Published by
Laurent de Sortiraparis · Updated on June 27, 2025 at 10:14 a.m.
· Published on October 18, 2024 at 08:32 p.m.
The Federal Bureau of Control is back on PC and consoles! Come and face paranatural threats in The Old House, in FBC: Firebreak, available on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series since June 17, 2025. A three-player cooperative multiplayer game from Remedy Entertainment, which we were able to test on release... Read our review!
FBC: Firebreak, the video game from the Control franchise, is waiting for you! In anticipation of the second installment of Jesse Faden's adventures, the Federal Bureau of Control is back on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series, but in the form of three-player co-op multiplayer! This new Remedy Entertainment software, unveiled at the Xbox Partner Preview conference on October 17, has been available since June 17, 2025.
Set against the same backdrop as Control, FBC: Firebreak plunges players into the heart of the Federal Bureau of Control (FBC), where they must confront paranatural threats in L'Ancienne Maison, the iconic location of the previous game. The connected universe continues to evolve with this new installment, offering a different approach.
Conceived as a game in its own right, FBC: Firebreak is neither a sequel nor DLC for Control, despite the similarities in the universe. Game director Mike Kayatta describes the title as " a spin-off in the noble sense of the word ". The emphasis is on dynamic cooperative missions that encourage player creativity, while remaining easy to pick up. FBC: Firebreak will let players take on the role of FBC agents, equipped with paranatural artifacts to combat these threats.
Gameplay is based on a cooperative PvE loop designed for immediate action and controlled chaos. Up to three players take on the role of agents from the Federal Bureau of Control, sent into the field to contain anomalies in unstable zones known as Rifts. Each mission takes place in an environment distorted by paranormal forces and populated by hostile entities.
The core of the system is based on a deliberately absurd arsenal: modular weapons with unpredictable behavior, offbeat effects and strange interactions with the environment. Far from the dark atmosphere of Control, Firebreak opts for a lighter, more nervous approach, relying on dynamic gameplay mechanics and a deliberately crazy tone. Weapons, the central element of the experience, can be extensively customized to create zany yet tactical combinations, encouraging experimentation and cooperation. Here, Remedy takes a more accessible turn, while capitalizing on the strange and fascinating potential of its extended universe.
Apart from its gameplay, the multiplayer soft continues to enrich the Control universe with new stories. Mike Kayatta adds: " We wanted to make sure that FBC: Firebreak was a legitimate and integral part of the story and our Lore. Far from a typical game-as-a-service, it offers progression according to players' available time, without the daily pressure of unlocking content.
Our review of FBC - Firebreak:
A multiplayer game that the editorial team was able to test when it was released... And we're not quite so sure about this adventure. Let's start with the good points, namely its universe, which sticks to what made Control so good, based around a paranormal government agency and the various enemies encountered, as zany as possible, and totally normal in the game's universe. For example, the map where you have to eliminate Post-its that multiply and attack players. Not to mention the possessed objects (stapler, traffic light, Chinese lantern...) that you'll also have to eliminate, as these give bonuses to the enemies.
Gameplay is simple, even too simple, but effective: one objective, one area to clear, then on to the next. It works well on paper, but a little less so in reality, but for an entirely different reason, which we'll come to later. Another good point is the three "factions" of cleaners you can play as, which are quite complementary to each other. When you play as three players, each with their own faction, the game becomes really interesting and the mission is no less enjoyable.
Now for the not-so-good points: we mentioned the rather simple but effective gameplay, which worked on paper, but not so well in reality... The reason? Too few missions (you start with three), and extremely repetitive, which makes the gameplay just as repetitive. You get bored very quickly... Too quickly, in fact, and the "combat pass" to be completed according to the files and other objects recovered doesn't even provide that little something sufficient to renew the experience, despite the repetitiveness of the actions. It's a pity, because overall it's rather promising, and three more maps with missions would perhaps have been welcome from the outset.
Another problem is matchmaking, which doesn't work very well when you're playing alone and want to join a team. Don't expect to play with three players: 99% of the time, there will only be two of you on the missions, which is a real shame, since three-player games are much more fun (although you'll still have fun with two, as long as the player you're playing with doesn't mess things up, as is often the case). A game really made for groups of buddies, and that's a shame for the rest of us.
In conclusion, what can I say about this software? We can't say we didn't have fun, far from it, but the game won't leave a lasting impression on players, who probably won't come back to it very often, as it will most likely serve as a showcase until Control 2 comes out. It's a pity, but that's the way it is! But don't let that stop you from making up your own mind by testing the experience... Who knows, you might like it better than we did?
FBC developer trailer - Firebreak:
Something to keep you busy before the release of Control 2... And if not, we'll be diving back into Control, Alan Wake 2 and its DLC, The Lake House. To your controllers!
