Remedy Entertainment has a reputation for making some incredibly unique video games.Control’s paranaturally powered-up gameplay is unlike any action-adventure game out there, andAlan Wake 2’s mind-bending horror narrativecontains no shortage of novel storytelling approaches. But even these Remedy projects can’t be considered wholly unique, with them both borrowing at least a few elements from popular staples of the genres they were adopting. That’s certainly the case forFBC: Firebreak.
A 3-player co-op shooter,FBC: Firebreakis inherently unique in that it marks a completely new type of project for Remedy. ButFBC: Firebreakisn’t shy about borrowing from its contemporaries. It borrows so much, in fact, that it ends up forging its own distinct identity with its cocktail of genres.
How FBC: Firebreak Forges a Unique Identity By Borrowing From The Best
FBC: Firebreak Borrows Its World-Building and Tone From Control
First and foremost,FBC: Firebreaktakes the meticulous world-building ofControl, along with its light horror elements and absurdist humor. While the unique blend of horror and humor is a Remedy staple that givesFBC: Firebreakan amusing tone,Control’s world-buildingis used to giveFirebreak’s action a distinct backdrop. The Oldest House is a place where interdimensional threats come and go freely, andFirebreakdoes a decent job of leaning into that inherently fun premise.
FBC: Firebreak Borrows Its Objectives From Extraction and Horde Shooters
Much ofFBC: Firebreak’s gameplay borrows heavily from contemporary extraction and horde shooters. Most of the game’s objectives revolve around destroying or collecting a certain number of items, and then extracting via an elevator, a loop familiar to those who have playedgames likeHelldivers 2andDeep Rock Galactic. Along the way, players face off against never-ending hordes of undead-like Hiss, a loop that might remind players ofCall of Duty Zombies.
ThoughFBC: Firebreak’s gunplay doesn’t feel outstanding, and its objectives aren’t super varied, all these influences come together to form a solid backbone forFBC: Firebreak’s co-op gameplay loop.
FBC: Firebreak Borrows Status Effects From Survival Games
Another core component ofFBC: Firebreakis its use of status effects, which most closely resembles their use in survival games likeRust. InFirebreak, players can burn enemies and be burned themselves, they can become irradiated, and they can be slowed down by frost. They’re not the most unique status effects in gaming, but their implementation adds a nice layer of challenge toFBC: Firebreak’s moment-to-moment gameplay. That’s especially true on higher difficulties when enemy hordes are stronger and healing in showers can’t be cheesed as much.
The Sum of All These Parts
WhileFBC: Firebreakborrows from an array of contemporary games, it manages to forge its own distinct identity by drawing from a wide variety of genres, ones that don’t always go together naturally. Remedy’s already-unique blend of humor and horror givesFirebreakan intriguing tone.Control’s Oldest House settinggives it a fun and creative backdrop. Its extraction and horde shooter elements give it a solid gameplay loop. And its use of status effects adds depth to its challenge. Merging all of these borrowed elements together givesFBC: Firebreaka fairly singular identity.
