A Narrative Critique of Firewatch

A narrative critique of Campo Santo’s Firewatch. Full spoilers for Firewatch and I guess Edith Wharton’s 1920 novel The Age of Innocence though let’s be honest nobody is going to be worried about that bit.
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
0:54 Act I: I’m Limited
35:55 Act II: Halfway Through the Wood
52:22 Act III: Changed for Good
1:10:17 Conclusion
Dante’s Inferno : www.gutenberg.org/files/1001/...
Apparently this well-known version is translated by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, a name that might sound familiar to American students who usually study his famous poem, “Paul Revere’s Ride” in elementary school. “One, if by land, and two, if by sea; / And I on the opposite shore will be / Ready to ride and spread the alarm…” Oh god now I can't stop thinking about how many bad Lin-Manuel Miranda impressions students are subjected to by overeager History/English teachers. Pour one out for the kids.
Fire Season : a.co/d/e8yojOA
I read Fire Season in preparation for this video but I didn’t really have any organic opportunities to integrate the text into my critique. Which is a shame, because it’s a fantastic book and on the Firewatch commentaries the developers mention that almost everyone on the staff read it for this game.
The Age of Innocence : www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/...
I actually love this book, although I guess if you know the ending a lot of the primary tension is gone. Sorry.
#firewatch

[@DukeofWhales]

Hey everyone! With Starfield coming out in a few weeks I wanted to work on something a little shorter than my usual thing and finished a lot earlier than I expected, but there will be more chonky videos coming this year. Morrowind is on the short-list, as are the Dragon Age games, Assassin’s Creed, Oxenfree, Red Dead, Pentiment, Ghosts of Tsushima…okay maybe it’s not that short a list. I’ve enjoyed making these videos and I’m hoping to just get a little better every time-thank you all for watching!

[@tnttiger3079]

To make the list even longer, check out Disco Elysium if ye haven't already!

[@SuperHermii]

This channel is a gem, and I'm lucky to have come across it!

[@immortalmecha8770]

Starfield and Red Dead sounds awesome. Do you mean RDR2 specifically, or the overarching story of all three games?

[@abartel6]

black flag would be great

[@kingofthegrill]

Did you not find the turtle? That was a big moment for me. I raise endangered tortoises that live for 200 years, and they mention in the game that box turtles live for 50. They definitely stand as a symbol for unwavering commitment. They're something you have for the rest of your life, and abandoning them is the ultimate act of selfishness.

[@0Lottee0]

I named it✨Shelly Duvall ✨

[@opticalsalt2306]

@@0Lottee0ME TOOO

[@racobjeba]

My family had 2 box turtles that lived in a luxurious custom built outdoor enclosure designed for them to have a natural environment and they dug out and abandoned us. I miss those little lads to this day

[@EpicwinFTW27]

​@@racobjebaif it brings you any comfort, box turtles (at least the eastern box turtle) usually stay in the same acre or two of territory for decades. I hope they're okay and possibly even still nearby

[@crepslayer]

Turt reynolds is the only valid choice

[@kukuvau3408]

I had a problem with your assesment of Henry and his "avoidance of duty", I have to be careful so as to not sound overly confrontational because I feel passionately about this matter. I have personally lived with a dementia patient and I'm currently taking care of someone with a deteriorating mental state, possibly dementia but hopefully not, and I was genuinely wondering if you've gone through something similar or if you know someone who has. To be a caretaker to someone with dementia or a similar condition is one of the most taxing things on body, mind and soul; your love and your patience are tested daily through acts that are ultimately no fault of the person you're taking care of. I've seen this completely destroy people and it looks like I'm headed down the same path so it hurts me to see that someone who was in the same situation as me and some of my family members gets called a coward when they try to find a way to escape, specially for Henry since it seems as though his wife's family takes much better care of her than he ever could. I'd kill to be able to do something like what Henry is doing here, I'm willing to take any oportunity to get my humanity back and get out of this pit that I've found myself in however my circumsances won't allow it. I'll give it to you that in every other aspect you've captured him perfectly, he's an emotionally immature person with deeply flawed coping mechanisims and his path through the game shows it. I have no issues with your skill at analyzing the game or it's characters, I'm subscribed to your channel and I love your content, but I do feel that in your condemnation of the worst aspects of Henry you also showed what, at least to me, is a lack of understanding of the deep pain that a situation like his can put someone through. I hope I expressed myself correctly and that my comment didn't offend you in any way.

[@DukeofWhales]

Thank you for the thoughtful comment, I’m sorry you and someone you love are going through that. I’ve seen someone go through something similar and I’ve watched how world-altering it can be. In Henry’s case it was more the manner of his taking the job than taking the job itself that earned my scrutiny. It’s not something he talks over with Julia and her family, it’s not just a break for a man that definitely deserves one, it’s framed in the story as an act of flight and it’s up to the player’s dialogue choices to determine how sure Henry is that he’ll return to her. Depending on how you play Firewatch, Henry can never mention Julia, take off his wedding ring, put her picture face-down on his desk, and then invite Delilah to come live with him in Boulder. And that doesn’t make him evil, Henry deserves happiness too, but in that instance he’s essentially moving on without ever having an honest and impossible conversation with Julia and her family about how he just can’t keep doing what he’s been doing. If Firewatch was specifically about Henry going to the woods to take a break, rediscover himself, and then gather his strength to return to Julia and make a firm decision about their future I’d be a lot more sympathetic towards him and I would never label that as cowardice or avoidance of duty. Instead that’s just where we arrive at the end of his arc if the player has been talking about Julia honestly. The fact that it’s possible for the player (and by extension Henry) to just have a woodlands adventure, never mention their wife, and then invite their work flirt to live with them makes me reluctant to give Henry too much of the benefit of the doubt. I hope that makes sense, it sounds like I probably could’ve been clearer in the script.

[@SolDizZo]

I know I'm biased but I also mean nothing confrontational with my comment. My answer to all of the suffering I am witness to... or the vicarious trauma that impacts me is... Complete Reality Taoism. Yes, I get it. I'm in a privileged position in life to be able to set my mind at ease on a daily basis, even when I'm personally sick in bed for several days. I pick myself back up just like Spiderman, and I used to not really understand why. Everyone else asked me "how?" But it really is that simple. I found such simple answers for life that allow me to face the suffering and stop [effing] resenting everything so much. Nothing is perfect, especially not me. I recommend the Thomas Cleary translations of Taoist texts, especially the Secret of the Golden Flower. This doesn't breed conflict with my religious persuasion. Just as an aside, I'm probably more in agreement with you.

[@gorilla-grip-pussy-support7976]

I'd rather be put down, we treat animals with more kindness. People only seem to care about the "in health" aspect of relationships ig.

[@roxiep2010]

My grandparents moved in with us after a hurricane smashed part of their house, and it was the most emotionally taxing few months of my life. My grandmother wasn't the woman I used to know. I had experience with dementia as I spent a lot of my early teen years staying with my best friend at her grandmother's house on the weekends, but there's no preparing for the chaos that invites. When you listen to the woman that used to make you chocolate cake and read you stories scream and rant for an hour straight? When you come home from work to find police in your driveway because she attacked your father, her son, by clawing at his face hard enough to draw blood? When she's completely beyond reason? I love her, I don't blame her for her illness, but the day we placed her in an assisted living home felt like a dark cloud had been lifted from the house. I spent months feeling like there was a monster living downstairs wearing my grandmother's skin and I won't deny that it was a relief when she was in the hands of professionals. It's heart breaking and guts your very soul. She's resting now. She lived to be 92 and passed shortly after my grandfather's cancer finally took him. I'm glad they finally have peace. It's so hard to watch someone you love suffer, especially when they lash out and throw that suffering at you when all you're trying to do is care for them.

[@AndrewTime9106]

Firewatch & What Remains Of Edith Finch are master classes in showing, telling, and thoughtful design & tale. Love them.

[@apollorainer1991]

I rate them 4 Streams of uncontrollable tears / 2 Eyes

[@Yourlibrarian]

I made my friend play What Remains of Edith finch blind, after I did the same thing. Then had him play Firewatch to recover. It was an experience I wish I could do again.

[@highdefinition450]

hate the end of firewatch tho lol

[@themostdisturbinginhumanes1627]

@@highdefinition450 yeah it was kinda boring, was hoping to clap some delilah cheeks

[@lunathetrip3241]

@@themostdisturbinginhumanes1627 you learnt nothing from the experience, then

[@El_Rey_247]

I think this is the first thing I've seen from this channel. The only thing I'm disappointed about not being addressed was the "alternate ending", where Henry can just wait for the helicopter to leave and then follow in Ned Goodwin's footsteps, fleeing civilization and running into the forest - though in Henry's case, far more likely to die in the fire than to scrape a living from the land and by stealing from campers. Even if it's not explicit, I think that this is the most important decision in the entire story: at the end of it all, is your version of Henry one who is ready to stop running, possibly growing during the events of the story. I think this is made a _little_ more explicit by the fact that the prompt on the helicopter doesn't say something neutral like "board helicopter" or "leave the forest". It says "go home". I interpret that to mean very explicitly that that version of Henry has stopped running, and is going to face Julia, whatever that entails.

[@D1SZZ]

today ive learnt of this alternate ending, thats makes such a different character arc

[@DeusGaming-xh1nl]

I agree however him not mentioning it, at least from my perspective, could be because he felt that it's not very hard to understand it. Henry doesn't want to go back home or simply it's a game mechanism rather than an actual story choice.

[@nickbooze9766]

That is my age-range and I DO want a Morrowind video.

[@riley.....]

27:21 oh my god, i'm sobbing. truly heartbreaking. when something like dementia, alzheimer's, or another type of brain damage takes away someone's ability to communicate, memories and dreams about how they used to speak to you can be both comforting and devastating. Henry might never hear Julia's voice that way again. This interaction is interpreted as a sign that Henry is healing, under the assumption that he has a platonic connection with Delilah and that it facilitates a sort of opening up toward a memory of Julia - but to me, it seems like a sign that Henry is desperately trying to get the "old Julia" back. Julia will never be that person ever again, but perhaps Delilah could put a perfectly Julia-shaped band-aid over that Julia-shaped void. The "old Julia" is *gone* - and I think the slightly more-than-platonic feelings that Henry cultivates for Delilah paints her as an oasis resembling the old Julia. (also: Henry's silence after Delilah confides in him can make sense in this context. If he's using Delilah to further distance himself from the reality of Julia's condition (which is reinforced later by the flirty conversation), he might not necessarily know how to comfort Delilah here).

[@russelljackson2818]

Thanks so much for this insightful deep dive. I played Firewatch during the pandemic, when my wife was having a mental break that we later found out was bipolar and also suffering seizures. The constant vigilance to look out for her health while also driving her everywhere, working my own full time job, taking care of everything to run the household, and dealing with her erratic mood swings made the summer of 2020 the single most exhausting and painful period in my life. I really related to Henry and his desire to just get away and be done with it, and I leaned into the flirtation with Delilah hard because it was something fresh and new and without the old baggage.... I suppose it was something I was thinking about a lot at the time as well. The ending was unsatisfying but fascinating, and in retrospect I don't see what more appropriate conclusion the game could have come to. You can only escape for so long, your problems don't go away if you don't solve them, and there isn't some big finale where you defeat the evil villain and save the girl in real life. That's just not how it works. Relationships with other humans are complicated, messy, and often end with a lot of mixed feelings. There's no Happily Ever After, there's just After. Sometimes you just have to learn to accept a conclusion without resolution and move on with life. It's no wonder why a lot of gamers didn't care for this one.

[@d007ization]

I've accumulated a layer of pragmatism around my heart, so Delilah leaving before we can meet her face to face never seemed like a betrayal to me. The helicopter was hovering and even if that wasn't her reason, like I intuitively -and shallowly, as it turns out- thought it was, it's not like the story really set her up to be this heroine or damsel we could meet up with in the end. Our protagonist is emotionally secluded and brushes off/ignores her prodding, as well as some attempts at connection, the way I've seen many older men in my family do, it seems silly to expect such a person to be part of some kind of romantic or emotional climax. Maybe it makes sense for him to think so despite of it, but that's only because as the video laid out so well, that's just him trying to find a reason not to think about Julia. To make a contrived literary interpretation that falls apart under scrutiny, D avoids her problems, which serves to mirror Henry's attitude towards life, as his mirror image, it makes sense that they'd only ever reflect one another but never truly interact.

[@TweedleDeem]

Love that you said triple underlines like the commentary said double underlined in his commentary about the infectiousness of language 🤯

[@DukeofWhales]

Oh damn, good catch. That’s kind of freaky!

[@TweedleDeem]

​@@DukeofWhalesAnyway great vid! It's interesting to see others perspectives, like I just let Delilah leave so to me I didn't face any betrayal lol. Didn't even know people experienced that ending.

[@childishgrimm9610]

I love how in depth you go into story analysis on this channel. I don't notify many channels, but you've earned yours. I like listening to essays to fall asleep to, and I've recently used your ES videos a lot and can practically start quoting the themes xD

[@verasul]

I've always meant to play Firewatch but never did, simply due to other games or things vying for my attention - when I saw this video popup on my feed, I figured it's the best excuse I'll ever have to take an afternoon and a couple cups of coffee to finally sit down and play through it before actually giving this video a listen. First of all, thank you for giving me that push - I thoroughly enjoyed my four hour playthrough of it. Secondly, thank you for the video itself; as with your previous narrative critiques, I found it quite pleasing to listen to. You structure your sentences well and your voice is nice to listen. Overall, you granted me a very nice experience. EDIT: Something of note, perhaps: 33:40 - In my playthrough, I had been staring at the fire constantly while talking to Delilah. When asked by her whether he was looking at it, Henry immediately responded with "Yes" instead of saying he's looking at her.

[@DukeofWhales]

That's really interesting and kind of changes the texture of that whole scene! I always thought Henry was pushed to be flirtatious, maybe it was just a hiccup with my playthroughs.

[@verasul]

​@@DukeofWhales In retrospect, maybe it depends on the the way you've been talking to Delilah in that scene up to that moment, or maybe it even considers how you've been talking to her throughout the entire game before the scene overlooking the fire? Another difference that is perhaps of note: In the finale of the event, I expressed doubt that the helicopters would return to me when Delilah states she's leaving. Obviously she rebuffed this idea, stating that of course they're coming back. I was then again given the option to ask her to wait, which *she flat out denied instead of lying*. stating that she "HAS to go", most likely due to the reasons she mentions in your playthrough. This lead to Henry NOT calling out to her as he ascended the stairs to her Lookout Tower, no "My god, it's an apocalypse out here!" cry, nothing. Henry just silently regarded her living quarters (I ate her apples. They'd just go bad anyway) until he picks up the headphones and the conversation begins as normal. Also, a small detail I noticed during their final conversation and loved was the Pork Pond sign hanging just to the left above her desk. On the way to the Firefighter's camp, the two talk about the whole thing, and how the sign *mysteriously* got stolen due to its name. Made me chuckle.

[@theCurteye]

I absolutely missed the entire point of the game. I never replayed it. This is an absolute masterpiece of an essay and I completely agree on all points. Fucking great work! This was all there, latent, in my brain, but I never got past the mystery aspect and completely missed all the symbolism and metaphor. I played it during the pandemic, drunk as fuck. Maybe I was running and missed the forest for the trees myself.

[@kingjoefish3074]

Absolutely love the channel. Very much a joy to watch.

[@Marley-Kabin]

This was such a thoughtful video, I never get tired of hearing people’s perspectives on Firewatch. I’d love an Oxenfree analysis!

[@talullah1065]

this is such a good breakdown of firewatch, it helps me understand the feelings I got when playing the game and you really go into the whole theme in such an eloquent way. I feel like I understand the message that this game was trying to say so much better now. I loved this game and this was a wonderful way to deepen my feelings. I can't break writing down like this, so thank you.

[@0DriveYT]

Just wanted to say this is one of the best videos I've seen. You go a bit deeper into the details than most other VEs I watch and it gave me new perspectives on a game I played and forgot about years ago. I was initially in the camp that was very disappointed by the ending but you've helped me see the value of it.

[@abbymoore6784]

Great video. I don’t think I appreciated this game enough when I played it, but your breakdown helped me realize there was a whole realm of subtle storytelling I missed

[@IMPUNKPUG]

I never get tired of this game. Your video is definitely one of my favorites about Firewatch. Thankyou for making it!

[@angelleann4550]

I found your channel a couple days ago and started listening to your videos while I crochet. I’m absolutely obsessed with your content now. I love how you explain everything, and you’ve genuinely given me new perspectives on games I love. The Witcher III is my favorite game ever and when you briefly mentioned it I got super excited. I know it’s had about a million videos made on it, but I would adore hearing you talk about it if you were ever interested in making a full analysis on its story. Regardless, I love your work, thank you for uploading !!

[@tytyh]

Okay so you can't just drop a line about how the witcher 3 main quest is "shaky" and not elaborate. That statement just feels so far from my experience I really need to hear your perspective on the game.

[@iiropeltonen]

Nice to hear a narrative analysis from someone who actually understands narrative 😊🎉 Subbed!

[@mischiefcal]

I lean towards long-form analysis-type videos, I saw this and thought "i dont even know what this game is", scrolled down more, saw nothing new, scrolled up to actually play it i'm from arizona. few years back we lost 19 firefighters. maybe im emotional about that just because of the games setting. now i'm salty-eyed about the story, and i love your commentary. never even heard of the game before this, and now i genuinely appreciate it. great video. keep up your youtube stuff as much as you feel inspired to, because this rocked. I wouldnt have the patience to play this game, so having a video capture the feelings so well felt like experiencing it myself. thanks, dude.

[@Kntrabssi]

You have an insight to narratives that isn’t seen that often. I’m twenty minutes into my first video of yours and I’m subscribed. Please keep up the great work

[@jamescampton2275]

This is a fantastic video man please keep these going!

[@michaelthompson3262]

I just recently found your channel and have been enjoying myself immensely. So much so that when this video began playing after the Dawnguard one, and you told the listener to play the game before watching I immediately went and did that. Thank you for the wonderful recommendation and the insights into my favorite medium. Wishing you nothing but luck with your future videos

[@TheoPhysics495]

Genuinely the best video game commentary/critique I’ve ever watched :)

[@Monoryable]

10:06 Genuinely chuckled on your deadpan delivery of “moderate effort” joke. You’re so good at inserting those at the precise moment I don’t expect them to

[@filippo.diberardino2863]

i hope you carry on having a great success with those essays,i'm sure you will, cause you're damn good

[@michaelcc7190]

Thanks for another great video! Love these!

[@crustbread5504]

I thoroughly enjoy your narrative commentary and watch it bit by bit during my mornings :) Would love to hear a DA: Inquisition narrative critique ever since you mentioned it in your Skyrim video. Kind regards

[@TwoStravvs]

Fantastic analysis. Good luck on any future projects you may have. Ill be checking out your other videos for sure after I play those games and form my own thoughts.

[@goodtaste2185]

Great video! You are a good writer and your analysis/critique is clear and thorough.

[@LB_]

The first and only trailer I saw of Firewatch beforehand was the one that focuses entirely on Henry being scared about what's going on and asking if "people die out here" and such. That trailer has multiple voice lines that I have never heard in the actual game. I felt really deceived by that, the trailer is incredibly misleading about what the game is actually like, and I have had a sort of grudge against the game ever since. The trailer is still up, video id `KqJ2yW1cbPY`

[@DukeofWhales]

That’s fair, they mention in the developer commentaries that the game went through a pretty big rewrite at some point. I think things were originally going to get darker and then the Henry/Delilah relationship was supposed to fracture about halfway through, but they ended up going in a different direction.

[@stenkamx5406]

Love that you slipped in that always sunny reference at the very end

[@SANTAtheGREY]

this was a fantastic watch, thank you for all that work. Can't believe you don't have at least a couple hundred thousand subscribers, but I'm sure that's just a matter of time!

[@Asimov_]

please release another video bro it's been 2 months im starving. Literally one of the best channels on this app

[@gloomaker9875]

the way you explained the story finally made me understand why i got immersed and invested in it so much, and why the ending didn't make me angry as it did to many. it feels like a slice of my life too, not literally, but it mirrors it perfectly, I've lived this events in different ways, I've decided to leave someone i couldn't take care, and also met someone that made me accept that life changed and it wasn't my fault, gone through a mystery, nothing like this one, but just as intriguing, of course not everything is a fit, this is a game, and my life isn't really that much like it, but these feels... human, to me, they felt just as real as all the people I've met in my life, so i got invested, i wanted to know where they would lead this whole relationship, where this job would end, the overall mystery paled in comparison to the humanity i felt a part of, maybe I'm just too emotionally needy and this was something to fill a hole in me during a not so good time in my life... all i can say is i think about this game from time to time, and every time i relate to it more

[@TheLadida9]

so quickly after your skyrim video! uploading faster than the speed of light 🙏 i look forward to listening to this

[@noahkirschtein8169]

this is the 2nd 1+ hour long video essay on firewatch i’ve been recommended today and i’m so excited abt that. i LOVED this game when i played it last year

[@carmenlin1048]

It’s been awhile since I was reminded of this game. I loved Firewatch and enjoyed listening to your take on it. Well structured videos & definitely on my roster to fall asleep to! Side note: I’ve always wished we got to meet Deliah, at the end or in a sequel…

[@Brennanrr]

This game is sick I’ve never finished it great video and I love your elder scrolls videos!

[@kylegonewild]

Can totally understand a lot of the themes and choices present but also it kind of felt like you have to accept the romantic undertones and kind of lean into them for the ending to have any real depth. If you were not really attached to Delilah then her not waiting for you kind of doesn't matter. Approaching the whole relationship from a purely platonic perspective it feels kind of hollow. Thematically and realistically they probably wouldn't end up meaningfully involved in each other's lives after this but they definitely felt like the pair of happenstance friends who would at least feign a commitment to checking in on each other in the future. From a development standpoint I get that actually having a fully rendered and animated character model raises a whole bucket of problems the game wasn't trying to approach, but I do feel there was a bit of room for some more varied final outcomes. No matter how things ultimately play out both these people know this connection they had, no matter how warm and fun it was, was always ephemeral. Could even see one of those bittersweet final calls where she figures out how to get ahold of him and asks with genuine care about him and Julia but dodges any indication of forward momentum or future plans for herself when he asks in kind, still tying into the theme that she's been running from her problems longer than he has and how she's still at a place where she will lie to others and herself to avoid difficult or painful situations. Either way I appreciate it for what it tried to do and the comfy hours that it gave me going through it picking Henry's responses with a friend.

[@sportsjefe]

I have gotten the sense in the past that the people who praise this game like the fact that it told a man "you are bad for wanting more and deserve nothing" by pulling Delilah out from under us. The developers have patted themselves on the back for doing the same. Our lives have enough of that in it, we don't need it in our interactive escapism, thank you very much.

[@siobhanelysia8852]

^incel

[@andie.3632]

Whaaat. I get interpreting the relationship in a romantic light (I did!), but the platonic approach doesn't make the ending instantly hollow just because the relationship isn't romantic. You can get really attached to someone and not see them in such a way. I don't know, this feels not unlike the assumption of "Oh, A Man and a Woman have a lot of chemistry together. Surely the relationship would be worth more if they wanted to kiss."

[@jwc-lw3sp]

@@andie.3632agreed

[@briancordry8165]

this video extremely rocked, great work

[@saintmcelroy3513]

I've enjoyed all your videos immensely, and I would LOVE to see your take on Outer Wilds. Thanks for all the content

[@antdogboyness_66]

this video is too emotional for me right now. i’m inbetween worlds. deciding what to do next. the first 10 minutes of your video are about as emotionally heavy as i remember firewatch being. i’ll come back to it when i can because i can already appreciate your critique and the depth you expand these ideas to. i’m gonna put this in my watch later for when i can be a little more vulnerable with myself. thank you, friend.

[@alexbigloo]

Such a great analysis. Well done!

[@CorvoFG]

I’ve never even heard of this game but your work to date has impressed me. Quality game essayists are hard to come by on KZbin. Morrowind is a definite, I think you need to complete the current trinity so I can get annoyed about things you say and then realise that maybe you do have a point!

[@Mawyman2316]

Ah you missed out so much. I’m a milsim and fps gamer and this was still one of my favorite games of all time

[@ClockworkBanana]

I played and beat this game a few years back and remembered being so frustrated by the twist and the ending. But this was such a thoughtful critique... I think I'm going to go back and play it again with a fresh and more mature mind mind. There's so many little things I missed because I didn't realize I could even interact with them - the dropped soda cans, the ring in the tower - in my rush to rush ahead searching for story beats I forgot to take my time in the here and now. Great video. Thanks for posting.

[@lydz7451]

Just about to head to bed. But I'm really excited to have stumbled across this video and your channel. I can't watch to watch it tomorrow 😊

[@manwe1532]

Delilah starts working there after javier leaves her. As she says "to ger away from stuff". And shes been doing it for over a decade. At the end she says we should tell each other what to do and she tells henry he should go back to his wife. As you mentioned she always chooses the easy way. She constantly lies instead of facing reality. But after she learns the truth about brian she finally faces the consequences of her lies. She mentions shes no longer gonna work there. I think she stops running away from reality. And when she tells henry we should tell each other what to she says so because she wants to tell henry that he should go back to his wife. To tell him he should stop running away and face the reality. Maybe she doesnt wait for him because she doesnt want henry to become like her, someone who avoids their problems until the harsh reality reveals itself Idk

[@Chumpskey]

This is really great dude

[@dead_fox]

Incredibly well written video, I enjoyed the literary references, I have never heard that comparison before. Firewatch is such a special game for me, I re play it at least every summer, but sometimes when I’m going through something I find myself replaying it as well.

[@Elegiast]

I can’t believe you made me cry over a game I’d never heard of before. Thank you for your hard work, Duke. This was a video I needed to see.

[@catlawyerwilldefendfortrea6038]

Great video! This is one of my favorite games. I love the use of Firewatching as a metaphor. There will be fire in your life and all you can do is watch and manage. If you ignore it, it will only get much worse

[@sharker100]

I remember playing this entire game in one sitting. It took a whole day but I was just so gripped by it.

[@AhrenAKADan]

Had to pause it at six minutes I wasn't going to play it but your narration of the into has me needing to

[@ewanlad]

This was such a good video. I’m reinstalling it right now to experience it again

[@PButts008]

Such a great video. Thank you so much. I watched it twice.

[@Quadrenaro]

As the holder of 140th place for most playtime in Firewatch, I really enjoyed your analysis of the game. At 19:36, that's underwear lol. I live a few valleys over from the Thoroughfare trail, and during the long winters, it's fun doing some virtual summer hikes. I think I've seen and heard everything in the game.

[@dw3yn693]

How much hours?

[@Quadrenaro]

@@dw3yn693 97.9 hours. Winter (and sunset at 4:30pm) is beginning to set in, so I'll get some more in in the coming months. One of my favorite things to do is draw or paint landscapes from the game while a winter storm is howling outside.

[@marblemunkey]

I played Firewatch in VR, and I think it would have been a bigger deal for me that it was if I hadn't JUST finished playing through The Outer Wilds (also in VR), which was mind blowing. But Firewatch was still a very moving existence that has stuck with me. I played Firewatch in two sittings, and VR made it very immersive. I stopped playing my first session somewhere between the teenagers and the beating. I had real visceral responses to this, and began wondering exactly how reliable Henry (that is, ME) was as a narrator. I had a working theiry that maybe it was Henry and not Julia with the mental problems, and thought libg and hard about if I wanted to be part of that narrative if that's where the plot went...

[@foxinwhite3349]

Hey, thanks a lot for covering this beautiful game. Hope you'll cover more narrative-driven indie games in the future (Before Your Eyes would be nice)

[@BigBadBalrog]

Aa someone whose marriage fell apart, the intro to this game reduces me to a blubbering crybaby, so I really appreciate how you cut the tragedy with that Witcher 3 bit. It's nice to have a hearty laugh through the tears 😅

[@ayochill9716]

I’m a huge fan of your commentary style and how accurately you break down the narratives of games! However do you think that you would ever consider doing long form content?

[@antoniocortes7945]

Your analysis of the degradation of the forest with hell and Henry looking at both lives (outside and inside the forest) turning hellish and feeling incapable of action within them made me realize the title of the game is how Henry must feel like about his life. Watching it all burn. Sorry if my english isnt good.

[@ihms16]

Your video really showed me how the game was meant to be understood, i finished playing the game 14 hours ago and felt kinda like there was a hole in me. I had watched a gameplay a few years ago but was too young to understand, then just about before yesterday i saw a recommended video about a narrated gameplay of Firewatch and it clicked, i remembered about the game and i wanted to play it, unfortunately i ruined the experience by watching said video, now when i played the game for myself, i could say that i have liked it even enjoyed it, but the ending left me hollow, i wanted more, maybe too much. I wanted too much because i started searching about the game, if there was going to be a sequel, a Firewatch 2 to fill the feeling of unfullfilment, started watching loads of videos explaining nearly everything and then i found this video that explained so much, your analysis was such into detail that it opened my eyes onto some stuff that left me frustrated and for that i want to say thank you, thank you very much. Now i've come to accept the ending and how life always catches up. Now i would've liked for the game to be a little longer, maybe have some more bonding moments with Delilah or her giving you more tasks about the job being a firewatch. (But tbh i would really want a sequel, maybe with different characters, maybe something where we meet delilah again, idk something would do)

[@SoapyAfredo]

Really nice video I now have a deeper understanding of the story in firewatch thank you

[@Keebler120]

Really nice video, man

[@willw2107]

i just noticed in that last choice too where henry suggests that she become a crossword editor, delilah says “couldn’t be further away from here”. when before she said she wanted to get as far away from here as possible when reacting to the news about brian. i thought that was a nice touch, given that the environment and its situation was a sort of metaphor for their responsibilities

[@ImaginePixel]

i have played this game several times now and i love it so much. it lives rent free in my mind

[@sxhizornsmn]

4:17 interesting, I didn't get those choices nor that circumstance. in my playthrough, it was Julia that was coming home drunk and you had to choose either to get mad at her or ignore her. I wonder which choices we made differently to be given different ones? anyway, it's not that important. just an observation! edit: oh and also dude, you can actually put on henry’s wedding ring on every new day btw (at least I think it’s every day) and it still plays into what you said about making those seemingly small and mundane choices

[@firstcanonkill1767]

I wanted to play this since it came out when I was 11. I never had the money. I got it yesterday. I avoided spoilers for almost 8 years. I have no regrets. I’m going to play the guided tour version tonight.

[@jaredmatthews9403]

Love your channel bud. Working on the variability in your voice volume I see.

[@venuskogane5466]

I want to say that one of the things that I think is such a highlight of this game is that I always get freaked out at Wapiti Meadow. No matter how many times I play it. The lighting, the staging, the music, their reactions and dialogue delivery. It’s such a phenomenal game.

[@marinocturne]

bless the youtube algorithm for actually recommending me a masterful video like this, looking forward to your future videos!

[@adrianthornburg]

Really thoughtful stuff, I played this game years ago and it sucked me in like few stories ever have.

[@Uri6060]

Very happy to see this game getting some love! I thought it looked interesting back in the day when like pewdiepie played it, but ive only heard since then about how they sorta forced pewdiepie to remove that. So cool to see it being not forgotten, and appreciated.

[@Niijiwan]

With fire watch I see a lot of parallels to the podcast “tower 4”.

[@souporwormgaming]

26:24 is the truest analysis ive ever witnessed

[@coronelkittycannon]

Firewatch is like an interactive piece of art. I can't compare it to anything else I've played. It's the only game that I can say hit me in a very emotional way. Many games and even movies try to pull off emotional heartstrings, and fail, but Firewatch really made me stop and think about it. To this day I still think about this game.

[@umbradomini]

Fantastic

[@K.Arashi]

just a little bit of feedback, if you're open to it: it's difficult for me to listen to both your commentary and the character voices when they're overlapping. i'm 16:27 into the video and so far i've mostly been paying attention to what the characters are saying, while what you're saying is being passed over by my brain. possibly because of the subtitles on the screen. i do have auditory processing disorder, so it's possible neurotypical people don't have trouble with this, but i thought i'd let you know just in case. i'm not sure how you could avoid this in future videos, but maybe a different balance of audio levels? i... do not really know how video editing works, haha. feel free to ignore this! i'm just miffed at my brain for being bad at braining. i am going to hit it with the squeaky hammer of punishment **squeak**

[@poulplatt8201]

I have watched a lot of "Firewatch video essey" - type of videos on youtube, I can´t get enough. This is the best one I have seen, probably out of 1o other I have watched. Amazing work. I do wonder about your take on Delilah, is she lying or not?

[@Sobachkaspike]

Very good, thank you

[@Handitar]

Love this game. Such a gem exploring how flawed people cope with loss. Have you played Baldur's Gate 3? It's fantastic.

[@DukeofWhales]

I haven’t yet but I’ve heard amazing things!

[@boass]

@@DukeofWhales4 weeks late, but I’m playing Baldurs Gate 3 with a friend of mine and it is a game experience like no other…

[@partlyawesome]

very good

[@SpaceSoups]

1:02:30 The universality of 3 socks.

[@ger.h2332]

Phenomenal

[@SentientMeatloaf1]

“Deflated flotation device looking thing” XD In all honesty tho it’s said with such a straight delivery I can’t tell if that’s a joke or he never recognized/made the connection between the “flotation device” and the teens stolen panties mentioned in their last note. I say this mostly because it took me like three playthroughs to figure it out myself lol. The positioning of the message doesn’t make it clear what is written on and you can’t pick them up like you could in the walk to the lake, so it’s easy to miss if you aren’t looking closely. Very possible, considering most players will probably be looking up at the severed cable instead of at the rocks below.

[@nuke2625]

wow. This game is one my top 10 games ive played. of all the video essays ive watched ,this was one of the best ones. one thing i did not catch on my play through that why did Ned lock him in the cave. subconsciously i thought mysterious and evil things are happening so yeah why not. but Ned after hearing on the radio about how henry abandoned julia he wanted to show henry what it does to a man when you run from your problems. henry was was on the path to become ned who wants to go deeper into the forest and never come back. Damn the more i see these videos i learn how brilliantly they are written.

[@jatelitherius9842]

I like listening to people who are capable of noticing details talk about narratives with detail. Pretty much this whole game went over my head. I do like gameplay a bit more. I’ll run the same gameplay loop for hundreds of hours for almost no reason other than I like it

[@Grimzies106]

26:25 The point about the there being three socks can be seen to symbolize Henry seeing partnership with Delilah over partnership with Julia. If he is to make a pair with one and not the other it would leave one sock without a match.

[@sifayun6336]

Some times a piece of work can be difficult to separate from the creators' actions. Often, phrases like, not "in a vaccum" is used to explain the art is impossible to distinguish from the artist. Firewatch might have a recognizable story, but I'll always remember how they tried to DMCA a KZbinr (who I don't even watch).

[@MatthewOliphant]

I played this when it first came out and, even though it's only been 7 years, there's a lot you show in this video that I absolutely do not remember. So weird.

[@KonstantinJermoshin]

So I would disagree unfortunately. While obviously good video, here are my thoughts. If i had to describe Firewatch in one word it would be “interesting”. I am in the camp that didn’t connect with Henry in the same way the game wanted me to connect with him I think. I saw the struggle and partly I went through it with my brother (who has Scizophrenia, but seems much better now (fingers crossed)).Yet, when the game has this double narrative of is Henry gonna leave Julia and take on with Delialah or he is going to actually do find himself stronger to go back and face the reality. it never really goes all in on those directions. I could very well see the game where depending on your choices the photo stays up, the ring stays on the finger and much like a deer in the beginning, Henry gracefully says to Delilah that at least it was eventful summer and goes off. Right now you can kind of play that Henry in the dialog choices (mostly bluntly staying quiet all the time), but narrative wise it will just seem like Henry is himself not right in the head, because he jumps back and forth. I am biased, because I obviously gravitate towards new and better Henry, but when you say that game subverts the expectations that there is no princess in the end or prize, it is a bit misleading, because the game never suggests it is one of those games, where that happens. It is like you said a mystery game foremost. To me it’s like saying there is no princess in the end of Morrowind, yet the story and quests were all there. Talking about Morrowind, looking forward to watch it! Keep up the great work

[@BananaGatorProds]

Who needs a princess when you have dagoth ur

[@landjaager]

from where is the scene at 48:53 ? i've never seen it before even though i played it multiple times and watched other Videos to it

[@SylvesterAshcroft88]

Firewatch was definitely an interesting game, and to be honest it got me to revisit some other narrative story games, like the Vanishing Of Ethan Carter, and The Suicide Of Rachel Foster, the latter hit extremely hard with some light horror elements as well. I'd also recommend the Bird Story games to anyone interested in Narrative experiences, as all the games in that series touch different topics about mental health, memory, etc. SOMA is also incredible.

[@Shmeve0]

This game's story is so good I haven't played it since release but I kind of have to postpone watching this until I play it a second time

[@jonahst.hilaire7216]

How do you not have more subscribers wtf

[@Casavo]

Well now i want to play through this.