“What happens when the Federal Bureau of Control loses control?” That was the question at the forefront of the developers’ minds when creating FBC: Firebreak, a new three-player co-op game set in the same universe as Control. After watching gameplay and learning more about the game’s systems and mechanics, it’s clear to me that FBC: Firebreak is Remedy Entertainment’s antidote to live service fatigue.
I sat in on a virtual meeting with Mike Kayatta and other members of the FBC development team to get a better idea of what Remedy is going for with its multiplayer control spin-off. Set in the offices of the titular FBC (Federal Bureau of Control), Firebreak sees the agency’s members fighting off otherworldly forces in horde-style battles.
Source: Remedy Entertainment
As a Firebreaker, you can team up with up to two other players to take on different Jobs. Jobs are a customizable mission experience that feature unique settings, objectives, and enemies. Players tailor the experience by selecting a Job’s Threat Level and Clearance Level. Threat Level determines combat difficulty, while Clearance Level determines the amount of zones (from 1-3) and the rewards that can be earned.
I was shown a gameplay segment from a Job called Paper Chase. In this Job, sticky notes take on a life of their own, multiplying and sticking together to form humanoid creatures. Players had an objective to destroy thousands of sticky notes, and the mission culminated in a boss against a massive boss composed entirely of sticky notes.
Source: Remedy Entertainment
While playing through a Job, players will find currency and potentially valuable gear. However, in order to permanently save these items, they’ll need to clear the level. It creates a risk vs reward dynamic when choosing how tough of an experience you want and what kind of rewards you’re after. Currency can be used to buy perks that can be applied to your Firebreaker. During my preview, I saw a perk that gives a small chance for missed bullets to return to your clip.
In FBC: Firebreak, players use loadouts called Crisis Kits. Each of the three Crisis Kits look to support specific cooperative playstyles. The Jump Kit uses electricity to control groups of enemies and alter the crew’s positioning. The Fix Kit is a primarily melee build that comes with a large wrench and an automated turret. Lastly, the Splash Kit uses water to remove negative status effects, put out fires, and heal teammates. Kits are selected before a Job, but can be changed during one if players want to try something else.
On the cosmetic side, players can customize their Firebreakers by changing their helmet, armor, gloves, and voice.
Source: Remedy Entertainment
What stood out to me the most during my preview of Firebreak is that Remedy is making a conscious decision to avoid the pitfalls of modern live service games. FBC: Firebreak won’t feature daily check-ins, and expiring Battle Pass, or any other common live service feature that creates “engagement stress.” The developers said that they don’t want players to feel like they’re picking up a second job by simply trying to keep up.
It’s completely fair to be hesitant at the announcement of another live-service multiplayer game, given the increasingly low success rate that those games are seeing, even when they’re based on popular franchises or developed by renown studios. Remedy Entertainment has clearly seen this and is looking to take a different path with FBC: Firebreak, and I’m excited to get my hands on it.
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replyDonovan Erskine posted a new article, FBC: Firebreak wants players to have fun without feeling like they've got a second job
