Remedy is one of my all-time favorite game developers, so when I was offered the chance to jump in and play its latest release on PS5 — the three-player co-operative first-person shooter, FBC: Firebreak — I jumped at the opportunity.
Set within the enigmatic world of Control, FBC: Firebreak casts players as members of the eponymous response unit, Firebreak.
The pitch, then, is essentially Left 4 Dead, Deep Rock Galactic, or even Helldivers 2 mapped out within the corridors of The Oldest House. The FBC is still contending with The Hiss (the enemies you fought as Jesse Faden in Control) and other threats, and it's down to you and your pals to fend them off.
The game's launched on Steam, the Epic Games Store, and on Xbox and PlayStation consoles. It costs $39/£32 at launch, but is also available to play day one via PC Game Pass, Game Pass Ultimate, and on PlayStation Plus (on the Extra/Premium tiers)... and that's definitely the way to play.
FBC: Firebreak doesn't want all your gaming time — but it also isn't that fun
I put dozens of hours into Helldivers 2 in total, but eventually burned out on the gameplay loop not long after the 50-hour mark.
FBC: Firebreak, unfortunately, is a game that I don't think can even sustain anywhere near that kind of playtime.
Admittedly, Remedy has been up front about not wanting FBC: Firebreak to be an all-encompassing live-service experience that capitalizes players' attention and punishes them if they can't (or don't want to) log in every single day.
It's a refreshing stance, at least: I'm sure I can't be the only player who doesn't want to feel trapped by another game that wants me to log in for bland, daily quests or minimal rewards.
Unfortunately, though, FBC: Firebreak arrives feeling like a fairly shallow experience, even as a game designed for only occasional co-op play.
The mission types (or “Jobs”) that you’ll be taking on just aren’t that engaging. Take “Paper Chase,” for example. Here, you’ll be tasked with eradicating thousands of self-replicating sticky notes (and avoiding being consumed by them in the process).
It's a unique mission type, but it’s not that fun to play in practice. "Paper Chase" ultimately is little more than running around, gunning down waves of Control’s “Hiss” enemies, occasionally facing "Powerful" sub-bosses, or shooting “shufflers” (FBC members who’ve been turned into sprinting sticky note monsters).
Meanwhile, you're left trying to find ways to destroy sticky notes glued all over each section of the level. Once you're done, rush back to call the elevator, defending your position while you wait, and leave: job done.
Missions offer you a choice of difficulty settings and "Levels", but these only really expand the number of map sections and increase the number of objectives you'll have to complete
Missions offer you a choice of difficulty settings and "Levels", but these only really expand the number of map sections and increase the number of objectives you'll have to complete. Sure, the top-level caps things off with a big set piece... but after confronting "Sticky Ricky" a few times, that, too, will grow stale.
Missions at the top difficulty level can be further complicated by Altered Items, objects that cause environmental effects such as augmenting gravity or causing enemy corpses to explode, but these don’t liven the experience up significantly enough, either.
Given other missions task you with riveting objectives like stuffing a container full of radioactive pearls harvested from giant leeches or shooting pink gunk off turbines, I'd have welcomed more out-there diversions.
Realistically, after only a few runs through every Job, I already feel like I’d seen everything FBC: Firebreak has to offer. Worse still, playing beyond that point only made me more confident in my opinion.
Let me (fire)break the bank
It doesn’t help that the game also feels a tad stingy when it comes to offering up the necessary resources to work through your Requisitions table and build out your combat options.
You start with a choice of the three Kits, each of which gives you a tool used to complete different tasks within a level (a wrench for repairing or building useful bits of tech in the field, for example), a weapon, and a grenade.
Completing missions will earn you Samples, which you can use these to unlock new cosmetic armor sets, weapons, sprays and other gear items, or you can spend them on “Research”, unlocking perks (which confer typical abilities like longer sprint times and faster reloads to elemental weapon augments and some more left-field options).
I’d suggest avoiding cosmetics, where you can. You'll need to spend Samples on new duds to unlock fresh pages of gear, but I'd bet players would much rather have the resources to expand their arsenal.
You’ll want to replace your substandard equipment if you plan to invest more time in Firebreak. Plus, it’s worth remembering this is an FPS; it’s not like you’re going to be spending much time looking at that sweet new helmet you just bought for your intrepid FBC agent, is it?
If you're curious, play FBC: Firebreak via Game Pass
I think FBC: Firebreak will only really land for players who can make the experience fun for themselves, making it more of a hangout game.
The Firebreakers themselves are fun enough to inhabit; combat feels punchy, and Remedy's humor and tone are still there, but what I've played hasn't convinced me to stick around.
The gunplay's solid, but the progression and repetitive nature of the game’s Jobs left me feeling stifled, and I’m convinced only the most unlock-hungry fans will want to commit to its grinds.
Ultimately, this is precisely why I recommend curious players should only check FBC: Firebreak out via Game Pass or PlayStation Plus.
That way, you can hop in for a few hours, see what the game's got to offer, and leave. You'll get to see what Remedy's cooked up, safe in the knowledge you've only invested your time (and a subscription fee) into a co-op shooter that just doesn't stand out in this crowded market.
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