Firewatch released

Linc

The Mac software studio Panic has created their first video game and it's out today on Steam & PS4.

http://www.firewatchgame.com/

Firewatch is a mystery set in the Wyoming wilderness, where your only emotional lifeline is the person on the other end of a handheld radio. The year is 1989.

Yesssssss. The last game I played straight thru is Gone Home so this sounds right up my alley.

Garg

The first I heard of it was this earlier today.

There's an in-game disposable camera, you see, and photographing artist Olly Moss's gorgeous landscapes is highly recommended; $15 nets you a set of 4" x 6" prints...

Neat!

Signal

This looks neat. Is the in-game soundtrack worth the extra $5?

primesuspect

Interesting critique: Is this game more for industry types than actual gamers? https://www.reddit.com/r/Games/comments/452var/is_firewatch_basically_a_video_game_version_of_an/

Linc

@primesuspect said:
Interesting critique: Is this game more for industry types than actual gamers?

I'm definitely in the camp of the first comment:

I understand what you're saying but don't like how you're putting it. Saying the game is 'Oscar bait' I think implies the developers are disingenuous and only making this for the reviews. From the pedigree and following development I very much think this is the game they wanted to make.

I understand why a lot of gamers who write reviews on Steam aren't looking for this game. It does not follow it's just "for industry types". They continue:

I'm glad we're getting more games with a focus on artistic presentation, story, and care about emotional response and the human condition.

People act like if you're not blowing shit up and/or solving a puzzle, well then it's not a video game. Is it the folks who like this game who are "industry types" or the people saying it isn't good enough to tell an interactive story folks enjoy?

RahnalH102

Personally, I think that the issue lies with the reviewers. People who get into this business tend to care more about games as a medium and the mainstream society's perception of gaming, while the average person cares more about the pure value and enjoyment they got from a product they purchased.

&

The better discussion here is about how certain games tend to have pretty divergent user reviews compared to critic reviews.

There was a similar discussion about the Mad Max game from last year. Average users liked it a lot. Reviewers not so much.

To sum it up, the reviewers felt it was just open world game #99 of this past generation. It didn't do anything really wrong, it just wasn't really interesting or groundbreaking. On the flip side, this meant it's a good game in general for someone who enjoys open world games, which is a lot of people it would seem. They know what they are getting into, and that they will get at least some enjoyment out of it.

I see games as an art form, and like most other forms of art, the divergence discussed here exists in those realms as well. Someone can go look at painting that contemplates depression or some other deep and meaningful subject, think "meh", and then lose their !%#$ over another painting that may just be something superficial. Another person will have exact opposite reactions for the pieces. Nothing wrong with either. Just two sides of the same coin. Only a problem when someone forgets/is unaware of that.

I like that first comment too.

@Linc said:
People act like if you're not blowing shit up and/or solving a puzzle, well then it's not a video game. Is it the folks who like this game who are "industry types" or the people saying it isn't good enough to tell an interactive story folks enjoy?

This is that whole "narrative vs. ludology" thing. Games inhabit a realm where they can be portions of the two, one or the other, a working but non cohesive combination, the rare cohesive combination, and everything inbetween. People tend to always be looking for this higher level, to have fun while taking part in a story they want to take part in. Or at least, just to play a game. The other extreme, just to hear/"interact" with a story and be okay with the absence of typical gameplay, is not so sought after. Some may not consider titles that inhabit this category to be games. Including games that are similar but don't actually fit this category. But like i said earlier, they're just two sides of the same coin.

bright

This discussion reminds me about the "Mountain", people wondered if it's still a game if you have no game controls and just watch.

Linc

This: http://steamcommunity.com/app/383870/screenshots/

Thrax