Remedy Entertainment, known for single-player titles like Alan Wake 2, has taken an unexpected turn with FBC: Firebreak, its first multiplayer co-op shooter set within the Remedy Universe.
The game takes place weeks after Control, during the Hiss invasion of The Oldest House. Players join Firebreak, a team of FBC agents tasked with maintenance duties to prevent collapse. While the lore is minimal and presented without much context, the game benefits aesthetically from its connection to Remedy’s signature world, featuring striking environments that blend brutalist architecture with everyday office elements.
Players undertake various tasks such as repairing ventilation, storing radiated spheres, and clearing sticky note infestations. Three kit classes define gameplay roles: the Fix Kit handles repairs, the Jump Kit powers stations and allows agility, and the Splash Kit uses water to extinguish fires and cleanse infections. Although kits can perform secondary tasks, they require slower, complex inputs, encouraging players to specialize within their roles.
Despite solid mechanics and smooth 60 fps performance on PS5 and PS5 Pro—complemented by excellent DualSense haptic feedback—the early game feels uninspired. Missions and loadouts start off bland, making solo play particularly unengaging. Progression involves completing five missions with multiple clearance levels, increasing difficulty, boss encounters, and modifiers known as corruptions.
Players earn experience and Lost Aspects to unlock weapons, gear, and perks, with harder missions awarding unique currency for perk upgrades. As systems layer together, cooperative play and strategic coordination become crucial, adding depth as players manage resources and status effects like fire and radiation.
Adding Remedy’s trademark oddity, each kit unlocks a quirky ultimate weapon, such as a lava-spewing teapot or a coin-storming piggy bank. Levels feature unique hazards, including expanding pink goo and aggressive sticky-note enemies. While enemy hordes create intense moments, the game’s performance occasionally falters under the strain.
Though these elements inject energy and fun, the excitement is infrequent. Firebreak lacks a compelling hook to sustain player interest or generate a “one more round” appeal. Post-launch content is planned, and Remedy has committed against adopting a demanding live service model, favoring a more casual, limited engagement approach.
Ultimately, FBC: Firebreak delivers competent gameplay with distinctive style and cooperative teamwork but falls short of Remedy’s usual impact. Players may enjoy the experience initially but often find it unmemorable, wishing instead for the depth found in titles like Control 2.