Remedy Entertainment’s latest project is an interesting leap into first-person shooter territory, something they haven't touched on since the Max Payne era. Taking place in the weird and fascinating Control and Alan Wake universe, FBC: Firebreak lets players assume control of a group of first responders tasked with "containing" the many problems lurking inside The Oldest House, a clandestine organization responsible for [REDACTED] Remedy’s twisted world.
With the game launching today, more and more players are finally getting their hands on Remedy’s experimental take on first-person co-op, and it turns out FBC: Firebreak scratches a very particular itch in today’s gaming scene: it’s all about having a fun time with friends. But the more I play it, the more worried I am about its potential.
This Is an Extraction Shooter
If you’ve played modern shooters like Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 or Helldivers 2, then FBC: Firebreak will feel somewhat familiar. It’s an “extraction shooter” at heart, borrowing recognizable mechanics from those titles, but with Remedy’s unique flair stamped all over it.
You and two other players take on odd jobs inside the Oldest House, from taking care of “Fridge Duty,” shutting down a sentient furnace, or even cleaning up a Sticky Paper infestation. Yes, those are actual missions. And yes, they’re somehow best handled by an expendable team of underpaid, overworked first responders. That’s you.
You Don’t Need to Play Remedy’s ‘Alan Wake’ or ‘Control’
FBC: Firebreak is built for everyone, even those who’ve never touched Control or Alan Wake. You don’t need to understand the esoteric lore of the Dark Place, nor do you need to care about what’s happening inside the Oldest House. This is a straightforward co-op multiplayer game designed for quick, chaotic fun you can jump in and out of.
Sure, new players might raise an eyebrow at a piggy bank that emits a black hole or a floating traffic light that bends reality, but that’s nothing a quick Google search or a lore dump from your Remedy-obsessed friend can’t solve.
A Weird Grind
At its core, FBC: Firebreak is a grind. Collecting scattered FBC files and other upgrade materials during each mission is essential. These resources are key to upgrading your class and gear.
There are currently three classes available. While that might not sound like much compared to other extraction shooters, each one brings something viable to every job. Personally, I gravitated toward the Fixer class as I like solving problems with a wrench.
The loop of gathering, upgrading, and repeating feels satisfying yet odd at the same time. I was expecting we’d get every essential tool from the get-go and enhance them along the way, but it turns out I have to unlock the rest of my full kit in a weird Battle Pass-like progression system.
Bugs and Glitches Are Frustrating
Like most games at launch, FBC: Firebreak isn’t perfect. Bugs and glitches can sour the experience, especially when you’re trying to enjoy the game with a friend. I don’t mind a bit of jank in a co-op game as it can even be charming, but here, it often feels unintentional and disruptive. One run had me and my friend stuck inside a giant fan, unable to move or escape. In another run, we were having trouble identifying why we kept getting downed due to all the fire, paper, and electricity everywhere. Whenever that happened, we had to forfeit the mission and start over.
What really bugged me, though, was the inconsistency in some of the game’s mechanics. Sometimes I’d get burned or irradiated despite playing carefully, and the unclear UI made navigation confusing.
Cross-platform play also has its hiccups. I played on PS5 while my friend was on PC, and we noticed frequent lag during fights. We even struggled to fill our third player slot, despite cross-play being enabled. Of the 5 or so runs we had recently, we only had 1 job with a third player.
That said, the game’s launch performance is much better than the Closed Beta, which ran terribly on my PlayStation 5. Now, performance is mostly stable, aside from the occasional chaos-heavy encounter that slows things down.
Price Point and Lack of Features
There’s no getting around it, FBC: Firebreak feels like it’s missing something. At $50, the limited content doesn’t quite justify the price tag. (The game is free for Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus Extra Subscribers.)
Currently, there are five jobs available. Each one is distinct, with its own bosses and mechanics, but an experienced group can burn through all five (even on higher difficulties) in a single day.
Since this is a live-service game, more content is expected down the line. Remedy has already announced a free content roadmap, which gives me hope. But launching Firebreak in this state feels premature, especially without voice or text chat in a game that thrives on co-op coordination and chaos.
The Verdict
FBC: Firebreak is a weird game in all the ways you’d expect from Remedy, and also in some ways you wouldn’t. It captures that signature Remedy strangeness, but it also falls victim to the usual problems plaguing modern live-service titles: a lack of content, missing features, and a few too many bugs.
It's clear that the game needs more. In its current state, FBC: Firebreak is a lukewarm shooter when played solo. But if you’ve got a buddy to play with, it becomes an entertaining romp through the bizarre world of Control, and that alone might be worth the ride.
