There’s usually a number of a certain type of game that drops when a brand new console arrives on the scene. You know the ones, the quirky ones, the ones that utilise new tech and features — such as the Switch 2’s camera and game-sharing abilities — to give us something we haven’t seen before.
And so it is that we come to be playing Chillin’ by the Fire, one of these very sorts of early-gen experiences, this time one that’s centred around using GameShare (although you can also play solo) to effectively sit around an outdoor fire pit and shoot the proverbial. You know, catch up on old times with your pals. And with GameShare, you only need one copy to then have up to four people in total involved in the fun. So, for the price of $14.99 / £13.49, even though it’s a slim affair, you can maximise your value by having other folk who’re willing to get involved.
But involved in what exactly, you buffoon? I hear you ask. Well, besides sitting at the fire, you can walk around a small space to gather up wood to keep the flames going, a puzzle game in itself, and there are a few different places to unlock and camp at.
In fact, chillin’ isn’t necessarily a thing you’ll do a lot of early doors, as you get used to finding, chopping, and chucking wood into the fire. As a professional gamer, of course, I’m a naturally panicky person outdoors, so there was a little settling-in time before I realised that you don’t really need to sweat the technique, as they say, when it comes to your fire. Not in the normal mode at least.
So, your aim then is to keep the fire burning, sometimes for a specific amount of time, even, and you’ve got a hatchet and some tongs for picking up and chopping wood into various sizes on your chopping stump. Small is good for getting things started, etc.
You’ve also got a wind blower, which any self-respecting fire…eh…firemaker professional will know exactly what to do with. Besides this, you also get an infinite supply of marshmallows to toast. And let me tell you something, my camping cousins, I’ve burned about 1,000 of these tasty treats trying to nail it, so there’s definitely ‘game’ to be had here for anyone who thinks it’s a walking sim.
There’s then a puzzle aspect introduced as you unlock survival/challenge versions of the various camp spots the game has to offer. Now you’ll need to stack things just so and do your best a little better as the game gives you other things, like wind, to consider. Have you ever considered wind?
I’m not gonna just spoil everything — it’s all still very chill, make no mistake — but there’s more to do here than you might expect, basically. To this end, there are also a lot of things to tick off, with in-built achievements for doing certain things in certain ways that’ll keep interested parties busy for a while.
In multiplayer, you can choose to have your camera and/or mic turned on or off, and the game will show you a little circular video feed of your pal(s) that moves around to collect wood or sit at the fireside. It’s funny, cute, and amusing enough for a time. This mode also introduces the ability to converse, of course. While sitting and chatting (and, indeed, chillin’) by the fire, if you’re having trouble with topics — we can’t all be natural lily-guilders — the game will provide them on the fly, with just a press down on the D-pad giving you some random things to think on at any given time.
Beyond lots of cheevos built in, you can also spend camping points (yes, I’m being serious, what of it?) on customising your gear. So you can have a silly-looking hatchet or what have you, or a magic wand. Knock yourself out, mate, it’s all good with me. I have my own kinks to think about.
Now, it’s fairly hard to review a game like this, in all honesty, because your mileage is going to vary massively. There isn’t a whole lot to do here, and the slow movement of the camera and very small areas make it all feel a little turgid and rigid for an experience that’s meant to be about relaxing outside. So there’s a negative. Also, in related news, there’s no way to change your control layout, which is gonna be a shame for any of your squad who can’t do the default layout, for whatever reason.
However! On a more positive note, if you have family or friends in remote locations, or you want to (re)connect with people in a new way, it works fine. A game with Nintendo Life’s video legend, Felix, and I’m convinced that the tech is sound and you can see and chat to friends with very little effort expended.
Beyond those who want to use it socially, though? I’m not sure it has any legs. The core is just too shallow and simple, and I’m left wondering if this sort of thing wouldn’t work better as part of a compendium of similar social efforts that utilise the tech in cool ways. As a standalone thing, it’s sort of hard to justify, even at a reduced price, although it isn’t completely without merit.
Conclusion
Certainly a novel way to connect with pals, and not without merit in its relaxing blend of gathering wood and testing yourself to keep the fire burning, Chillin’ By The Fire has its positives. The GameShare aspects, when playing with friends, work well and are easy to set up, and it’s nice to be able to buy one copy and then invite folk along. I also enjoyed the light puzzling for a time as I worked to keep my fire alive.
However, beyond these basic aspects and some achievements, and especially for solo players, there’s not much else here.
