While a lack of voice chat wasn’t the biggest problem with FBC: Firebreak when it released in June, it was certainly one of the issues that led it to fall flat with myself and players in general. Given Firebreak is a cooperative shooter where teamwork is crucial to survival, being able to communicate with friends verbally is kinda important. True, there are plenty of third-party options for voice-chat these days. But sorting that out can be a pain in the arse, especially when you’re playing across multiple platforms.
Better, if you’re making a dedicated cooperative experience, to ensure voice chat is integrated into that. It took five months, but Firebreak has finally done this. In a Steam post Remedy announced that it has added “cross-platform voice chat” into all versions, letting you finally gab with your pals in the Oldest House without migrating to Discord.
These upgrades can be straightforward power boosts, or they can “twist your abilities in unexpected ways.” Upgrades also stack, which Remedy says results in “wild, game-breaking synergies” that you’ll deploy against new enemy combinations and elite foes. The mode comes with its own system of rewards, too, some of which can be brought into the existing, Left 4 Dead-ish game mode.
In short, it’s Firebreak by way of Vampire Survivors. Hardly the most original idea in the world, but it could be a smart one, nonetheless. Age of Empires 4 recently introduced a similar mode in its latest DLC, and that proved a big hit with fans. Hence, it’s entirely possible Endless Shift could be the shot in the arm Firebreak needs.
And Firebreak really does need it. The recent Breakpoint update failed to restore player confidence in Remedy’s shooter, and as such the studio has been forced to eat a non-cash impairment of €14.9 million. If anything, I’m surprised Remedy continues to support it, so I hope its dedication pays off next year.