FBC: Firebreak is the latest entry in the Control and Alan Wake universe, but with a multiplayer focus. Here, you’ll revisit several areas from the first Control to complete assigned missions in a cooperative format with up to three players. Each player can choose one of three classes, each offering different weapons and mechanics. The mission structure is tied to three distinct levels of complexity, and you can also choose the danger level. The higher the difficulty, the more tasks and puzzles you’ll need to complete—but you’ll also be rewarded with more experience points.
Now for the bad part: the progression system. It’s designed similarly to a Battle Pass, where leveling up unlocks assets you can use to get new cosmetics, weapons, or upgrades for your gear and abilities. However, the rewards you unlock often aren’t even useful for the class you’re currently playing, causing a lot of frustration after dedicating multiple hours without being properly rewarded. Another issue is that when you finally do get upgrades for your weapons, they don’t make any meaningful difference in gameplay, leaving you just as discouraged.
The game doesn’t offer a meaningful story to give the experience any real purpose beyond being a disposable group of generic characters. The gameplay is decent, as the mechanics of each class can help you solve puzzles faster or survive longer. Playing cooperatively is the key here—sticking together at all times is the best way to guarantee victory. The enemies are quite repetitive, with only their appearances offering any variety. In each match, enemies spawn randomly and range from zombies, ghosts, brutes, and witches, among others.
FBC: Firebreak can be fun if you’re playing with friends or a team that communicates well, but as a solo experience, it quickly becomes frustrating and boring—just like its progression system, which leaves much to be desired. The overall experience feels similar to games like Left 4 Dead, a genre that was widely loved almost two decades ago, but nowadays tends to burn out quickly as players expect constant new content.
Final Score: 2/5