hidden part of the story keeps the motivation up to to continue playing for me.
While trying to find the downed lines, something weird happens. Delilah asks me to hold on, but seemingly forgets to mute her microphone. I have the option to let her know or just listen. I decide to listen. She seems to be speaking to a third person, and I almost believe that I am the topic. She mentions that she doesn't think "that he is aware of it..." I wonder what she is referring to. After I ask her about who she was talking about, she reacts angrily, and stops talking to me for a while.
I continue on my walk, and eventually find the downed lines... and empty beers, again. There seems to be a connection between these beers and things happening in this forest. Is it the girls again? There seems to be more about this story than it seems.
I feel like this game has great potential when it comes to the story, and especially the style of it. The graphics are absolutely gorgeous, however I feel that the gameplay mechanics are a bit limited. It really is only walking and occasionally looking at object. There is not really anything more to it, so this could also just be a interactive story, not really a game in the strict sense. It is more about the atmosphere and story than anything else.
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| [January 17, 2018 11:13:12 AM]
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# 2
After looking around in my new home for the new couple of months, and wondering what some items are supposed to be used for, Delilah (which I learned was the name of my superior/co-firewatcher), explained to me the use of a Firewatch item, conveniently placed in the centre of my home. Suddenly, her voice tensed up, and I hear fireworks going of in the distance. Delilah tells me to go and find the people using these, for that the forest is currently very dry and such fireworks could easily start a fire. Hesitantly, I agree. I slept long, so I am not really in the mood to wander around to find these people. And I am also wondering what I should actually do when I find them. I guess, this is my job now, so I walk down from my tower and begin my hike towards the fireworks. While on my hike, I cannot ignore the absolute beauty of my surrounding. The evening light tinges the environment in a deep red light, absolutely gorgeous. I need to concentrate on finding the people who are using fireworks, and I shouldn't not get lost wandering around watching the sun set. After a while hiking, I find a camping spot, with some empty beer cans lying around. I am probably close, I am thinking to myself. I also find some fireworks, and some whisky (which I pocket for later use). While I am following these items towards a lake, I also find girls underwear, and suddenly I become a bit shy about how to react in this situation. What will these girls think I a random man just appears. Delilah makes fun of me, and tell me to continue. Just of couple of meters ahead I find the girls who we suspect have used the fireworks, swimming in the water. I turn of the boombox they had with them, and yell to them that they should not use fireworks. Not surprisingly they respond in a disrespectful manner, and do not seem to acknowledge my authority. After this successful "mission" I make my way back to Two Forks, (where my stand is). On the way I engage in chatter with Delilah, find a locked cave (later investigation), and notice a man who looks at me from a hill. I wonder what his deal is... I fall into bed, after this very tiring day.
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| [January 16, 2018 02:33:58 PM]
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#1
When I began playing Firewatch, the game welcomed me with a simple screen with text and soft background music. While many games choose to put the player right into the action, Firewatch seemed to go for a different direction. Numerous text clips appear on the screen informing me, as the player, of my characters' backstory by highlighting certain aspects of my life, broken apart by short sequences where I find myself in the nature - in the middle of a national park. The text sequences, with the soft musical score, introduce me to certain (important) sequences in my life and also give me certain options to choose from, as how my character reacted to them. The background story is that I meet my later-to-be wife Julia, how we go through the ups and downs of life, and eventually how we learn that she has early onset dementia. This, naturally, throws this (until then) idyllic situation into chaos. The text screens now ask me how to react to this, which becomes especially intense when I am asked to decide to either put her into a full-time facility or to take care of her myself. With a heavy heart, I choose to let specialists take care of her... Eventually Julias parents take her back to Australia (where she is originally from), and I continue my (now devastated) life, until one day I find a job offer as a Firewatch in Wyoming. I accept (without a choice). After a short loading screen I find myself in a wooden structure, surrounded by a forest, with mountains in the background. A whole lot to explore. But before this I need to reflect on what just happened. My life, as I imagined, has been completely put on it's head due to this diagnosis. Now I need to find something new to take a place in my life. Will a position as a Firewatch be the right one? While still in thought, a voice pulls me back to reality. It comes from a walk talky on a table. Let us see what this new world has to offer I think to myself...
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KevinJRoeder's Firewatch (PS4)
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Current Status: Finished playing
GameLog started on: Sunday 14 January, 2018
GameLog closed on: Monday 12 February, 2018 |
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