FBC: Firebreak Review – Employee of the Year

When I previewed FBC: Firebreak at Summer Game Fest Play Days, I walked away more than impressed with Remedy’s first multiplayer game. Despite only playing through one of the jobs during my session, I admired the emphasis on teamwork and envisioned that this game could be massive for Remedy.

After spending the last few days playing the final build of this game, I’m ready to double down on my initial thoughts. FBC: Firebreak is a thrilling first-person shooter multiplayer game with a clever formula that will keep you returning for more. Here are my thoughts on the game and why it’s worth checking out if you’re a fan of multiplayer games.

The Perfect Team For The Job

FBC: Firebreak is a team-based player vs. environment first-person shooter that takes place six years after Control. Set within The Oldest House, the story revolves around a team of three Federal Bureau of Control first responders working together to eliminate extradimensional Hiss wreaking havoc on the facility. Each player has three Crisis Kits, aka loadouts, to choose from, including the following:

• Fix Kit – Comes with a wrench to repair things and attack enemies.
• Splash Kit – Comes with a fluid injector to put out fires and use against enemies.
• Jump Kit – Comes with a charge impactor to electrify objects and enemies.

Each Kit has an improvised device and an altered augment for combat scenarios. The Fix Kit comes with a Swivel Cannon and an A116 Piggy Bank, which can be attached to the wrench to create a tornado of coins. The Splash Kit has a Humidifier and an A144 Teapot, which can be added to the injector to set enemies on fire.

The Jump Kit comes with a BOOMbox and an A119 Garden Gnome, which creates massive storms when added to the charge impactor. I highly recommend assigning one of each Kit to a particular player to get the best results on the job.

Speaking of Jobs, FBC: Firebreak has five jobs, aka missions, available at launch, with more planned later. The five jobs that you and your friends can jump into include the following:

• Hot Fix – Firebreakers must repair heat transfer fans across The Oldest House and fix the broken furnace.
• Paper Chase – Firebreakers must destroy every sticky note flooding The Oldest House and confront the entity behind them.
• Ground Control – Firebreakers must kill leeches and gather radiation-covered pearls to launch in orbit.
• Frequency Shift – Firebreakers must stop growing pink masses by locating and repairing the frequency emitters tied to them.
• Freezer Duty – Firebreakers must repair portable heaters and place them in several areas throughout The Oldest House that are impacted by frost anomalies.

All of the jobs listed above have Clearance Levels, Threat Levels, and Corruption Levels that determine how difficult and deep the overall experience can go. Clearance Levels represent three parts of a job that need to be completed, while the Threat Level can dictate how aggressively the Hiss will attack you while completing objectives. Corruption Levels work with Corrupted Objects and can make encounters feel more weird and unpredictable. Every player starts at Clearance Level 1 and unlocks new levels by completing them.

When you start playing the game and leveling up your character, you earn currency that can be used to unlock new gear and upgrade weapons. Currency is defined as assets you find during each job, which can also appear after defeating a powerful boss. As you rank up, you also unlock perks that can aid you in combat. This progression system is designed to give you something new to see how it impacts your missions.

FBC: Firebreak is a game that works best when playing with two friends. While it is possible to complete all of the jobs solo on Clearance Level 1, things get even more intense as you raise the Clearance and Threat Levels. The hordes of Hiss’ enemies and boss battles can be unrelenting if you try to go it alone, and you’ll also quickly discover how important it is to have other players who are using other Kits to complement yours.

As an overall multiplayer experience, the game is full of creative ideas and some of the humorous elements that made Control great. As I continued playing on day one, I noticed a few hiccups with matchmaking early on that have since been resolved. I fully intend to play more, and I’m curious to see how Remedy continues to support this game.

Final Verdict

FBC: Firebreak is a fun and challenging multiplayer experience that proves Remedy can go beyond just making compelling single-player titles. If you’re looking for a new multiplayer game to sink your teeth into, this should be on your list.

This review was written based on a digital review copy of FBC: Firebreak for PlayStation 5 provided by Remedy Entertainment.