The new ‘Firewatch’ update adds a free-roam mode and PlayStation 4 Pro support

By Kevin Parrish Published November 9, 2016

campo santo firewatch update free roam mode playstation 4 pro support — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Game developer Campo Santo launched Firewatch in February, a first-person adventure game that throws players into the role of a fire lookout perched in a tower overlooking the Shoshone National Forest. It’s set in 1989 and players are all alone in their Wyoming-based lookout tower, equipped with a single handheld radio that communicates only with the player’s supervisor. But then strange things begin to happen, forcing players down into the forest.

Firewatch relies on a story-driven foundation that leads players from one set of objectives to another as they unravel the underlying mystery. Players make dialogue-based choices that influence their only human contact, supervisor Delilah, upon discovering new environments and interactive objects. As players move through the story, new areas are opened for investigation.

Recommended Videos

Since its launch, Firewatch has received generally favorable reviews, with critics stating that the game features great voice acting, a “brilliant” branching script, and incredible visuals. However, players notably can’t roam the virtual Wyoming landscape at their leisure … or rather, they couldn’t. That has changed, as Campo Santa released an update for the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC versions to add a new free-roam Mode.

“If you, like so many others, have finished Firewatch and yearn to return to the Shoshone, then today is your lucky day,” the developer stated on Wednesday. “Firewatch’s free-roam mode gives you an objective-free game world to explore, dynamic 24-hour time of day, and miles of trails to hike.”

The catch is that the new mode will not be made available until players complete the game. This new mode will show up in the special features section of the game’s main menu.

In addition to the new free-roam feature, Campo Santo also updated Firewatch to support the new PlayStation 4 Pro console hitting store shelves on Thursday. Customers who purchase the new console and currently own a 1080p display will see “enhanced” detail distance, higher quality shadows, and smoother loads.

However, PlayStation 4 Pro owners with a 4K display will see an even bigger improvement. The game world will be rendered at a 2,560 x 1,440 resolution while the user interface will be rendered at 3,840 x 2,160. Firewatch players will also see an “advanced level of detail” compared to gamers who own the current vanilla PlayStation 4 console.

That all said, the new free-roam mode and the PlayStation 4 Pro enhancements are bundled together in one free update that is available now for the PlayStation version of Firewatch. If you have yet to purchase Firewatch, it is available on the PlayStation Store, the Xbox Marketplace, and Steam for $20.

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Kevin started taking PCs apart in the 90s when Quake was on the way and his PC lacked the required components. Since then…

Gaming

Samsung’s new cloud service lets you play games without downloading them

Samsung has a new way for Galaxy users to play games. The device manufacturer has been working on getting into the gaming space for a couple years, and its latest venture is a free mobile gaming platform that'll let you stream Android games through the cloud on a Galaxy device.

The program entered beta last year in the Gaming Hub, and is now available to the public. There will be 23 games available at launch, including Monopoly Go, Candy Crush Saga, and Honor of Kings.

Gaming

The best gacha games in 2024

Wuthering Waves character illustrations.

Whether you're familiar with or completely new to gacha games, there's a wide variety of options to choose from. From sci-fi to fantas, and even dress-up games, gacha appeals to a wide audience, and you're sure to find the right game for your taste.

But what does 2024 have to offer? While some of the best gacha titles have just been released this year, others are older and still widely popular. If you're looking for the best gacha game to get into, you should find what you're looking for in the list below.

Gaming

How to stealth kill in Stalker 2

Key art for Stalker 2. A character in a lit-up gas mask and a gun on their back.

It won't take long before The Zone teaches you one very important tip for surviving in Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl, which is to avoid fighting whenever possible. You can only carry so many resources, and prolonged fights can leave you with almost nothing left. And that's if you even manage to survive. There are some fights you just can't get around, though, but going in guns blazing isn't the best strategy. There's a handy stealth kill mechanic in Stalker 2, but you won't find it in any of the tutorials.
How to stealth kill in Stalker 2

You have the ability to stealth kill right off the bat, though it is not something the game will ever explain or tell you. It works how you would think, but is tricky enough to pull off that you might not think it's possible even if you try the right thing.