Firefighting Simulator: Ignite Review

More Than Just a Siren: The Allure of Firefighting

There is a certain allure about a firefighter that will never die. 

There is the hero image that is fully justified by the amazing work they do in terrible situations, risking life and limb in truly unimaginable horrors, all as they look to keep people, pets, and structures safe. There is also the sexy look that has defined them, with Diet Coke ads, strippers, and naughty calendars selling by their millions. 

Thankfully, you won’t be asked to do the latter part in Firefighting Simulator: Ignite. No, this game is all about putting you in the shoes of a firefighter and stopping a small city from burning to the ground. Are you ready?

From Rookie to Rescuer

You can design your own firefighter and name them at the start of Firefighting Simulator: Ignite, choosing from a small selection of options. But from there, you will most definitely want to take in a short tutorial that shows you the basics. You see, from that point onwards, you’re off on missions, joined on the journey with three AI companions or through the power of the online world to play in co-op.

There is a story here, one about your progression through the ranks as a firefighter, but it’s quite a light affair. And frankly, Firefighting Simulator: Ignite is all about the missions.

You have a big fire station to explore if you want. Here there are small accommodation rooms, rec rooms with kitchens, and, of course, the most important part of any station… the fireman’s pole, which you can slide down. This should be the first thing everyone does.

Getting to the Blaze

There is a whole training area out the back where you can try different equipment and work out the best possible strategies for different situations. And then, heading into the mission briefing, you will find you have a choice of main story quests or many side quests that appear. So, let’s go through what might occur.

When the alarm goes off, you get a chance to go down the pole and enter the fire engine. You drive to the location of the fire, which could be a small house or a large tool shop, for example. The driving mechanic is good fun, and the fire engines themselves handle well. Putting the sirens on always gives the 10-year-old boy in me a thrill. And of course, with them screaming, traffic does respond by getting out of the way. At least to a certain extent as there is a bit of a tendency for the other fire engines to keep hitting you, which I am sure isn’t a good thing.

The city is an interesting place to drive around, however, you can’t get out of the vehicle anywhere, apart from the station or the fire location. That probably makes sense though – you’re an emergency worker heading to a job. You haven’t got time for donuts. 

Hoses, Hydrants, and Hazards: The Firefighting Mechanics

When you get to the location, it is good to work as a team. One of your main goals will be to get into the building, so you might need to pry open locked doors with a Halligan bar. More extreme obstacles need an axe. You then need to find the nearest water supply from a fire hydrant, which attaches to the fire engine. Then you go in, evaluate the fire, and rescue the victims, who could be lying unconscious on the ground or need to be guided out.

When evaluating the fire, you’ll have to consider whether it is a normal fire, or that of the electrical variety. For a normal fire, you arm your hoses, point them at the flames, and work away until it’s out. For electrical fires, you need to change to foam or use a portable extinguisher from the truck. And of course, you are not immune to fire yourself, and backdrafts can engulf you quickly, so you may be found relying on your colleagues to drag you out. Explosive devices also need to be cleared away to stop further damage.

Teamwork and Terrifying Flames: AI and Multiplayer

Your colleagues can be assigned tasks, but otherwise will be quite happy to get on with the job at hand. Some will carry out the victims, and others will tackle the flames directly without command. During time playing as a solo firefighter, there were only a few moments when it felt like they were being useless, otherwise, handling themselves well.

There is multiplayer too though, and this is where the success of this game lies. Talking with other players and working out who does what can be fun and rewarding.

Unreal Engine Fire

Firefighting Simulator: Ignite does a great job with the visuals; something that surprised me a little, mostly as my experience with sim games in the graphics department hasn’t always been great. Here, Unreal Engine 5 is in full force, with an amazing-looking fire station and engines that all look brilliant. The city you travel in looks good as well; it’s just a shame you can’t stretch your legs and walk around it. But it’s the fire mechanic that steals the show. Fire in games is sometimes not great, but here it feels alive, looks amazing, and is absolutely terrifying.

The sound is very good as well, with the crackling of the fire and the buildings starting to crumble. There is a lot of voice-over, from mission briefings to the people talking around the fire station between jobs. And your AI colleagues on a mission will tell you what they’re doing, but that does mean you’ll need to prepare yourself to hear the likes of “I’m going to get an axe” ten times in a minute. 

A Sleeper Hit with Engaging Gameplay and Impressive Visuals

Firefighting Simulator: Ignite may well surprise. The gameplay loop is engaging, and the fire control, with all the different equipment to use, is genuinely exciting. It’s helped along by some amazing visuals that allow it to really feel like a current-generation sim game, something which is unusual in this genre. 

Obviously, with the team aspect, it’s in the online co-op with which it’ll live or die, but there’s no doubt that Firefighting Simulator: Ignite could be a bit of a sleeper hit.

Important Links

Answer the Call – Firefighting Simulator: Ignite Blazes onto Xbox, PlayStation & PC – https://www.thexboxhub.com/answer-the-call-firefighting-simulator-ignite-blazes-onto-xbox-playstation-pc/

A New Blaze Takes Hold as Firefighting Simulator: Ignite is Announced for Consoles and PC | Release Date Revealed – https://www.thexboxhub.com/a-new-blaze-takes-hold-as-firefighting-simulator-ignite-is-announced-for-consoles-and-pc/

Firefighting Simulator: Ignite – Turnout Gear Pack #1 Lets You Fight Fire In Style – https://www.thexboxhub.com/firefighting-simulator-ignite-turnout-gear-pack-1-lets-you-fight-fire-in-style/

Buy Firefighting Simulator: Ignite on Xbox – https://www.xbox.com/en-gb/games/store/firefighting-simulator-ignite/9nb7m35jkdj1

There’s a Year 1 Edition too – https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/firefighting-simulator-ignite-year-1-edition/9P5G2CQF22BF/0017