The transition to normality feels smoother and more deliberate. It's not a ghost story, but, absent of other characters, it feels haunted by past events. Within that setting, the personal dramas unfold-the potential for horror hovering at the edges. Of course an old, empty house feels scary-any old, empty house does. It looks like a horror game, because horror is a genre that revels in taking nice, safe environments and subverting them. Just look at Gone Home, which, in my view, blurs its tone more deftly. This could have been an effective and memorable trick. Aha! Thought this was a mystery, did you? It was heartfelt drama all along!
When it's finally revealed that, yes, it was ridiculous-that the reality was far more grounded and tragic-there's a sense that the player has been played. But, viewed through the filter of the real world, it's clear they're being ridiculous. Henry and Delilah's growing fear and panic resonate, because they are isolated, lonely and, above all, well written characters. The paranoia only works because the plot and tone mimic the style of a thriller, creating a tension that doesn't actually exist. Is it believable that an unknown research company would move to the wilderness to start monitoring conversations? It's certainly not outside the realm of possibility because, until the rules of the world are established-the extent to which it operates in parallel with our world- nothing is outside the realm of possibility. Players are left unsure if this is the sort of thing that could happen in this world. At its peak, the pair think they're part of some strange monitoring experiment-a Lost-esque zoo in which they're the primary attraction. As Henry and Delilah's paranoia builds, it tips the scale of realism. Or not, because, from that initial assumption, the creator gets to define their own rules-to confirm, withhold, subvert.įirewatch is drama in a thriller's clothing. In a sci-fi film, the same conversation would mean something different. A conversation about religion might have particular significance, because gods can be a real and active participant in events. If all you knew about a fantasy novel was its genre, you'd still be armed with some basic context. To an extent, genre mitigates the uncertainty. In fiction, there's no guarantee what you're experiencing will follow our world's rules. It's a sequence that does nothing to rein in our own expectations as players, resulting in a genre fake-out that I feel undercuts the final resolution. The game gets so much right that I can't help but be disappointed by its overarching plot-specifically the middle-act, when Henry suspects his conversations are being monitored and his paranoia starts to build. Its environments, soundtrack, dialogue and animations are all superb.
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