At first glance, developer Campo Santo’s 2016 indie sleeper hit Firewatch doesn’t seem like a game ripe for a shared universe or a stealth sequel of any kind. It’s an intimate, self-contained story about a lonely man in the midst of a midlife crisis who retreats to a fire lookout job in the Wyoming wilderness during the summer of 1989. The minimalist emphasis on dialogue, artwork, and voice acting over dynamic gameplay also isn’t one that’s easy to replicate.
Indeed, the studio’s anticipated sophomore effort, In the Valley of the Gods, sounds like a completely different animal as a game. Set in 1920s Egypt, the player controls Rashida, a disgraced explorer and filmmaker who sets out on one last journey to set things right. By her side is Zora, a former partner she swore to never work with again. The adventure story also seems to have life-or-death stakes attached to the player’s actions, unlike the more Telltale Games-esque predetermined trajectory Firewatch utilized.
Yet judging by what few morsels of information are available, In the Valley of the Gods does appear to be a spiritual sequel (or, based on in-game timeline, perhaps more of a spiritual prequel) to Firewatch. Much like Henry, Rashida is a weary professional who escapes to nature to find herself. Both stories transpire in richly detailed, remote settings during specific time periods. Gameplay emphasizes interacting with the environment and capturing key moments with a camera. Lastly, the protagonist navigates their journey with the aid of a colleague of questionable trustworthiness.
When In The Valley of the Gods Is Coming
Whatever level of spiritual kinship In the Valley of the Gods will share with its predecessor likely won’t be revealed for quite some time, however. The removal of any mention of In the Valley of the Gods from Campo Santo’s official site and social media accounts in late 2019 seemed to indicate cancellation. In December of that year, it was announced that the game was officially on hold so Campo Santo developers could focus their energy on titles like Half-Life: Alyx and Dota Underlords for Valve, who purchased the studio in 2018.
Whatever the wait ends up being to experience In the Valley of the Gods, it should be worth it. Firewatch was a rare kind of game, one whose bracing humanity set itself apart from others and still resonates with many players. Marrying that pathos with an exotic adventure has the potential for an impact just as, if not more, indelible than Henry’s isolated summer in Thorofare.