Also On: PS5, Xbox Series X|S
Publisher: Remedy Entertainment
Developer: Remedy Entertainment
Medium: Digital
Players: 1-3
Online: No
ESRB: T
FBC: Firebreak is a game that I really want to root for, in part because I’m a big fan of developer Remedy as a whole, and also because I think there’s something cool here that just needs a bit more polish. On the plus side, as I sat down to write this review, Remedy already introduced a significant patch to the game to help address issues with balancing, onboarding, and progression, so it’s clear that they are listening to fans and actively trying to fix things. Whether or not the player base sticks around as those improvements are made is yet to be seen, but if they do, then I believe Firebreak can be another feather in Remedy’s cap.
For those unaware of what FBC: Firebreak is, it’s a cooperative 3 person PVE shooter set against the backdrop of The Oldest House from the game Control. It’s not a game that immediately sounds like something Remedy would make, as it mostly eschews any sort of story in favor of objective based multiplayer maps that are meant to be run over and over again. Doing so will net you currency for character upgrades and cosmetics, and as you improve you can increase the difficulty more and more in order to improve your drops and continue the gameplay loop. Anyone familiar with titles like Helldivers 2 will be pretty familiar with what FBC: Firebreak is going for, as it very much sticks to a similar formula of gameplay.
What helps to set Firebreak apart is the setting and unique objectives that being set in a place like The Oldest House provides. There’s plenty of weird paranormal stuff going on, like sticky note infections, corridors lined with explosive goo, and leech filled walls that drop radioactive eggs. As you progress through a stage your objectives will change, and then culminate in a last ditch run to the elevator exit while pursued by waves of enemies in different shapes and sizes. There’s a hectic balance between clearing objectives and taking out enemies, which I think FBC: Firebreak does a pretty good job of maintaining.
What hurts FBC: Firebreak at the moment, at least for me, is that there isn’t a ton of content available from the get go. The developers have laid out a roadmap for the rest of the year that promises new content, but at the moment you essentially have 5 levels, 3 classes, and some limited weapon options to choose from. The classes themselves are pretty unique from one another, one equips you with a water gun/hose style attachment that allows you to drench enemies making them more vulnerable to damage, or put out dangerous fires that often surround you at all times. Another class equips you with an electrified launcher, giving you some limited crowd control options that become more powerful when combined with the aforementioned water effect. It also provides some mobility options, since you can aim it at the ground and fire, which will send you flying into the air. The third class is an all around fixer class. There are multiple objectives in the game that require you to fix something, like dilapidated ammo stations for instance, and having a fixer on the team helps get through that repair process faster.
Still, while the classes feel unique from one another, it’d be nice to see one or two more at the onset. In addition, the weapons you can equip to your loadouts are pretty limited at the moment, consisting of a shotgun, pistol, and rifle in addition to your class specific tools. Other options, like an alternate special or ultimate ability, are locked behind the progression system in FBC: Firebreak. Thankfully, with the introduction of the latest patch you’re able to unlock those mechanics a lot faster than before, but you’ll still have to run through some games with the bare basics before you can see what options your selected class really has to offer.
On the plus side, if you’re at all curious about FBC: Firebreak, it is currently available for free via Gamepass on Xbox, and PS Plus on PlayStation platforms. I do think it’s worth at least downloading the game and testing it out, as I definitely have had fun with it despite its shortcomings. That said, I also don’t see myself sticking with it in its current state, but hopefully as new additions and patches roll out I’ll have reason to return to FBC: Firebreak.
Note: Remedy Entertainment provided us with a FBC: Firebreak PC code for review purposes.
