REVIEWS

VALIANT HEARTS: THE GREAT WAR

World War I, also known as the Great War. Mankind's largest conflict (before WWII, of course) with a final toll of ~39 million dead and wounded. For the first time, chemicals were used on a massive scale and the shell shock phenomenon was observed. Despite the huge impact it had on the course of history (international treaties, the cessation of traditional states, the consolidation of revolutions), it receives little treatment in the creative media compared to WWII (of course there's always the fourth Blackadder cycle, but that's another story). A small stone towards filling that void is being filled by Valiant Hearts: The Great War, the latest creation from Ubisoft Montpellier (Rayman Legends, Child of Light). It's a 2D puzzle game that tells the story of four people during the war up to 1917.

Beginning in 1914, it presents the historical reason for the war, the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. After the assassination, the French government expelled all German nationals from its territories in preparation for war. One of these subjects is Karl married to the French Marie. After a short time Marie's father, Emile, is recruited into the war, and the same happens for Karl in Germany. Also entering the story is the American Freddie who has volunteered to join the Allied troops, since the US officially entered the war in 1917, and Anna a Belgian veterinary student who is acting as a nurse. The stories of these characters intertwine and through the horrors of war they will try to survive, mingle and also manage to get back to their loved ones. Those who have seen the trailer know more or less what happens, as well as the possible ending. But what matters in a title like this is the journey.

valiant 1Not many words are needed to convey the necessary message/feeling.

The game's story takes full advantage of the historical background in which it is set. We are given the opportunity to learn about the major battles that took place in World War I, as well as the conditions that soldiers faced from the trenches to the battles in the tunnels. This presentation is accomplished in two ways: either through the short encyclopedic reference that the game gives for each aspect of the war, or through the descriptions found in various hidden items (collectibles) scattered throughout the game.

valiant 3The historical events are described in short paragraphs.

For these reasons, although the game is promoted as a puzzle game, I would personally classify it as an educational/educational game. Admittedly there are puzzles in the game, but they are of low difficulty. Although easy, they serve to break the monotony of the continuous narrative, which would otherwise be tedious, giving the impression of being pulled by the nose. Overall, Valiant Hearts will disappoint anyone who wants to see it for its puzzle challenge, as for an experienced gamer this is limited to just finding all the collectibles. Instead, those who like to "play" a story and gain a nugget of knowledge from the experience will enjoy it for the 7 or so hours it lasts.

valiant 2Hidden objects unlock historical clues about their origins. Through them we learn small historical details about life on the front.

The huge success of the title is that the game is practically non-violent. In fact we as players don't actually kill (almost) any opponents. The creators brilliantly avoid identifying either side with the role of "villain". The feeling throughout the game is that ordinary people in a war have nothing to part with, but are at the mercy of circumstance which is sealed by the right in the feels credit roll. In the modern era where news reports show cold-blooded killings without even the necessary warning, Valiant Hearts flawlessly manages to convey the brutality of war with an almost complete lack of graphic violence.

The game's graphics, a product of the UbiArt Framework graphics engine (Rayman Origins/Legends, Child of Light), also contribute to this area. Cartoonish but serious in style, they set the right tone for the game without weighing it down or making it look comical. In fact the whole atmosphere of the game, from the visuals to the little stories about soldiers' everyday items, leaves a bittersweet nostalgia. This is where the music comes in and ties in, with the opening notes of the title evoking another era, just like this one. However, the audio is limited to just the music, since there is no dialogue in the game, aside from some character prompts (done in real language, depending on the character).

valiant 4One of the beautiful interludes of the game is the "taxi" missions, which are dressed up with familiar classic tunes.

In conclusion, Valiant Hearts is a game with identity and character, just like Child of Light which came out a few months earlier. It's a gift that could easily be given to a pre-teen child and also played by a child themselves, each receiving different things. It's the kind of game that can certainly provide food for thought and discussion, while intriguing the player to dig deeper around WWI events. Despite dealing with one of the bloodiest periods of humanity it delivers lessons increative storytellingwithout the tone of the game becoming overly serious. Its ending may be more or less expected but it never fails to move the player thanks to the simplicity of the message it wants to convey.

Pros

  • Excellent animation
  • The player's acquaintance with history
  • Aimed at a wide age audience
  • It leaves a simple but powerful message

Cons

Cons

  • Low degree of difficulty
  • Narrative that may tire some
  • Requires UPlay
RATING - 84%

84%

Παύλος Γεράνιος

A native of Hyperborea, Pavlos has long since experienced interaction with the screen. The first games he remembers playing were Gran Prix, Test Drive, Digger and Flight for DOS at a time when most people now had Windows... This didn't deter him and he loved the Mother Platform from the very first moment. He also dabbled in the barren fringe of consoles (always at friends' houses, never his own), but it was the PC that kept him going. A lover of quality titles from all genres, he believes how the story and what the game as a medium wants to say is the main thing, not the label. There are always the exceptions of course...

14 Comments

  1. Eπ. Καλημέρες, καλή εβδομάδα.

    Ωραιότατο review. Το παιχνιδάκι εξόχως ενδιαφέρον. Στα υπόψιν.

  2. Ωραίο ριβιού κύριε Γεράνιε! Φαίνεται πολύ καλό το παιχνιδάκι. Το uplay γιατί λείπει απ’ τα αρνητικά; 😮

  3. To παιχνιδάκι ήδη έχει γίνει αγορά. Αυτή η ubisoft τον τελευταίο καιρό βγάζει συνέχεια πανέμορφους τίτλους.

  4. Gia tous perissoteroys den einai Steam. Kata ta alla, siga-siga niw8w oti pleon den einai toso arnitiko, alla dedomeno (kat’ antoistixia me to Steam stis arxes kai twra). Isws gia ayto yposyneidita na epireastika kai na min to evala sta arnitika. Sorry, gia ta greeklish!

  5. Μα ρε φίλε, δες πόσο παίρνει στο μετακρίτικ. Αυτό οφείλεται στάνταρ στην έλλειψη Δ-Ρ-Α-Σ-Η-Σ, αντρίλας και αιματοκυλίσματος.

  6. Valiant Hearts: The Great Game! Απλά τέλειο, κόντεψα να βάλω τα κλάματα στο τέλος. Παίζει να είναι το μόνο παιχνίδι που διάβασα όλα τα κείμενα του. Εδώ σε άλλα βαριέμαι να διαβάζω τα quest μου, σε αυτό όλα τα κείμενα ήταν ένα κι ένα, εξαιρετική δουλειά. Πότε θα βγει το επόμενο;

  7. Από τα πιο όμορφα και συναισθηματικά παιχνίδια που έχω παίξει εδώ και χρόνια. Πραγματικά μαγευτικό, το προτείνω ψυχωτικά και ανεπιφύλακτα!

Leave a Reply

Related Articles

Back to top button
en_USEN