I’ve already surpassed my goal of hitting 40,000 gamerscore before the end of the year (I’m at 42,351 now), but that hasn’t stopped me from diving into new games. My most recent 100% completion is a game called Firewatch and while it isn’t a new release, it is newly added to Gamepass. Firewatch is the last “new” game I’m playing this year and it was so immersive that stepping away from it felt kind of agonizing. Because of the nature of this game, I will not really share a lot of videos and keep this as spoiler-free as possible.

Firewatch is a narrative-driven game. You play as Henry, a man who starts a job as a firewatch for the season. While there is some action, it is largely an interactive walking simulator. The story unfolds through conversations you have over the course of the season you work. You are alone in the wilderness, confined to a tower and the surrounding area. The only way to communicate with the outside world is through a walkie-talkie. You spend your time talking to Delilah, another firewatch in the area who serves as your supervisor.

Delilah is a colorful character who tries to engage early-on with you through sarcasm and quick wit. As Henry, you decide how you want to interact with her. Will you keep it professional or will you engage in some light-hearted banter? What’s the harm either way? She is your supervisor and she seems nice enough, but how certain are you that you can trust who is on the other end of the radio? You’ve never met her; you’ve never seen her. Is there any harm in opening up a bit? That’s for you to decide.

As days pass, you’ll find yourself in a variety of situations to navigate. Your primary objective is to keep an eye out for fires and to intervene in situations as needed. Whether that’s a rowdy group of campers or dealing with unpredictable weather, you’ll have no one to rely on but yourself and Delilah. You can decide how much of your experiences you share with Delilah. Will you be kind and open or will you be aggressive when dealing with difficulty? How will your behaviors affect the outcome of your story?

As days pass, some strange things will occur. Will you keep your stoic demeanor or will you reach out to the only person you can talk to? This game will have you questioning everything – even if you can trust yourself. Making my way through this story, I found myself staying guarded and untrusting of everyone and everything I interacted with.

You do have some ability to explore the wilderness you inhabit. You’ll find cache boxes, old structures, and wildlife as you explore caves, canyons, and forests. It’s very easy to achieve a 100% completion in this game. This next video is the only one I will post. It is the achievement for having a hands-on encounter with wildlife and will not have implications for the story if you choose to watch.

This is a quick game and it will create so many questions as you move through the story. I really enjoyed it and found myself struggling with wanting to stay immersed in the world, but also wanting to rush to the end. What is Henry’s deal? Who is Delilah and will you meet? What exactly is going on in these woods?

I really enjoyed this game. It’s easy, yet engaging, and it’s an interesting premise I haven’t experienced before. If you have an opportunity to try this one out, I recommend giving it a go. Let me know if you’ve played this before or if you explore it after reading this post! I’m curious to hear how people feel about how Firewatch ends…