FBC: Firebreak Review
I’ve been a Remedy fan for as long as I can remember. From the noir-soaked grit of Max Payne to the dimension-bending brilliance of Control and the narrative genius of both Alan Wake games, this studio has delivered some of my favorite gaming experiences, stories that stuck with me long after the credits rolled. That’s why it genuinely hurts to say that “FBC: Firebreak,” their first foray into co-op multiplayer, is by far the weakest title they’ve put out. It’s not a disaster, but it is disappointingly shallow, especially by Remedy’s own high standards.
“FBC: Firebreak” drops us back into the studio’s beloved Remedy Connected Universe (RCU), the same world shared by Control and Alan Wake. Specifically, it returns us to the Federal Bureau of Control, or FBC, and the ominous, ever-shifting corridors of the Oldest House. Conceptually, it’s a dream setting for a cooperative PvE shooter. You play as one of the Bureau’s Firebreak operatives, a squad of paranormal first responders tasked with putting out reality-warping anomalies and otherworldly threats. The tone and setting are pure Remedy: moody lighting, unnerving architecture, and cryptic briefings, but the magic starts to fade once you start actually playing. The game is structured around short missions tackled in three-player squads, either with friends or randoms. You select a loadout, customize your “Crisis Kit” with gear and powers, and dive into the fray. On paper, it’s a solid setup. The shooting feels good, the role-based kits offer some tactical variety, and the aesthetic, creepy corridors, shifting walls, twisted creatures still carries that signature Remedy style. But as stylish as it all is, the experience grows stale fast.
For a forty-dollar title, what you get is a bite-sized multiplayer game that can be wrapped up in just a few hours. There’s no campaign, no larger narrative to unravel, and nothing resembling the rich storytelling that’s become a Remedy hallmark. The entire package feels like something that would’ve been tacked onto the side of a single-player game a generation ago, entertaining for an evening, but not something with legs. If you’re subscribed to PlayStation Plus Extra or Xbox Game Pass, it’s absolutely worth checking out for a night with friends. But that one night might be all you need or want. “Firebreak” does succeed in small bursts. The tension of firefights, the need for coordination, and the occasional surreal moment of environmental chaos can be fun. There’s just not enough of it. Missions start to feel repetitive before long, the progression system is sluggish, and despite the variety in tools and powers, encounters tend to play out the same way. It’s hard to shake the feeling that you’re simply running errands in the Oldest House, putting out fires, flipping switches, and clearing rooms. As employees of the Bureau, it often feels less like you’re saving the world and more like you’re just clocking in for another shift.
To be fair, Remedy’s first attempt at a co-op shooter is a technically competent one. It’s stable, polished, and visually slick. And there’s something to be said for a game that doesn’t demand a hundred hours of grinding or an encyclopedic knowledge of meta-loadouts. It’s accessible and direct, and in a market flooded with bloated live service titles, that’s at least refreshing. But even as a “lighter” experience, it’s hard to ignore how much potential is being left on the table. I wanted to love this. I wanted “Firebreak” to feel like a vital part of the Remedy universe, a multiplayer twist on everything that made Control so great. But while the setting is perfect for this genre, the execution feels incomplete. It’s not that the game is broken or even bad; it’s just hollow. It has the foundations of something special, but not the substance.
There’s still a chance Remedy could turn this around. Post-launch support could deepen the content, refine the mission variety, and add more of the studio’s trademark narrative flavor. But as it stands now, “FBC: Firebreak” feels more like a curious experiment than a compelling co-op staple. For die-hard fans like me, it’s bittersweet. Spending time in the Oldest House again brought back all the right feelings, but “Firebreak” never manages to capture the spark that made Control so special. It’s a reminder of what I love about Remedy and why I’m still holding out for their next big single-player adventure.
6/10
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Related: Reviews by Nick Navarro
Gaming since I was given an original Nintendo as a kid. I love great storytelling and unique ingenuity. When both collide in a single game, I'm a happy gamer. Twitter/IG @NickNavarro87
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