FIRESTARTERS Episode One Guide: Story Mode, Arcade Mode, and Combat Tips

FIRESTARTERS Episode One at a Glance

FIRESTARTERS launched into Steam Early Access on October 28, 2026, and Episode One is the game’s opening slice—not a finished 1.0 campaign. According to the official FIRESTARTERS Steam page, Episode One includes the first part of Story Mode plus an unlockable Arcade Mode with global leaderboards.

That makes this FIRESTARTERS episode one guide a systems guide rather than a mission-by-mission walkthrough. Studio Kerosene has not published a public level list or boss order in the available material, so the useful advice is about movement, combat, resource management, and unlocking Arcade Mode.

What Episode One includes, based on verified store and press information:

• The opening portion of Story Mode
• Arcade Mode, unlocked through Story Mode progression
• Six weapons and a movement kit built around rocket skates
• No health, armor, or ammunition pickups in STEEL arenas
• A score chase built around speed, multipliers, and global rankings

The developers describe the base gameplay, story, and combat systems as complete and functional, but subject to change during Early Access. Four episodes are planned before version 1.0, with an estimated 18 to 24 months in Early Access.

How Story Mode Works in Episode One

Story Mode follows Kera, a former delinquent from Okinawa who becomes the designated fighter for a prisoner team called the Firestarters. The setup is a livestreamed gladiator bloodsport called STEEL, run by a Japanese crime syndicate. Visual novel–style cutscenes frame the action between combat encounters.

The playable loop is straightforward: watch story scenes, enter a STEEL arena, clear a Storm, and move on. A Storm is the game’s term for a combat encounter. The official page says completing a Storm for the first time in the story unlocks that Storm for Arcade Mode.

Do not expect Episode One to resolve the full story. It is the first part of the main Story Mode, and later episodes are planned as free updates for Early Access buyers. Treat the opening episodes as a tutorial for the scoring loop as much as a narrative prologue.

Movement Is the First Skill to Learn

FIRESTARTERS is a movement shooter first. Kera’s rocket skates let her skate, slide, grind, and ground pound through arenas built like skateparks rather than cover-based shooting galleries. Standing still works against the design.

A Coloured Static Press hands-on preview described the game as “almost allergic to standing still” and said the arenas are designed to be traversed rather than treated as rooms for taking cover. The preview also noted that clean runs depend on sustaining momentum, lining up the next threat, and keeping the score moving.

Practical movement priorities for Episode One:

• Chain rails, ramps, and turns instead of stopping after each kill.
• Use slides and grinds to keep speed while repositioning.
• Learn the arena layout before chasing a high score.
• Expect a busy HUD; the preview noted that dense effects and warnings can compete for attention when the action accelerates.

The preview’s readability concern is worth keeping in mind. Until the interface changes, focus on arena geometry and enemy positions rather than staring at every HUD element.

Combat and Resource Management

The official page lists six weapons, and the arena design removes traditional safety nets. There are no health, armor, or ammunition pickups in a STEEL Arena. Instead, players take what they need from defeated androids, according to MonsterVine’s launch coverage.

MonsterVine quoted lead developer Alex Harte saying there are “no safety nets in the arenas of Steel” and that hunting is the path to survival. That line sums up the combat rhythm: aggression is not just a scoring strategy; it is how you sustain the run.

Combat advice supported by the available material:

• Do not retreat to look for pickups that do not exist.
• Push toward the next android to recover resources.
• Use the practice and training spaces shown in previews to test weapons and movement.
• Treat every fight as a scoring attempt, not just a survival check.

Because the game is in Early Access, weapon balance and enemy behavior may change. Avoid building a permanent tier list around the current build.

Unlocking and Using Arcade Mode

Arcade Mode is the main reason to replay Episode One. After completing a Storm for the first time in Story Mode, return to it in Arcade Mode to set an official high score. The mode tracks performance on global leaderboards, and the official page frames the progression as beating your personal best, then your Steam friends, then the wider player base.

The scoring loop rewards pace. A Coloured Static Press preview noted that the HUD tracks remaining enemies, score, and multipliers, and that clean runs are about staying on the move long enough to make the score worth chasing. In practice, that means Arcade Mode is less about clearing a room and more about routing through it efficiently.

Useful Arcade priorities:

• Learn a Storm in Story Mode before trying to score it.
• Watch enemy count and multipliers as you move.
• Prioritize fast kills and uninterrupted movement over cautious clears.
• Replay the same Storm to learn its rails, ramps, and spawn flow.

Arcade Mode is unlockable content, not a separate campaign. It is where Episode One’s leaderboard chase lives.

What to Know Before Buying Episode One

Episode One is an Early Access release, so the usual caveats apply. The base systems are functional, but Studio Kerosene says they may change as new content is developed. The studio plans four episodes before 1.0 and estimates 18 to 24 months in Early Access.

The game was listed at $9.99 on Steam at the time of writing, and Coloured Static Press reported a UK launch price of £6.99. The developers have said the price may rise as content is added, while Early Access buyers receive subsequent content updates before the full release for free.

The old demo was delisted when Early Access launched, according to a Steam community demo notice. If you are deciding whether to jump in now, weigh the score-chasing loop and current Episode One content against the fact that the full story is still unfolding.

No official completion time for Episode One appears in the available sources. Treat fixed length claims as unverified until the developer publishes more detail.

FAQ

What is included in FIRESTARTERS Episode One?

Episode One includes the first part of Story Mode and an unlockable Arcade Mode. It also includes the base combat and movement systems, six weapons, and global leaderboard scoring. It is not the complete 1.0 story.

How do you unlock Arcade Mode in FIRESTARTERS Episode One?

Complete a Storm for the first time in Story Mode, then return to that Storm in Arcade Mode. Arcade Mode is where you set official high scores and compete on global leaderboards.

Are there health or ammo pickups in FIRESTARTERS?

No. STEEL arenas do not have health, armor, or ammunition pickups. Players are expected to take resources from defeated androids, which pushes the combat toward aggression and momentum.

How long is FIRESTARTERS Episode One?

Studio Kerosene has not published an official completion time in the available material. This FIRESTARTERS episode one guide therefore avoids a fixed hour count; the game is in Early Access, and content may change as later episodes arrive.