Valiant Hearts: The Great War (Switch eShop) Review

World War 1, the war to end all wars. Which of course we now know that sadly war never changes. Much more focus is usually given to World War 2 and there are plenty of stories and games that retell events that happened while the world was tearing itself apart. This often means that World War 1 doesn’t get the same level of attention or awareness. 2014 in stepped UbiSoft, releasing Valiant Hearts: The Great War. Utilising the UbiArt engine they made a great looking game. It also had people learning more about the First World War, through endearing characters smack dab in the middle of a war worse than anyone had ever known.

While World War 2 had pretty straightforward sides of the conflict, the First World War was not so clear-cut. So an opportunity for ‘edutainment’ should be welcomed, especially within a context where the story isn’t about gunning down opposing soldiers. The catalyst for the war Archduke Franz Ferdinand has been assassinated, and war has broken out in Europe. The French are deporting their German citizens and this is where the story begins. Valiant Hearts is about the plights of Emile, Freddie, Karl, Anna and Walt, the very good boy. Karl is a German lad, married to French girl whom he has a child with. Being a German means Karl is separated from his wife and baby and is deported. Karl is then conscripted as is Emile, Karl’s Father-in-Law conscripted by the French, Freddie is an American, out for revenge against the Germans after his wife was killed by a Baron that’s woven throughout the story. Walt is a trained dog caught up in everything going on, and is a very helpful ally regardless of what side he was trained by.

The gameplay is in the Puzzle Adventure genre. Not too dissimilar from a point and click game structure only you’re in direct control, the action mostly is knocking soldiers out. The majority of the game is side-scrolling levels, where you’ll be solving environmental puzzles to keep pushing the story forward. Each character has their specific actions they can perform. Out of the 4 human characters, none are a weak link in the story and it’s even better when characters interact with one another to bring everything together. The weakest part in this tale is actually the puzzles (or some of them). Some are just time consuming busy work and feel unnecessary.

That’s not to say all the puzzle adventure parts are bad either, it just becomes a big drag when they slow down the story for too long. What makes it all worth it is the story. You learn about the First World War and how it impacts on the group given the different reasons they’re involved, and that the locations and battles and tactics actually occurred. The story never overstays its welcome and along with all the puzzles, it’s about 7-8 hours long. It can go a little longer if you also scour every level for collectables. These are items hidden throughout the level that can give some insight into an item, has some significance to the character, or how it applies to the world war.

There are some great visuals, with environments looking like they’re out of a picture book or an animated feature. Whether it’s France before soldiers are sent off to war, or the devastated battlefields littered with wrecked machines of war, it’s all very stylised using the UbiArt engine (which could do with a comeback). While the early part in France looks lovely (excluding the soldier training in the foreground), as the story progresses the visuals don’t hold back in showing how devastating war is. Although to go with its rating classification, it does show the bleakness and atrocities of war without being gory about it. Not to say that it’s all war and bleak wastelands, throughout the story, there are moments of respite where you’re away from the trenches that make you appreciate the art of the game even more. Not to leave out what the music adds to everything too. While the narrator could sometimes tone it down, the music is fitting throughout.

Valiants Hearts can do such a great job at telling a story with characters you grow to care about while also giving players the opportunity to learn. One of the unfortunate things that really stands out and clashes with the tone of the game is the main baddie, Baron Von Dorf. He is so over the top. A moustache twirling style villain may work when you have to personalise a war. But It messes with the tone, when you have the Baron taking off or chasing you in a Zeppelin like he’s Dr Robotnik. End of the day he’s necessary to give a face to everything that’s happening. Karl and Emile didn’t ask to be soldiers, Freddie is after personal revenge and Anna is helping people all the while wanting to save her Father. There are no gun-toting soldiers here, just people caught up in someone else’s fight that killed millions upon millions.

The game provides plenty of historical facts that you can look over in-game or through a menu at the start menu. There are also extras, including art from the game and a motion comic about Walt the war dog called Dogs of War. Warning: like the main game this comic will stir emotions, but it’s worth the few minutes to watch it.

Valiant Hearts: The Great War was a great and necessary story and game in 2014, and that stands for 2018 too. Not everything is perfect and it’s not for everyone, but there is great value in the story it tells and what can be discovered about a time overshadowed by the Second World War. If you want a game that’s doesn’t celebrate War but wants to teach you the futility of War, then Valiant Hearts is that game.