First, let me say I generally do not like so-called "visual novels" or games which are barely interactive. Firewatch is interactive, but there's actually little to actually choose to do, and barely any puzzles to solve. That said, "Firewatch" is top-notch. Visually, it amazed me: looking at the sky in a starry night was breath-taking, and I really felt I was hiking in a national forest. It also has a very moving story, and it's also an adult game -- the good kind of adult. There is some suspense and tension, but this is essentially a story about loneliness and running away from your problems, and also about friendship. This could easily work as a short story or even a short film. I like what the developers were trying to do with this game, even if it has some flaws, and would definitely buy more games from them.
This is a good game with a great subject, in my opinion the all important question that makes for great Science Fiction: what does it mean to be human? I was also impressed about by its aesthetics. The deep ocean levels were outstanding, the blurry water, the unseen dangers, the far away lights you must follow. This made the game for me. The voice acting is also awesome and truly professional. I loved the conversations between Catherine and Simon. I only deduct one star because it relied a little too much on cheap scares. While there are objectively few monsters (possibly too few for horror fans), it's still a horror game at its core, with all the usual tropes: scares, loud noises at unexpected times, lights that go out, hideously deformed/mutated humans chasing you, ghostly apparitions, etc. I'm easily scared and didn't like the horror aspect of it too much (though again, I did enjoy the scary sea creatures!). Some scares are necessary, but I would have included more puzzle minigames (maybe harder ones) and more focus on exploration and less on monsters, leaving them for very isolated moments. Still, these are minor objections. This is a great game -- it reminded me of System Shock 2, only better! -- and I wish they make more like this.
