Dejima and Thunderful have announced Firegirl: Hack 'n Splash Rescue DX, an overhauled version of their 2021 firefighting platformer. It'll bring big balance changes, improved level design, and more, and it's heading to PC and consoles later this month.
What is Firegirl: Hack 'n Splash Rescue DX?
Firefighting roguelite Firegirl: Hack 'n Splash Rescue was originally announced way back in June 2021. Following that announcement, I got some time to sit down with the game and concluded that it probably needed some extra work if it wanted to make a serious impression. Now, it looks like developer Dejima is putting that work in, because it's announced Firegirl: Hack 'n Splash Rescue DX, a reworked version of the game that contains lots of balance changes and updates to factors like level design and the skill tree.
According to Dejima, Firegirl: Hack 'n Splash Rescue DX will feature new enemies and reworked environments, as well as streamlining of the game's upgrade tree. You'll also notice that the difficulty curve has been rebalanced (hopefully to make the earlier stages of the game a little less brutal), and level design has been improved as well. Dejima says this should make "a playstyle focused on extinguishing enemies" more viable. Exits will be easier to find, water refills will be more plentiful, and the income system "has been rebuilt from the ground up". These all sound like extremely positive changes, so I'm excited to see what the game looks like after the update.
When is the Firegirl: Hack 'n Splash Rescue DX release date?
You'll be able to check out all the changes to Firegirl: Hack 'n Splash Rescue DX when it launches for PC and consoles on June 22nd. This will mark the first time the game has appeared on consoles, but if you own the PC version, you'll be granted access to all of the DX version changes for free as part of a major update. Along with Curve Digital's Embr, this game is one of a handful of firefighting titles out there, so I'm rooting for it to succeed. Here's hoping the changes are enough.
If you want to check out the game as it currently stands, then you can buy it right now on Steam, where it'll set you back $17.99. Remember, you get the DX version for free as an update if you buy the base game, so you're not losing out if you pick it up now. When it launches for consoles, Firegirl will also be available on PlayStation consoles, Xbox platforms, and Nintendo Switch. Here's hoping this game marks the start of a new wave of firefighting sims (Burning Rangers remaster, anyone?).
