Firegirl: Hack ‘n Splash Rescue DX Review

For some reason, I have an appreciation for firefighting games. I don’t have any logical reason for liking them; I’ve never wanted to be a firefighter and no one close to me has been one. Everyone has a basic understanding of what they do, and when responding to a fire, the job seems like it would be action-packed. I think the reason I’m drawn to these games is that I want to see how the developers translate that action into their video games. Some games, like Embr, take a humorous route, upping the action and introducing preposterous situations. While others, such as Firefighting Simulator – The Squad take a more realistic approach. The game I am reviewing today, Firegirl: Hack ‘n Splash Rescue DX, developed by Dejima Games and published by Thunderful Games, skews closer to the former.

Like most games I review I was originally drawn to the game due to its art style. Firegirl: Hack ‘n Splash Rescue DX features a unique and attractive combination of pixel art for the characters and 3D assets for the environment. The game itself, however, is a 2D side scroller. Overall the aesthetic for the game fits wonderfully, the color choices make everything pop and the design as a whole is on point. At times I found myself scanning the buildings in the background admiring the different details like neon signs. Another thing I like is how you usually cannot see what’s in the next room, which builds the tension. I’d imagine that’s how it would be for real firefighters in the field.

Before I started the game I was under the impression that it was a roguelite and while it does have some characteristics of that sub-genre I wouldn’t say it’s a perfect fit. The game stars a young rescue officer who is new to the job and I was surprised to learn that the game has a passable and somewhat entertaining story. Fires are breaking out all over the city. The fire chief and mayor want to get things under control but there have been reports of monsters in the fire. These reports are true; the most common fire you encounter, little blaze clusters, all have faces. Other fire takes on the appearance of animals such as birds and bats, and then there are larger, more monster-like fires as well. It’s your job as Firegirl to keep these fires under control, but as you work your way through the game you’ll realize that some sinister elements are at play.

The main gameplay loop involves you heading out on missions and then returning, hopefully victorious and fully rewarded with money that you can use to hire recruits that will allow you to invest in a number of upgrades (if you die or run out of time you return with only a small amount of reward money). There are four styles of level: apartment building, subway, forest, and fancy hotel. Each level layout is randomly generated using an assortment of handmade rooms and assets and your goal is to work your way through the level rescuing a set number of civilians in the mission. If you rescue everyone and escape then you will get the full reward payment which is determined by your fans. These can be increased in a number of ways. One example is that most levels have pets/animals that can also be saved. When you rescue one of these your fan numbers increase.

There are plenty of fire monster obstacles you need to deal with as well, however strangely enough there is no requirement to actually put out the fire, so you can just avoid the fire if you wish. The water hose shooting mechanic is somewhat satisfying, although simple. When firing your hose you are planted in place and cannot move. Perhaps the most interesting mechanic is the hose-assisted jump. Anytime you are airborne you can press the right trigger and you will shoot the hose beneath you, allowing you to hover and gain altitude. This can be used to scale very high obstacles if activated right after jumping. You can also use the technique to cross treacherous gaps. You do take fall damage in this game so having the ability to hover – sometimes at the last second – is very useful. The moment-to-moment gameplay is enjoyable; I ended up playing the entire game in one sitting, which is rare for me nowadays. It took me roughly five hours. However, I feel like the fire extinguishing gameplay could be more intense, having the player stand still when firing makes sense, but it feels kind of boring. Once you get the hang of the game and purchase a few upgrades it becomes pretty easy. Perhaps they could have fixed this by throwing more enemies at the player. Alternatively, they could have allowed you to fire while moving which could have given the game a much more dynamic feel, especially with the water-powered jump which is truly the high point of the gameplay. 

The four different types of levels go a long way in keeping the game from getting stale. Each level is pretty unique. I played through each one many times, with random layouts each time, of course, and my favorite has to be the apartment building; it just has a classic firefighter feel to it and I love how there are outdoor sections on roofs and fire escapes. The subway train levels stand out as well due to their distinct design. You have to platform your way to the front of a burning train; some cars are smashed together, and others have come loose and are slowly moving away, meaning you might have to attempt a massive jump to continue.

The hotel level adds some new design elements such as large rooms with water fountains, elevators, and chandeliers way up high. You can use the water fountains to boost yourself high up and as a plus, they also refill your water gauge. That’s one thing you have to keep an eye on – your water gauge, when it runs out you can still shoot short blasts of your hose at fire enemies but you are unable to use the hose to jump boost. Luckily there are numerous sources to refill your water, such as the water jug items, and each level has specific in-level refill spots such as the hotel’s fountain or the broken toilets in the apartment levels. My least favorite level layout is the forest. It does provide you with a lot of open-air platforming from tree to tree, but overall I felt like it was the least interesting of the four.

Rounding out the gameplay are a handful of boss encounters, these are the first time where I really felt challenged in terms of gameplay. Unfortunately, you can’t replay these levels. One other thing I should mention is that the game doesn’t penalize you for dying. You don’t lose anything when you die, which is why I wouldn’t really call it a roguelite. 

Conclusion

At first, I was a little disappointed that Firegirl: Hack ‘n Splash Rescue DX wasn’t really a roguelite, since it lacks any penalty for death, but then I quickly found myself having a blast – beating the game in one sitting. I love games where I can just kick back, relax, and not have to worry about missing important elements of the game or achievements and this game fits that description perfectly. If you’re looking for a quick and fun distraction, Firegirl: Hack ‘n Splash Rescue DX could be just the thing to extinguish your boredom.

This game was reviewed based on Xbox One review code, using an Xbox One console. All of the opinions and insights here are subject to that version. Game provided by publisher.