Screenshots & trailers
What players say
Why the number is what it is: aspect mentions counted across 301 sampled Steam reviews (271 positive / 30 negative), recent and most-helpful. Plain keyword counting, fully reproducible; nothing here is written by a machine.
What positive reviews talk about
- Story & writing46% mention it
- Visuals & art16% mention it
- World & exploration11% mention it
- Music & audio7% mention it
What negative reviews complain about
- Story & writing67% mention it
- Visuals & art20% mention it
- Bugs & crashes13% mention it
- Controls & UI13% mention it
Satisfaction by hours played
Same score, different games: see how sentiment holds up the longer people play.
Under 5h
90%
177 reviews
5-15h
90%
113 reviews
15-40h
90%
10 reviews
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 80 | 30 |
| Creator reviews (4 tracked) | – | 88 | 1 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 91% | 85 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 77 | 82 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 89% | 83 | 170 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 300 reviews sampled · 486 total reviews in window · weighted 144.7 up / 17.6 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (157)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 80
“Firewatch is not what many people may have wanted, but that doesn't mean it's bad. Fans of interactive drama will absolutely want to give this a try, as it shows how you can craft a "walking simulator" while keeping players involved and intrigued as opposed to ignored and bored.”
read full review ↗ - 50
“It's a shame that the game loses the player so early, and that it takes so much of its length to win one back.”
read full review ↗ - 100
“Firewatch is a masterpiece in the walking simulator genre and is a must-try for anyone looking for something more introspective. If you're going to give it a try, get ready for it to be added to your best games list.”
read full review ↗ - 100
“If you were expecting a video game replete with all the big budget thrills you're accustomed to, you might find Firewatch a lean, almost sparse affair. You wouldn't be wrong either. This isn't a game for everyone. In fact for some, it could barely pass off as a game, due to its narrow focus on telling an immersive tale. Nonetheless, it achieves what it set out to do. Namely, using well-worn video game elements to tell a story that stays with you long after you're done. And for that, Firewatch's a triumph.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“It really doesn't matter that Firewatch came out over two and a half years ago, because it's just as engrossing and enchanting as it was the first time around. From the warm glow of its forests in the morning summer light to the subtle tension of exploring a rocky gorge in the isolating silence of night, Shoshone National Forest is a character in its own right. With a story that's both funny and heartbreaking, and enhanced by some brilliant performances by its two central actors, this is an essential purchase, irrespective of whether you're playing it for the first time on Switch or simply using it as an excuse to revisit an old favourite.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Whether you're looking for several hours of mystery and drama or just a magnificent world to explore, do yourself a favor and spare a few hours of your time to experience Firewatch.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Firewatch may be too short and with some minor technical issues but an excellent visual style, interesting characters, intriguing storyline and a very original place of action more than make up for that. Firewatch is something unique enough that is worth recommending not only to the fans of "walking simulator" games.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“It's what you feel as the story unfolds like a short story on your television screen, visiting the private grief of others who can struggle to communicate just as torturously as all of us in the real world can. And although this dual character study can feel a little slight, and has a few improbable notes that are struck seemingly just to enhance a sense of mystery, that central friendship between Henry and Delilah is powerful. It feels real, and important for both of them, and it would be wrong to change or weaken it by playing the game again.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Do not let the ending put you off Firewatch, nor let the talk of 'Walking Simulator' give any sort of preconceived notion of this being boring. What has been delivered is one of the most engaging narrative experiences in recent times, draped beautifully over a thoroughly enjoyable adventure, with plenty of scope for going back to uncover more details, finding new conversation avenues, and stumbling upon all manner of intriguing information not seen the first time round.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Firewatch has the embers of a great narrative-driven game, but it fails to ever ignite into a furnace. Unforgivable performance issues detract from the otherwise outstanding art direction, but it's the abrupt story and unconvincing characters that really douse the hype here. Campo Santo's inaugural outing starts incredibly strongly, but your alarm bells will be ringing long before it burns out without ever really sparking into life.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Firewatch has an affective and engaging story that draws you in, and I couldn't put the game down after the halfway point. What initially seems like more of a relaxing walking simulator becomes something more consequential and dire. Anyone interested in great stories, not just those told through video games, needs to pick up Firewatch. Like Celeste and GRIS, Firewatch is a triumph of artistic and thought-provoking game design, and it can remind you of summer as you bundle up for the cold winter ahead.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Firewatch kept me engaged from beginning to end. The dialogue and the voice acting were believable and relatable, and I felt like the choices I made were ones I might make in real life. I wish Campo Santo added greater ramifications to some choices but it didn't diminish the emotional effect they had on me. The ending will be a point of contention for some, but it all comes down to a perspective and regardless of that, you should play this game.”
read full review ↗
The Jimquisition
Slant Magazine
GameFM
Gadgets 360
Nintendo Life
PLAY Zine
GRYOnline.pl
Paste Magazine
Cubed3
Push Square
NintendoWorldReport
GameWatcher…and 145 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Firewatch Update December 21, 2021Dec 21, 2021
- Firewatch Update, December 15, 2021:Dec 16, 2021
- Latest Patch NotesMay 21, 2018
- Firewatch Is Now In Japanese!Mar 6, 2018
- Firewatch Is Now In Japanese!Mar 6, 2018significant · resets scoring window
- Firewatch now with Free-Roam Mode!Nov 9, 2016
- Firewatch now with Free-Roam Mode!Nov 9, 2016
- The Firewatch Audio Tour Update Patch NotesSep 21, 2016
- The Firewatch Audio Tour Update Patch NotesSep 21, 2016significant · resets scoring window
- The Firewatch Audio TourSep 20, 2016
- The Firewatch Audio TourSep 20, 2016
- Patch NotesMar 10, 2016
- Patch NotesMar 10, 2016
- Patch NotesMar 3, 2016
- Patch NotesMar 3, 2016
- Patch NotesFeb 24, 2016
- Patch NotesFeb 24, 2016
- Patch NotesFeb 20, 2016
- Patch NotesFeb 20, 2016
- Patch NotesFeb 18, 2016
- Patch NotesFeb 18, 2016
- Patch NotesFeb 17, 2016
- Patch NotesFeb 17, 2016
- Patch NotesFeb 12, 2016
- Patch NotesFeb 12, 2016
- Patch NotesFeb 11, 2016
- Patch NotesFeb 11, 2016
- Patch NotesFeb 10, 2016
- Patch NotesFeb 10, 2016