FBC Firebreak Review (PS5, Xbox Series X|S & PC)

Remedy Entertainment is known for creating games with cool stories and unique worlds. It’s the team behind titles like Control, Quantum Break, or Alan Wake, all great games. Now, with FBC Firebreak, Remedy decided to try something different. They jumped into the world of co-op shooters, but with a twist. 

Instead of just battling normal enemies, you’re fighting supernatural creatures in strange, office-like environments. You play as a member of a team of firefighters, ordinary people who are trying to stop these unusual threats. Now, how does Remedy’s first-person shooter stack up against the competition? Is it a game worth your time? Or does it fizzle out with all its chaos? Let’s dive in and take a closer look at what FBC Firebreak brings to the table. 

A Familiar Story

At first, it’s noticeable how much FBC Firebreak has in common with Control. The environments are similar, filled with big concrete buildings and strange things happening all around. It’s a cool setting, and it feels familiar if you’ve played Remedy’s previous games. But here’s the catch: instead of playing as a powerful government agent like in Control, you’re a regular person on a team of firebreakers. You take orders from Hank, a mysterious being trapped in a tank who guides your team through each mission.

Now, the story isn’t the main focus of this game. There’s some light dialogue between Hank and the team, but nothing too deep. The game doesn’t try to tell a complicated story. It’s all about the action, the missions, and surviving the chaos. This might be disappointing for players looking for something with a rich narrative, but honestly, it works for this kind of game. Sometimes, you just want to jump into action without having to pay too much attention to a deep story. 

The Mission

The gameplay in FBC Firebreak revolves around completing different missions. Each mission is split into three levels, or clearance levels. Initially, players will perform simple tasks, such as collecting and delivering radioactive materials or burning sticky notes. However, as they progress through the levels, the missions become increasingly complex. In Ground Control, for example, you first need to collect radioactive goo from slugs on the ceiling. It’s simple at first, but when you hit Level 2, you’ll have to push a trolley into a new area filled with dangerous spikes. Then, in Level 3, players must protect a rocket launch site from waves of enemies.

Each level introduces new challenges, and the stakes get higher as you progress. The structure of the missions is good in theory, but in practice, some of them can start to feel repetitive. The main tasks in the missions don’t change much: collecting, defeating enemies, or defending things. After a while, you might find yourself doing the same thing over and over again. This can be a bit of a letdown if you’re hoping for constant variety in the objectives. Still, playing with friends in co-op mode helps to keep things more exciting, as the chaos of having multiple players working together is always fun.

Threat Levels and Corruptions

One of the cool features of FBC Firebreak is how it allows you to adjust the Threat Levels and utilize Corruptions. Now, players can adjust the Threat Level, which increases the difficulty of the enemies and adds more of them. The higher the Threat Level, the more enemies you’ll face, and they’ll be stronger. It’s a great way to make this shooter game more challenging, but it can also be a bit overwhelming at times.

The Corruption system is another interesting twist. These are random modifiers that can make your mission difficult or, in some cases, easier. For instance, a table saw might show up, and it removes your shields, or a stapler might increase the health of all enemies. Ultimately, some corruption can make things easier, while others make everything more difficult. 

Players can stack Corruptions to make the mission even more complicated, but they also have to decide which ones to keep and which ones to remove. This adds strategy to the game, but it can also make things pretty chaotic. Too many corruptions at once can overwhelm you, which is frustrating but also kind of fun for players who like a challenge.

Overall, these mechanics give this action game a lot of replay value. Players can mix and match Threat Levels and Corruptions to create new challenges every time they play. It keeps things fresh, even if the core missions don’t change much. But for players who are not in the mood for chaos, they can always dial things down and make the game easier.

Guns and Kits

The combat in FBC Firebreak is solid. This is Remedy’s first attempt at a first-person shooter, and it works surprisingly well. The guns feel good, and each one has its own purpose. For instance, the revolver is great for taking out smaller enemies, while the pump-action shotgun is perfect for bigger enemies. Notably, the machine gun isn’t too exciting, but it’s useful when you’re facing a lot of enemies at once. On the flip side, there are only six guns in the game, making it a bit limited. Players can upgrade their weapons to make them stronger, but the upgrades aren’t all that different from one another.

What makes the combat even more fun is the Crisis Kits. These are like different classes that give players special abilities. For instance, the Fix Kit can repair damaged structures and deploy turrets, while the Splash Kit can wash away debuffs from teammates or even shoot lava at enemies. On the other hand, the Jump Kit helps you move around faster and lets you use electricity to attack enemies. Each kit changes the way you play the game, and players can mix and match them with different weapons to find what works best for them. 

Now, the only problem is that unlocking all the upgrades for the kits takes time. For solo players, it can feel like a slow grind to get the good stuff. However, when playing with friends, things progress much faster. It’s a little frustrating at first, but once you unlock some upgrades, the game gets a lot more enjoyable.

Slow Start, But Worth the Grind

One of the biggest problems with FBC Firebreak is the progression system. In the beginning, it can feel like a huge grind. Players must gather resources to unlock new gear, perks, and upgrades. The more difficult missions reward players with more resources, but they’re also a bit difficult to complete. This creates a bit of a catch-22: the more complex the mission, the better the rewards, but it’s also a lot more challenging to get those rewards.

The good news is that once you’ve unlocked some basic upgrades, things start to move faster. But for solo players, it can be a long, slow journey. If you have a group of friends to play with, progression feels a lot smoother. The grind is still there, but it’s easier when you’re working together. That said, this shooter game could definitely do with some adjustments to make progression feel less like a chore in the early stages.

Bad UI

Like many games, FBC Firebreak has some technical issues. On PC, the game runs fine most of the time, but there are some performance hiccups. The game can drop frames when there are too many effects on screen at once, like explosions, water effects, and tons of enemies. This can make the game feel a little choppy in more chaotic moments. Crashes to the desktop are also an occasional problem, though you can rejoin the session without too much trouble.

Another issue is the user interface. While it looks clean, it doesn’t give you enough information. Players can’t see how many resources they’ve collected during a mission, which makes it tricky to track their progress. Additionally, players also can’t view their teammates’ loadouts during a mission, which is a big miss. Since sharing perks is important in this game, it would be nice to know what your teammates are using. Finally, you can’t save multiple loadouts for different Crisis Kits, so you have to manually adjust your gear before every mission. Of course, this can be annoying, especially when you want to change things up for different objectives.

Verdict

Overall, FBC Firebreak provides a fun and exciting experience, with considerable potential for growth. The combat is thrilling and satisfying, with solid mechanics that make each battle feel impactful. Additionally, the unique setting adds an interesting twist, drawing inspiration from Remedy’s previous works. The progression system, while a bit slow at times, keeps things rewarding as you unlock new gear and abilities.

However, the game isn’t without its flaws. The missions can become repetitive, as the core objectives remain the same despite increasing difficulty. Additionally, technical issues and a clunky user interface can sometimes interrupt the flow of gameplay. Despite these drawbacks, FBC Firebreak shines as a co-op shooter, especially when playing with friends. While it’s not a must-play just yet, with the right updates and improvements, this game could evolve into something special. For now, it’s a solid and enjoyable choice for co-op fans