There is a particular kind of arcade shooter that feels almost allergic to standing still. FIRESTARTERS, the high-speed indie FPS from Studio Kerosene, looks determined to make that its entire personality. In the build we played, a pair of rocket skates, a crowded arena and a relentless scoring system gave us plenty of reason to keep moving. We enjoyed the experience, and we can see the potential for something genuinely thrilling as the game develops.
Hands-on note: Our impressions and original screenshots/footage come from our own PC session on 30 October 2026. Studio Kerosene separately stated on 27 October that the older demo no longer reflected the quality of the Early Access release. We have not independently established whether our access used the same build as the latest Episode One update. This is a first-impressions preview, not a comprehensive or scored review.
Speed is more than a party trick
Our hands-on capture shows the scale of FIRESTARTERS’ red industrial arenas.
What immediately appealed to us was the rhythm of the action. In the footage we captured, the game tracks remaining enemies, scores and multipliers while pushing the player through vast arenas of rails, ramps and sharp turns. Our runs moved between bright, almost sun-bleached training spaces and dramatic red-lit industrial interiors. Both are designed to be traversed rather than treated as rooms in which to take cover.
FIRESTARTERS wants momentum. A clean run is not simply about surviving the current encounter; it is about staying on the move, lining up the next threat and sustaining the pace long enough to make the score worth chasing. That emphasis gave us a genuinely enjoyable reason to try again rather than treating each arena as a checklist of targets.
Its interface makes that intent unmistakable. Multipliers, enemy counters, ammunition warnings and synchronisation values remain prominent throughout combat. The experience has a strong arcade identity, with each run offering another chance to learn the space, make fewer mistakes and squeeze more from the mechanics. When it clicks, the movement-and-shooting combination has the ingredients for the kind of game that makes “one more attempt” turn into several.
A contrasting practice arena, captured during our gameplay session.
A colourful bloodsport with a story behind it
Visual-novel-style dialogue brings character and context between combat encounters.
There is more going on than a succession of combat rooms. In FIRESTARTERS’ fiction, Kera is a convicted former street delinquent forced to fight for her freedom in STEEL, a brutal broadcast bloodsport controlled by a criminal syndicate. Studio Kerosene uses visual-novel-style exchanges to introduce the characters and frame the action.
We saw that contrast firsthand. The ferocious, red-and-black arena aesthetic gives way to expressive character portraits and radio dialogue, including transmissions from Match, before throwing the player back into the contest. It is an interesting combination: there is a recognisable character-driven heart beneath the hard-edged arcade shell.
Those scenes also give the project some personality beyond its mechanical influences. We are interested to see whether later episodes can develop the relationships and stakes while keeping the immediacy of the action intact.
What we would like to see improved
An additional original gameplay capture from our session.
Our biggest request is straightforward: controller support. With so much emphasis on momentum, turns, boosts and carefully timed attacks, this feels like a particularly appealing candidate for gamepad play. We would love a controller option that makes skating and fighting feel as natural as the game’s central idea deserves. We are not claiming that a future controller update has been announced; it is simply the feature we most want to see addressed.
There is also a balance to strike between spectacle and readability. The red industrial spaces have a striking identity, but a dense HUD, stark effects and multiple simultaneous warnings can compete for the eye when the action accelerates. The clear score feedback is useful; ensuring that players can always read the arena itself will be equally important. These suggestions reflect our short hands-on session and should not be taken as a comprehensive assessment of the current or any subsequent updates.
Episode One is already here, but this is not a final verdict
FIRESTARTERS entered Steam Early Access on 28 October 2026. Studio Kerosene says Episode One introduces the opening story and unlockable Arcade Mode, where players can chase global leaderboard positions. The plan is for four story episodes in total, with the remaining chapters arriving as free updates for Early Access owners. The UK launch price is £6.99, with increases planned as additional content arrives.
The developer has also said it built the game on its own engine, a notable undertaking for an independent team. That claim, and any promises about technical performance, are Studio Kerosene’s rather than independent findings from our short session.
Our early impression
FIRESTARTERS already has the most important part of its pitch: a reason to be played fast. We found the build enjoyable, appreciated the pressure to maintain momentum and liked the contrast between its aggressive arenas and colourful, character-led presentation. Controller support remains high on our wish list, and a longer session with the latest Episode One build will be needed before we make wider judgements.
For now, this is an indie project we want to keep watching. If Studio Kerosene can build on the pace that made our first session so entertaining, the finished FIRESTARTERS could be an absolute blast.
Disclosure: This preview was prepared for a PressEngine coverage opportunity using our own hands-on footage and screenshots. We have not independently established whether the build used for this session is identical to the latest Episode One release. This is not paid promotional copy or a final scored review.
Find out more: FIRESTARTERS on Steam. Release and roadmap information verified against Studio Kerosene’s official Steam listing and 29 October launch announcement.