Firewatch is a video game that plays much less like a game and more like a good book. It’s an escapist, solitary experience that you can lose yourself in completely, with no interruptions from the world around you.
It is one of the most memorable and enjoyable games of the decade, thanks to its enthralling story, excellent voice-acting, clever script, and beautiful art style.
There’s a lot to like about this game, and in this guide, we’re going to show you how to get back in the cave. Read on for more.
A Rundown of Firewatch
Firewatch lets you know right away that it is going to be an emotional rollercoaster throughout the duration of its 5-hour gameplay time. It opens with a number of text-based choices that make callbacks to games like Zork - forebears of this genre.
We won’t spoil what happens at this part of the game, but it moves masterfully between being heart-wrenching and humorous and is a good establishment for the reason that the protagonist ends up in his position. When you first start the game, you will be gripped by Firewatch’s powerful ambiance.
The story takes place over a number of days, which are divided into the game’s chapters. They play out at different hours of the night and day, allowing for a spectrum of color that is beautifully painted onto the fictional forest that the game takes place in.
How to Play
In Firewatch, your map will always show you where you are in the world, but it won’t tell you much else. It shows you the locations of different landmarks and pathways, making the game that much more realistic. And since the landmarks are one of the only things you’ll have to help you navigate, you’ll be forced to visit them.
The game has some stunning environments and learning how to make your way around using the landmarks lets you see all of them. Navigation is done the old-fashioned way, but the forest is designed in such a way that you won’t be lost for long.
And there’s no GPS, either - Firewatch is set in 1989. Playing the game like this makes it feel more measured, and you won’t be able to know exactly where you are by looking at a HUD element.
We recommend turning off the “Show Location On Map” option, as doing so will make the game much more immersive.
You might have a hard time in the beginning, but it will teach you to pay closer attention to both your map and your surroundings, giving you a better appreciation of both.
Getting Back to the Cave
On Day 78, it will be time to head back to the cave and investigate it. You will want to make your way North from the watchtower and go down from the rocks. Take the trail that winds back to the eastern entrance of the cave, and use the key - which you found the night before - to open up the gate.
When you get into the cave, you’re going to hear the gate close behind you - it can’t be opened from your side. There will also be no reception, so you’ll just have to keep exploring. There is going to be a long drop ahead of you, so you should rather stick to the upper path.
Your ax can be used to move some stones out of your way, and you should continue on the path until you can find the exit. You will see a shaft to the right at some point - look over the edge, and you’ll see a red shoe.
When you finally find the exit, you will be far northwest of where you organically entered, south of the Hawk’s Rest clearing. If you make your way to the overhang, you will find Brian Goodwin’s hideout, now abandoned.
Wrapping Up
That concludes our guide on how to get back to the cave in Firewatch. If you haven’t played this game before, it’s definitely worth checking out. It’s funny, emotional, and stunning, and you’re sure to love it once you start playing. We hope you found this article informative.
