FBC: Firebreak review — Going down in Hiss-tory

Making something new can be scary. Remedy seemingly manages this with aplomb, but in self-publishing FBC: Firebreak, this game is all theirs. The only way to press through is to fully embrace your idea, and in FBC: Firebreak, Remedy has done just that. I’ve been playing it with friends for a little while now, and this is definitely a different experience compared to the usual Remedy video game.

Even the way it starts is unlike any other Remedy game. You go to the main menu, go through a few tutorial steps, and boot right into the level. No setup, no cutscenes, no nothing to build up the story. This is intentional, as Remedy has told us they’re not focusing on a narrative element to Firebreak, but it’s still jarring as a big fan not to see it present in any way.

This tutorial level is Hot Fix, one of the five available jobs to do in Firebreak. While it will eventually grow into something bigger, Remedy starts you here. Going into each level, you’re tasked with fixing something, cleaning something, or destroying something. There’s a lot going wrong in the Oldest House between the Hiss invasion and the reaction of the altered items, and it’s up to you – a random desk jockey, accounting guru, heck, whoever the Federal Bureau of Control can find – to take care of it.

Roaming through the Oldest House, I can see exactly what Remedy is aiming for in the creation of Firebreak. This isn’t a game to play competitively, or one you’ll grind hard to complete everything in a time limit. Rather, it’s a fun time with friends. It has plenty in common with Helldivers 2, along with a dash of Left 4 Dead. I’ve played a little bit by myself, and I can easily state that it’s not nearly as fun if your buddies aren’t with you. 

As good as this game feels to play, the moments you create with other players are the crux of a good session of Firebreak. Screaming out about a bunch of Hiss following you that just spawned in behind your squad, working together with your kits, or taking on Sticky Ricky (marvelous boss fight by the way) will have you all laughing and smiling together. If there were awards for good vibes created by a video game, FBC: Firebreak would probably win a bunch of them. Coordinating your jaunts through each job is imperative not only to finishing them, but doing it quickly.

That’s because of the way the Fix Kit and loadout systems are designed. Everything works in conjunction with each other – there isn’t a true meta build that does it all. If you don’t work together, you’re screwed, because eventually you’ll run out of the respawns you’re given for the mission. This is also how you have the most fun. 

I spent my time using the Splash Kit, dousing sticky notes in the Paper Chase job with water (to give them a wet status effect) and letting my buddy clean them up with the electrical charge from the Jump Kit. If we had a third at the time, that person could have run with any kit, but having the Fix Kit would have allowed for some quick repairs for devices as we sprinted through, trying to stay alive. All of the systems flow together, and that’s what makes it awesome, especially as you learn what different status effects do and can be caused by. I’m excited to continue learning what items mesh well together as I work on builds.

It applies to the perks as well. While your loadout may not be as intricate as something like Call of Duty, the perks are a much more interesting prospect. The research menu is almost overwhelming, a humongous mechanic with a lot to unlock. Some of these are simple, like sprinting faster or receiving healing more quickly. As you progress, higher-level perks, like a cold status effect from your melee or missing shots charging your parautility, become available. These can also be upgraded, with two higher levels giving stronger and team effects. With nine perks available in each loadout to equip, there’s a whole lot here.

None of this would work without the gunplay being enjoyable, and Remedy has nailed the feel. It’s tight and responsive, something I’m glad to see with this being their first official first-person shooter. Weapons are a bit limited, with only six guns and no modifications beyond upgrading the condition. That said, it doesn’t affect the cadence of combat. Just make sure you are aware of the capabilities of the weapon you’re holding. Movement and pace sit somewhere between Halo and Call of Duty, so while it might not be as arcadey, it’s still faster than some. I do need a slide perk in there somewhere, though.

Equipment is where things get fun. Grenades are punchy, delivering some great sound effects when exploding. There are a few different versions, but there’s nothing like the gunpowder one. Eventually, you earn an extra item, improvised devices that can give your kit an extra boost. My favorite has been the repurposed humidifier that has a nice area of effect water splash when you fill it up. This is quite useful when defending the elevator while you wait for it to come in, as the horde of Hiss draws nigh.

Augments are the other half of that epicness, giving you an ultimate move. These are some of the altered items you’ve seen in the trailers and Control, like the piggy bank that goes boom. There’s also a garden gnome and teapot, available depending on what kit you’re using. It goes without saying, but I can’t wait to see what kits Remedy comes up with next, just to see the new altered augments.

As cool as all of this stuff is, the grind to get it is real. It seems to take a good while to get yourself leveled up enough to really get the best stuff unlocked. The requisition menu works like a battle pass, forcing you to spend a certain amount of assets (which you earn at the end of your jobs) just to access the next page. Sure, you can earn more on higher difficulties, but getting to the point where you feel comfortable there, or even just having the teammates to take that on, makes the unlockables a bit of a slog. This is before even taking into account job-specific currencies for redeeming stronger perks. I know Firebreak isn’t going to have the same cadence of updates as a live-service game – it’s not a GaaS – but there has to be a middle ground that will allow you to feel rewarded for your efforts.

The good news is that the jobs are fantastic. This is where Remedy gets to shine, crafting some outstanding environmental areas and letting you go nuts in them. Whether it’s the furnaces of Hot Fix, the deformed offices of Paper Chase, or the slimy caverns of Ground Control, this feels at home in the Remedy universe. Completing objectives isn’t complex, allowing you to just have a good time. The only job I wasn’t as fond of was Freezer Duty; heating up the place is a lot of effort, and the pacing is a bit off in how you do it. I love this system overall, especially in the clearance levels that let you decide how short or long you want your playthrough of a job to be.

Fighting with the Hiss can be a bit insane, particularly due to never knowing what’s next. While the difficulty meter allows you to control the pace of Hiss incursions, you don’t get to choose who’s dropping in. Sometimes I’d face twenty regular grunts, and other times they’d bring their big brother with a grenade launcher. I also can’t tell you how much I hate the armored Hiss, large bruisers with a huge metal pipe to swing and a single weak point on their back that’s difficult to hit. If I never see another one, I’ll be happy. The cadence and variety of your foes is well done, and makes for some intense shootouts.

To make things even crazier, you can add in corrupted items. You have to take these out with a specific power weapon acquired in-game, which earns you specialized currency available in that particular job. Trust me, you’ve never feared a fire axe more than when you’re being pursued by the Hiss, only to hear the clink of the axhead as it smacks into walls, careening towards you.

One of the best qualities is the game’s respect for your time, but it could also be a detriment. Diving in and being able to completely curate your experience is incredible, but also means players can flippantly choose to ignore major parts of what make this game special. I’ve had a blast running around the halls, rooms, and caverns of the Oldest House. While part of that is due to being able to do it at my leisure, I hope that means players will give it the time it deserves.

Although Remedy regularly pushes the bar visually, they’ve managed to do that and more this time. Every graphical aspect of Firebreak features phenomenal detail, exuding immersion to the Nth degree. Beyond that, the game runs amazingly well, with nary a stutter or frame drop on my rig. I do have a higher-end computer, but considering I popped ray-tracing up to high and still had exemplary performance, it’s safe to say Remedy polished Firebreak heavily.

Customization is another part of the multiplayer formula, and it’s here, even though I don’t see any standout material yet. New outfits are great, but I feel like Remedy didn’t go as hard as I’d want them to in a game like this. There are some awesome weapon skins in the Deluxe version of the game, but anyone opting for a normal copy doesn’t have much to engage with.

This leads into post-launch, and while I won’t add this as a part of what’s reviewable, it’s worth mentioning. New playable content won’t be held behind a paywall, which is great to see. There are new cosmetics coming, and I assume from the way the Deluxe is going that they’ll be handled similarly to Helldivers 2, with a paid new set of pages you unlock by playing, similar to a battle pass. I appreciate that system, but I hope they’ll insert more of Remedy’s history into Firebreak in these cosmetic updates – Jesse Faden director’s suit with a Service Weapon revolver skin, anyone?