Title: Valiant Hearts
Format: PS4(reviewed), PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC
Release Date: June 24th, 2014
Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Ubisoft Montpellier
Price: $14.99
ESRB Rating: T
Valiant Hearts gives us a new take on the effects World War 1 had on the countries who were involved, it's a sensitive and beautiful tale that you need to play yourself to experience.
Story and Presentation:Valiant Hearts takes place during World War 1, as you follow three protagonists who end up having their tales all entwined with one another. The game does a good job at making you realize that there are a lot of gray areas during War. Karl is a German citizen that lives in France with his wife and newborn son, and when war ultimately breaks out, he's forced to fight for Germany. His father-in-law, Emile, ends up fighting for France. Neither of them wish to fight, and they have little to no motivation to participate. They are ordinary people that become a small part in a massive conflict. Over the course of the game, you play as both Emile and Karl, as well as a Belgian nurse named Anna and an American named Freddie who enlists with the French Army. These characters aren't your traditional heroes that are typically found in War games. They don't mow down hundreds of enemies by themselves and they aren't dehumanized killing machines. In fact, you barely kill anyone in the game. Of course in war, casualties are expected, but Valiant Hearts does a great job of making you empathize for the fallen even though you didn't pull a trigger. The narrative is great, and in traditional Ubisoft fashion, they nail down the historical facts that helps paint an authentic picture. The visuals in the game are outstanding, making full use of the Ubi-Art framework found in Child of Light and Rayman Legends, this game is something to witness for yourself. The music as well is phenomenal in it's own right, and it quickly sent me scoured the internet for a way to buy the original soundtrack for myself. Valiant Hearts ended up being one of the most beautiful games I've played this year, not just visually either.
Core Gameplay:
Rather than sticking every character with a gun and giving them massive amounts of ammo to do damage with , Valiant Hearts takes a more cerebral approach to progressing. This a puzzler at it's core, with you solving environmental puzzles in order to progress through each side-scrolling level. Your objectives are simple most of the time, like finding objects and pulling levers to distract guards and clear the way so you can proceed onward. Your canine companion adds another dimension to puzzle solving as well, giving you enough challenge to keep you satisfied, but not brutal enough to put the game's narrative on pause. Hidden throughout a level are collectibles, these hidden objects offer up just a glimpse at what these soldiers had to suffer through during the war. Letters and war paraphernalia are all scattered across these levels, and not only giving you very interesting information on the war, it gives players incentive to go back through each level to find every collectible. There is a lot of indirect violence in the game, you're never blowing away multiple enemies at a time. You do have to shoot down dozens of planes at one point, but that's about it. The bulk of the game is spent helping others, rather than attacking people, like helping soldiers to their feet, rescuing civilians in dilapidated buildings, and various other activities. There are a variety of situations the game throws you in, but one of the highlights is the driving sequences. Over the course of the game, you'll take the wheel of Anna's vehicle, and you're thrown into these driving sequences where you must dodge enemy fire from above. What makes these sequences so enjoyable, is that the soundtrack is directly tied into the enemy's fire. This is similar to the musical levels in Rayman Legends, and it's just as enjoyable in Valiant Hearts.
Final Thoughts:
Valiant Hearts is yet another beautiful title to come from the Ubi-Art framework. A game that tugs on your emotions with beautiful visuals and sound, and a touching story that gives you a glimpse at how war effected various people that were caught in the crosshairs.
+Beautiful Story +Haunting Soundtrack +Rewarding Puzzle Elements S&S Rating: 9/10 @whatsPlay
