Remedy fans can finally return to the Oldest House right now inFBC: Firebreak, and although the game offers hours of truly wild co-op fun, players are struggling to get their teeth into the game due to its underwhelming introduction and tutorial experience. The first-person co-op title represents something completely new from the developer, and many passionate Remedy fans are hopeful thatFBC: Firebreakwill address its most glaring weakness in a future update, with some fearing that the game’s confusing launch state could jeopardize its long-term success.
While it’s a significant break from tradition in terms of gameplay,FBC: Firebreakdoes take seasoned fans of the Remedy Universe back to familiar territory. The game is set inside the Oldest House - the impossible, paranatural headquarters of the Federal Bureau of Control which is also the setting ofControl.FBC: Firebreakis understandably much less story-heavy than Remedy’s previous single-player titles, but the only thing new players really need to know is that they step into the boots of Firebreak agents whose job is to forcefully evict some extradimensional monsters from the building somesix years after the events ofControl. Thankfully, players also get to arm themselves with some of their own paranatural weapons and items to make this task a bit more manageable.
Considering how dangerous and perplexing life is at the Oldest House, though, Firebreak agents apparently don’t get much training prior to being armed with magic garden decorations and sent to fight the Hiss. A lot of players are having trouble getting into the game since so few of its mechanics are adequately explained, leaving them confused as to whateach ofFBC: Firebreak’s essential weapon kitsdo, how level modifiers work, and even how to progress through some of the levels themselves. On top of that, the aspects that make the game shine most - its weird and often hilarious variety of powerful abilities and weapons - are locked behind hours of progression. Plenty of fans have taken to forums to discuss these issues, hoping that Remedy responds to the feedback.
FBC: Firebreak Needs To Revise Its Introductory Experience Sooner Rather Than Later
As some players have also pointed out, the game’s lower clearance levels are perhaps too quick and easy for their own good, leaving a potentially underwhelming impression on players who are mostly limited to these short levels when first starting out.FBC: Firebreakinvolves a huge focus on teamwork, especially when things start getting tougher - so players matchmaking online with other confused players just results in a whole group where nobody knows what’s going on, especially in the absence of any sophisticated in-game communication features.
FBC: Firebreak’s undesirable overall launch statehas gotten some fans worried about the game in the long-term, particularly in a climate where games of its nature tend to either strongly succeed or fade into obscurity. Still, Remedy’s excellent track record as a studio gives fans hope, and the studio would do well to address these issues by reworking the game’s tutorials and revising level difficulties sooner rather than later.
