FBC Firebreak preview: Can one of the best single-player studios in the world finally crack multiplayer?

Remedy makes some of the best single-player games in the world.

Whether it’s Control, Alan Wake 2, or going all the way back to the original Max Payne, Remedy knows exactly what it’s doing when it comes to big-budget, single-player experiences.

One thing it never manages to crack, however, is a multiplayer title. Perhaps that’s why several eyebrows were raised, including mine, when FBC: Firebreak was announced.

I am a great admirer of Remedy. Alan Wake 2 was my, and VGC’s Game of the Year in 2023, and it more than earned it. While it had some rough edges, one thing that was unimpeachable about Control was its atmosphere and tone. Was that about to be ruined by running through the FBC with your mates?

I recently got to take a look at a hands-off demo for the game, and listened to Remedy discuss why this was the next move they wanted to make. The studio has multiple games in development – a full sequel to Control, a Rockstar-partnered remake of Max Payne, and a secret third game, which, fingers crossed, will star a certain writer, but for now what does a Remedy buff make of FBC: Firebreak? Cautious optimism.

It won’t be until we get a chance to play the game itself that we’ll know, but from the way Remedy described the game, and justified using it as a way to revisit Control, we’re definitely putting our trust in the storied Finnish developers.

FBC: Firebreak is a first-person game,  played in teams. Each mission, or Job, requires the teams to clear out a certain part of The Oldest House, or destroy a paranormal threat.

The main thing the game has going for it immediately is its aesthetics. Being set in the Control universe means virtually everything is on the table as an enemy, including the actual table itself. We saw tornados or sticky notes, which increased in violence and number as the job continued.

Remedy said that the Job system is designed so that the missions are highly replayable, with gameplay variables that will keep them fresh. Think about playing through Left 4 Dead’s campaigns over and over again.

Remedy plans to support the game with post-launch content, all of which will be free. Speaking of free, FBC: Firebreak is not. Remedy didn’t share the price point but referred to it as a mid-price game. To me, that says $30-$40ish dollars, which will potentially be a tough sell in today’s market.

Games that are entirely free are shutting down after a few months, so if you’re going to put a price tag on a game, you’ve given yourself an uphill battle. Remedy has a cache in single-player games, but will the audience trust another go at multiplayer?

After all, this is the studio’s first multiplayer effort since CrossfireX, a game that during our presentation Remedy joked that “nobody liked.” The 38% Metacritic rating would certainly support that.

But by focusing on co-operative gameplay rather than competitive, I think Remedy is on the right track. The gameplay looks compelling from what we were shown, but its real strength lies in how much license the Control universe gives the team.

Realistically, due to the nature of The Oldest House and the Control lore, there’s no limit on how creative the team can get with map design, enemy design and more. And if there’s one thing that’s certain, it’s that there are few studios with more creativity flowing through them than Remedy.

Planned for launch in the summer, FBC: Firebreak is Remedy’s first self-published game. It will be released on PC (Steam and Epic Games Store), Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5. It will also be available on day one via PC Game Pass, Game Pass Ultimate, and PlayStation Plus Game Catalog (Extra and Premium).