FBC: Firebreak: The Unexpected Co-Op FPS That Redefines Control

A Bold New First-Person Direction

Long known for their third-person action prowess, Remedy is switching gears with a first-person outing—and there’s plenty to be excited about. FBC: Firebreak is a three-player, player-vs-environment (PvE) first-person shooter set six years after the events of Control. Initially, I wasn’t quite sure how Remedy’s signature style would translate to a co-op FPS, but the hands-off demo I witnessed completely changed my mind.

Firebreak stands out in a genre crowded by look-alike military and sci-fi shooters. Its blend of eccentric weapons and otherworldly settings feels refreshingly offbeat. Even better, Firebreak promises a more laid-back commitment level than the perpetual grind of similar games. As Game Director Mike Kayatta said, “We’re not about daily check-ins. We’re not interested in monthly grinds. We don’t want to give anybody a second job.” Preach, Mike.

Co-Op Without the Commitment

At its core, FBC: Firebreak is a three-player co-op FPS designed for quick sessions or extended play, depending on your mood. You can hop in for a short 20-minute run or settle in for a few hours. Successive trips will reward you with Perks, enabling fresh strategies and weapon combos that encourage experimentation.

Volunteering for The Oldest House

You and two teammates are basically on call for the Federal Bureau of Control—everyday civilians like secretaries or rangers who answer the call when things go sideways. (Just don’t expect to be deemed indispensable.) Before each run, you’ll select a Job (the mission), a Crisis Kit (your loadout), a Threat Level (difficulty), and a Clearance Level (the number of zones to clear). Each zone is sealed off by containment doors leading to the next stage.

The demo showcased a Job titled Paper Chase, where a mundane office space in The Oldest House is overrun by the Hiss. You and your team have to work together to drive them back, room by eerie room.

Risk, Reward, and Sticky Notes

You can make a quick exit whenever you like, but the valuable currencies you’ll need for upgrades and new gear must be successfully extracted—so the more ground you explore, the greater your haul (and the higher the danger).

Quirky, Homemade Arsenal

Where Firebreak really differentiates itself is in its arsenal. Many weapons have a charmingly do-it-yourself vibe:

• A hand-cranked snowball launcher that extinguishes flames—or cools off teammates and foes alike.
• A jerry-rigged zapper that can summon lightning storms if you attach the right nozzle.
• A giant wrench that, with a squeaky piggy bank toy attached, unleashes a whirlwind of flying coins on enemies.

For more traditional tastes, there’s a reliable machine gun and a shotgun—perfect for finishing off one of those dreaded sticky-note monsters once it’s been soaked or zapped.

Meet the Sticky-Note Behemoth

Why sticky notes? In Paper Chase, the entire goal is to clear an infestation of these Post-It-like hazards before they overwhelm the building’s brutalist halls. Keep an eye on the sticky-note counter in the upper-left corner of your screen—by the finale, you’ll be facing a massive, shambling monstrosity made entirely of those little yellow squares (imagine Spider-Man 3’s Sandman, but with office supplies).

Clever Gadgets and Perks

Firebreak’s oddball flavor doesn’t end with its weapons. In-game items and environmental tools bring new layers to each mission:

• Office supply shelves that replenish your ammo.
• A makeshift turret you assemble from parts dumped on the floor.
• A blaring stereo speaker to repel the Hiss.
• A rinse station to wash sticky notes off your face before they do real damage.

On top of that, you’ll discover Perks that bolster your abilities in creative ways—like regaining missed bullets or dousing yourself by hopping up and down to extinguish flames. Collecting multiples of the same Perk powers it up, and collecting three lets you share it with nearby allies.

Solo, Duos, and Tech Support

You’re not strictly bound to a three-person squad—Firebreak accommodates solo or duo play. Remedy is also aiming for lower PC requirements than usual, making it easier for more players to hop in. At the same time, it supports cutting-edge features like DLSS4 with multi-frame generation, nVidia Reflex, and full ray-tracing. Plus, it’s Steam Deck verified and heads to Xbox Game Pass, PC Game Pass, and PlayStation Plus Extra/Premium on day one.

Future updates are planned, though Remedy isn’t sharing details just yet. Paid cosmetics will be available, but that’s apparently the full extent of any microtransactions.

A Promising Breach in the FPS Genre

I haven’t had a chance to go hands-on with FBC: Firebreak myself, so a grain of caution is wise. However, everything I’ve seen points toward an imaginative, fast-paced co-op experience that ditches the time-sink mentality. In a world of online shooters that demand near-daily devotion, Firebreak feels like a welcome return to jump-in, jump-out gaming. If Remedy can deliver on its potential, this might be the next must-play shooter for fans of Control and beyond.