FBC: Firebreak Review – A Frustrating Co-Op Spin-Off of Control
▼ Summary
– FBC: Firebreak is a disappointing co-op shooter spin-off of Control, featuring repetitive gameplay, bland characters, and frustrating progression.
– The game lacks meaningful story content and fails to expand on the intriguing lore of the Control universe, relying instead on weak humor.
– Missions are padded with filler stages, and enemy variety is minimal, making combat feel monotonous and poorly paced.
– Player abilities and weapons are unbalanced, with some being useless and others overpowered, reducing strategic depth.
– The game’s initial grind with weakened gear creates a poor first impression, likely deterring players before they experience its limited highlights.
FBC: Firebreak delivers a frustrating co-op experience that falls short of expectations, stripping away the magic that made Control memorable while introducing tedious mechanics and repetitive gameplay. What could have been an exciting expansion of Remedy’s supernatural universe instead feels like a hollow, uninspired spin-off plagued by poor design choices and artificial padding.
Set in the Federal Bureau of Control’s eerie headquarters, the game casts players as Firebreakers, specialized agents tasked with containing supernatural threats. While the premise holds promise, execution falters with bland characters, minimal storytelling, and missions that quickly devolve into monotonous shooting galleries. Unlike Control’s rich world-building, Firebreak offers little beyond surface-level references, leaning heavily on forgettable humor that clashes with the series’ established tone.
Gameplay revolves around five repetitive missions, each split into three stages. The first two segments feel like unnecessary filler, dragging out objectives before culminating in slightly more engaging boss fights. Enemy variety is severely lacking, with the same Hiss variants appearing in predictable waves. Combat suffers from unbalanced weapons, leaving players with little incentive to experiment beyond the overpowered shotgun and revolver.
The Crisis Kits, three ability sets designed for teamwork, should have been a highlight. Instead, they feel underdeveloped, with no meaningful strategy in choosing one over another. Worse, players start with deliberately weakened gear, forcing a tedious grind before unlocking basic functionality. This baffling design choice ensures a miserable first impression, likely driving many away before they experience the game’s few redeeming features.
A customizable hub area provides brief satisfaction, allowing players to decorate their quarters with collectibles. However, this minor distraction can’t compensate for the game’s core issues. With no substantial lore additions and a reliance on grinding, Firebreak struggles to justify its existence, especially when compared to Remedy’s stronger titles.
For those with PS Plus or Xbox Game Pass, it might be worth a brief trial. But without significant updates, this co-op experiment remains a disappointing misstep in an otherwise stellar franchise. Accessibility options are minimal, though control remapping and subtitles are available.
Reviewed on PS5 after extensive playthroughs in solo and multiplayer modes, with comparisons drawn to similar co-op shooters.
(Source: TECHRADAR)
