FBC: Firebreak - Unexpectedly Addictive Multiplayer FPS

Control was crowned IGN's Game of the Year in 2019, and as one of the editors who voted for it, I was initially skeptical when Remedy, renowned for crafting compelling single-player third-person narratives, announced a multiplayer project. This project, known as FBC: Firebreak, is a three-player PvE first-person multiplayer shooter set six years after the events of Control. After witnessing a hands-off demo, my doubts quickly evaporated. Firebreak offers a refreshingly original take in a crowded market, standing out with its delightfully weird elements amidst a sea of repetitive military and sci-fi online shooters. Best of all, it doesn't demand the extensive time commitment that many of its peers do. As game director Mike Kayatta emphasized, "We're not about daily check-ins. We're not interested in monthly grinds. We don't want to give anybody a second job." A sentiment worth repeating for those in the back.

FBC: Firebreak is a streamlined three-player co-op FPS that promises no-nonsense gameplay. Whether you play for 20 minutes or a few hours, the game keeps things engaging with Perk unlocks and new character combinations for repeated playthroughs. But what exactly are you doing back in The Oldest House, armed with an array of bizarre weaponry? Essentially, you're stepping into the shoes of volunteer first responders when chaos strikes. Your characters are everyday workers like secretaries and rangers, responding to the call of duty. While the Federal Bureau of Control might not label you as expendable, the reality is quite different.

FBC: Firebreak - March 2025 Screenshots

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When you log in to play, you select a Job (mission) and a Crisis Kit (your loadout), then set the Threat Level (difficulty) and Clearance Level, which determines the number of zones you'll navigate in a single run. These zones are segmented by containment doors, leading to the next phase of the Job. The mission I saw, dubbed Paper Chase, unfolds in a relatively ordinary office section of the FBC building, where you and your teammates must fend off the spreading Hiss.

You can choose to escape quickly, but if you want to acquire currencies for upgrades and new gear, you'll need to navigate back to HQ safely with them. The longer you explore for currency, the riskier your return journey becomes.

FBC: Firebreak distinguishes itself with its arsenal of charmingly unusual and homebrew-feeling weapons. Examples include a hand-cranked snowball-launching gun that can extinguish fires (or your fiery teammates) and douse sticky-note monsters, a cobbled-together zapper capable of summoning lightning storms when fitted with the right nozzle, and a large wrench that, when paired with a squeaky piggy bank toy, unleashes a swirl of coins at enemies. Traditional weapons like machine guns and shotguns are also available, with the latter being essential for dealing with those sticky-note monsters after they've been soaked or zapped.

The core objective of the Paper Chase mission is to eliminate all the sticky notes before they overrun the brutalist building. Keep an eye on the number of sticky notes left to destroy, displayed in the upper left corner, as it increases throughout the mission, culminating in a battle against a gigantic sticky-note monster reminiscent of Spider-Man 3's Sandman, but composed of Post-It notes.

Beyond the quirky weapons, the game introduces fun in-universe mechanics like office supply shelves that replenish ammo, makeshift turrets assembled from boxes, stereo speakers that repel the Hiss, and rinse stations to remove aggressive sticky notes. Unlockable Perks add further variety, such as one that gives a chance for missed bullets to return to your clip, and another that lets you extinguish yourself by jumping up and down. Collecting multiple instances of the same Perk enhances its effect, and three of the same Perk can be shared with nearby teammates.

You don't need a full team to enjoy FBC: Firebreak; solo and duo play are also supported. Remedy aims for a lower minimum PC spec than usual, while also supporting advanced features like DLSS4 with multi-frame generation, nVidia Reflex, and full ray-tracing. The game will be Steam Deck verified and will launch on day one into Xbox and PC Game Pass, as well as PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium. While Remedy has plans for post-launch content and paid cosmetics, these will be the only microtransactions.

FBC FirebreakRemedyTBA 2025 Wishlist

While I haven't yet played FBC: Firebreak, the game certainly passes the eye test. It's clear that this is no ordinary multiplayer shooter, and in the best possible way. The fact that it offers a get-in and get-out experience without requiring a massive ongoing time commitment is a refreshing nod to the days when such gameplay was the norm.