Platform(s): PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Genre: 2D roguelike firefighting platformer

We’re lacking quite a few firefighting games in 2021, so it’s good that Thunderful Publishing and developer Dejima are on it with this unique 2D action title.

Part platformer, and part roguelite with random levels and a progression system, Firegirl: Hack ‘N’ Splash Rescue puts you in the shoes of the title character as she saves trapped victims in burning buildings, burning trains, and burning forests. You’re armed with a trusty hose that blasts away fire demons (literal, not metaphorical) and a fireman axe that destroy barricades and debris in the way. You can also use the hose to jettison upward and hover over pits and get to hard-to-reach places.

The more water you spray, the lower the pressure which means less distance and weaker hovering. There’s also a time limit, so if you aren’t careful, you may end up wasting time as you’re navigating a hot and hectic apartment complex. Fortunately, dousing flames will add more seconds, and there are items that can boost time, add more water to your pack, or even heal you. In fact, some places have water spouting out of broken piping; that’s an instant full water refill if you’re lucky to come across it.

Backdraft

And that’s the crux of Firegirl: luck. Some levels may have survivors placed early on in the first complex, while others require you to spend more than a minute going through building upon building to get to your first rescue victim (out of three!). You’ll have to persevere; rescuing people and animals means more fans, and more fans equal bigger cash payout if you complete the rescue mission and survive. Some rescue victims can even offer their services if you have enough money to hire them; you can hire a campaign manager to help garner more fans and fan donations with the right amount of money, for example.

Is Firegirl fun? When you get to a groove of going through many random stages and get the feel for it, then yes. However, Firegirl herself is pretty cumbersome, and purposefully so. Her water hose takes half a second to come out, while her axe smash has a bit of a startup, so you can’t go all hack-and-slash. You also need to look before you leap; I’ve died countless times because I keep forgetting to look down or up to see what hazards are waiting for me either below or above. When Firegirl takes a hit, she will get knocked back which means if there’s a bottomless pit at where she’s landing, it’s an automatic game over.

Firegirl can get tough, but only because you just need to get the hang of the slow methodical pacing and the main character’s way of moving. Once you’re in the zone, you’ll have a frolicking good time rescuing people from burning places, uncovering the game’s fire-related lore, and also powering yourself up with the cash you’ve amassed.

Go take a look at the gameplay we’ve recorded below, and have a good laugh at how much we’ve failed while somehow uncovering the plot doing so.