FIRESTARTERS Episode One Explained: Story Mode, Arcade Mode, and What's Next

What FIRESTARTERS Episode One Actually Contains

FIRESTARTERS launched into Steam Early Access on October 28, 2026, and the build you download today is Episode One — nothing more, nothing less. That matters because the game's own store page describes Early Access as an evolving project with three more episodes still to come. Knowing exactly what Episode One includes keeps you from buying on assumptions about content that hasn't shipped yet.

According to Studio Kerosene's Early Access notes, Episode One contains two distinct pieces: the first part of the main Story Mode, and an unlockable Arcade Mode where players chase high scores on global leaderboards. The developer states that the base gameplay, story, and combat systems are already complete and functional, though all of it remains subject to change as new content is developed.

So the honest answer is straightforward: Episode One is a story chapter plus a replayable score-attack mode, not a finished campaign.

Story Mode: Kera, STEEL, and the Opening Chapter

The fiction is the spine of Episode One. You play as Kera, a former delinquent street kid from Okinawa who is now a prisoner and the designated fighter for STEEL's newest team of inmates, the Firestarters. STEEL itself is a top-rated livestreamed gladiator bloodsport run by a Japanese crime syndicate, and Kera fights both to earn freedom for her new friends and to atone for her past.

Between combat encounters, the story is delivered through visual novel–style cutscenes. A hands-on preview from Coloured Static Press noted that these anime-style dialogue scenes give the project personality beyond its mechanical influences, and that the studio's challenge will be developing those relationships and stakes in later episodes.

Episode One covers the opening portion of that arc. It is not the full story — the developer plans four episodes in total before version 1.0.

Arcade Mode: Where the Scoring Loop Lives

Arcade Mode is the second half of the Episode One package, and it's the part that gives the episode legs after the credits of a chapter roll. The structure works like this: after you complete a Storm (the game's term for a combat encounter) for the first time in the story, that Storm becomes available to replay in Arcade Mode for an official high score.

From there the ladder is simple and competitive:

• Beat your own personal best.
• Beat your Steam friends' scores.
• Push toward the top of the global leaderboard.

The Steam page frames this as part of STEEL's in-fiction audience demand — spectators want faster kills and higher scores, not just survival. MonsterVine's launch coverage likewise notes that clearing an encounter is only part of the challenge, since the game pushes for speed and score.

The Movement and Combat Rules You Need First

Episode One doesn't ease you in with pickups. The Steam listing is explicit: there are no health, armor, or ammunition pickups in a STEEL arena. Instead, resources come from defeated androids, which rewards aggression over turtling. Lead developer Alex Harte put it plainly in MonsterVine's coverage: there are no safety nets, and hunting is the path to survival.

Your toolkit for that is fixed and readable:

• A performance-enhancing STEEL Battlesuit and a custom pair of rocket skates.
• Six weapons, described as an "expert-curated suite of Arena FPS weaponry."
• Traversal options including skating, sliding, grinding, and ground pounding.

Arenas are built as skateparks rather than cover-shooter rooms, with rails, ramps, and sharp turns. The official FIRESTARTERS Steam page is the best reference for the full control and system details, including the minimum and recommended PC specs, which the developer warns are not final.

One caveat worth repeating from the Coloured Static Press preview: in their short session, dense HUD elements and stark effects could compete for the eye during fast action. That's a single outlet's impression, not a verdict.

Episode One's Place in the Early Access Roadmap

Studio Kerosene intends to ship four "Episodes" as major content releases before 1.0, and estimates Early Access will last roughly 18 to 24 months. Episode One is the initial release; the remaining episodes arrive as free updates for anyone who buys during Early Access.

Pricing reflects that plan. The Steam listing shows $9.99, and Coloured Static Press reported a UK launch price of £6.99, with the developer stating that the price will gradually rise as new content and features ship. Buying early locks in the later episodes at no extra cost.

A few details remain genuinely unconfirmed:

• No release schedule has been announced for Episodes Two through Four.
• The developer notes the four-episode count "may change in the future."
• Steam Deck compatibility is listed as unknown.
• The pre-launch demo was delisted from Steam when Early Access began, per the developer's own announcement.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is included in FIRESTARTERS Episode One? Episode One is the initial Early Access release and contains the first part of the main Story Mode plus an unlockable Arcade Mode with global leaderboards. It is not the complete game.

Do I need to finish the story to play Arcade Mode? Arcade Mode is unlockable, and individual Storms become available for scoring runs after you clear them in Story Mode for the first time. The developer has not published a more detailed unlock condition.

How many episodes will FIRESTARTERS have? Studio Kerosene currently plans four episodes before version 1.0, with Episode One already released and the rest arriving as free updates during Early Access. The studio has said that number could change.

How much does FIRESTARTERS Episode One cost? The Steam listing shows $9.99, with a reported UK launch price of £6.99. The developer plans gradual price increases as new content ships, but Early Access buyers receive all subsequent content updates before full release at no additional cost.