Firefighting Simulator - The Squad Review Summary

Accurate firefighting experience: Players appreciate the game's accurate representation of firefighting, including the use of trucks and tactical teamwork. The game is considered one of the best firefighting simulators available.

Realistic fire mechanics: The game is praised for its realistic fire mechanics, including fire propagation, smoke simulation, and different types of fires. These details make the firefighting experience feel alive and authentic.

High-quality graphics and sound: The game features good graphics and sound effects that enhance the overall atmosphere. Players appreciate the visual and auditory details that contribute to the immersive experience.

Open world and varied missions: The game features an open-world map with various missions that unlock over time. Players can control firefighters and assign different tasks, adding depth to the gameplay.

Good optimization and AI: The game is well-optimized and features good AI management, contributing to smooth gameplay dynamics. Players appreciate the technical aspects that enhance the overall experience.

Poor AI behavior: The AI in the game is often criticized for being unintelligent, unresponsive, and sometimes getting in the way. This includes issues with AI squad members and firefighters not performing tasks effectively.

Repetitive mission structure: Players frequently mention that the missions lack variety and become monotonous quickly. This is a common issue that affects the overall enjoyment and replayability of the game.

Unrealistic gameplay mechanics: The game is criticized for its lack of realism, particularly in firefighting mechanics, fire behavior, and overall simulation. Players expect more accurate and detailed simulations.

Frequent bugs and crashes: The game suffers from numerous bugs and frequent crashes, which disrupt the gameplay experience. This includes issues in both single-player and multiplayer modes.

Lack of content and depth: Many players feel that the game lacks sufficient content and depth, including a lack of variety in missions, detailed tasks, and an open world. This makes the game feel shallow and incomplete.

Tactical teamwork and firefighting mechanics: The game emphasizes tactical teamwork to control fires, including coordinating tasks like navigating fire trucks, deploying hoses, rescuing civilians, and extinguishing fires. It involves detailed firefighting tasks and tools, with AI firefighters assisting in various roles.

Realistic fire behavior and simulation: The game features realistic fire dynamics and behavior, with fires spreading randomly based on environmental conditions. Understanding fire propagation is crucial for effective firefighting.

Variety of mission types: The game offers a variety of missions, including residential fires, warehouse fires, and vehicle fires. Missions range from simple trash can fires to large-scale fires in multi-story buildings.

Multiplayer and co-op modes: The game offers multiplayer functionality, including a multiplayer mode for up to four players and co-op gameplay, which is described as fun and engaging.

Comprehensive firefighting experience: The game includes driving to the event, setting up equipment, and actual firefighting. It also covers the difficulties of navigating fire trucks through traffic and the cleanup process after the fire is out.

Frequent game crashes: Many players report that the game crashes often, especially in multiplayer mode. This issue severely impacts the gameplay experience.

Occasional bugs: Players have noted occasional bugs, including specific issues like NPC stacking and various glitches.

FPS drops: Significant FPS drops are reported by many players, affecting the smoothness of the gameplay.

Optimization issues: There are reports of gameplay optimization issues and performance problems, especially on lower-end PCs.

Driving mechanics issues: The driving mechanics are criticized for feeling heavy, awkward, or unrealistic. Some players find them too simple or soft.

Recommended for firefighting fans: The game is highly recommended for those interested in firefighting and simulation games.

Specific improvements needed: Players have suggested various specific improvements such as adjustable water jets, more missions, better vehicle details, and improved immersion elements.

Buy on sale: Many players suggest purchasing the game during a sale for better value.

Better with friends: Playing with friends enhances the experience significantly.

Not recommended at full price: Several reviews advise against buying the game at its full price, suggesting it's not worth it.

Steam Deck: The analysis of user feedback reveals significant technical issues with the game, particularly concerning controller support and game stability. Several users report bugs, glitches, and fatal errors that crash the game, which are critical barriers to a seamless gaming experience. Additionally, there are mentions of the game not launching on certain systems. Despite these issues, some users provide positive feedback on the control scheme, indicating that it is well-implemented and functional. The game's difficulty is also noted, with comments suggesting a wide range of challenge levels.

Players mention Steam Deck: Some players have mentioned playing the game on Steam Deck, indicating interest in its compatibility and performance on this platform.