Quick Look: Valiant Hearts: The Great War

This game is great.

I've been seeing mixed reviews about this game. I'm very curious.

"There are more than 100 collectible items in Valiant Hearts! Can you find them all?"

Bam, 5 seconds in, on the title screen. Really, Ubisoft? REALLY?

I love this game. If it doesn't turn real bad towards the end, it'll be my GOTY thus far.

Really cool that Ubisoft is doing all this, just hope this is better than Child of Light...

Man, there is more Canada in this game that any other game I've ever seen.

Facepalming all the way. But now i know what this game is. Looks great.

It really grosses me out that this game invokes WWI. The art style, the game play, collectibles, facebook and twitter sharing. This game could have had any other theme and it would still be the same game. To developers out there: Stop making your game about something it's not.

Loving the pairing of Jeff and Drew for Quick Looks

Five bucks says that dog dies and that I will be pissed and upset when it does.

@mbr2: the collectables actually give brief facts and insights into the war, it's pretty neat and considerate. i get a lot out of them

i think there's something to be said about the gameplay being lighthearted puzzles in a world war setting but then i could say that about any type of gameplay in any type of war game. at some point, if you're trying to make agame enjoyable, it's always going to be at odds with the horrors of war. not to say that excuses setting a game during wartime, but valiant hearts does a far better job than most being respectful and representing the period.

and i certainly don't think a comic book art style belittles or undercuts the war (see: maus). a naive artstyle can strip away the visceral, physical horrors of a war, and instead leave you with a greater view of the psychological and sociological effects. valiant hearts isn't entirely successful in doing this, but it's commendable for trying

I'm sold. This look great.

@mbr2: The game isn't ABOUT World War One; it uses WWI as its backdrop. Changing the backdrop would change the entire mood of the game. Given that WWI took place 100 years ago and is an important historical time, it seems strange that you would be offended by the setting.

EDIT: Sorry, that last sentence may come off as abrasive. What I mean is that I don't understand why the setting makes you "grossed out". The game points out that WWI was a horrible, traumatic event on a level never seen by humanity before. It doesn't glorify war at all, and it points out that the good of humanity can emerge from the darkest places (see: The Christmas Truce).

I wish that you played as the dog.

@dasakamov: your argument kinda proves their point. using a traumatic historical period as nothing more than set dressing is insulting.

luckily, i don't believe valiant hearts does that. i feel the developers (being french) have a deep connection to world war i, and it shows. the game is littered with historical snippets and concern for the horrors of the time. it feels respectful and a damn sight better than most period-set first person shooters.

@mbr2: What is so wrong with the WWI theme. Few games have gone there, would you rather it being just another WWII game instead? It sets a very specific tone to the game, one that other wars don't bring because of the technology of that period.

Looks cheery.

@dasakamov: If the game isn't about WWI then what is it? I would say the gameplay and theme clash hard when it comes to "mood".

@mbr2: Would it still be the same game? Really?

Edit: Seems like most people get this game and what it's about. Anyway having played through chapter 1 it feels like an educational video game done right, a reverence for the subject matter that is parts informative (evoking war documentaries) as well as being stylistically exaggerated like a comic book to capture the sense of drama.

@onlineatron: Except you proved MY point by agreeing that Ubisoft DIDN'T use WWI as mere "set dressing". ;)

You didn't use the freeze frame with everyone jumping in the car as the thumbnail, that's nothing but a missed opportunity Drew.

Specifically what grosses you out about it? Why does the art style, gameplay, collectibles, etc, make the fact that the setting is centered on WWI gross? Being tonally inconsistent is a far cry from being gross, so I assume there's something else?

The game looks really good aesthetically, but gameplay wise, it looked really boring.

@village_guy: Don't make a game about fantastical puzzle solving and then set it in the thick of a historical time where millions died.

Look at the fucking dog!!!!!!!!!! its driving me crazy

Downloaded it. Looking forward to it. Seems like a really solid adventure game, story first, gameplay second type deal. By the looks of things, I don't think this game could have handled The Great War any better than it has, by making it a story about people, and the art style is fantastic.

@village_guy: Yeah, WWI could be a very interesting setting for a war story. WWII is all about heroes and villains, with the allies triumphing over adversity and defeating the indisputably evil nazis. WWI is humanity discovering the horrors of modern war through a relatively pointless and needless conflict. Depending on the story you wanted to tell, WWI could be a far better setting.

@mbr2: Not to be rude or one of those people, but there isn't a time where millions haven't died. That may sound hyperbolic, but ever non-modern game setting from Rome to the Middle Ages to the birth of the 19th century and so on feature plague, war, famine, rape, death, assault, heartless mass murder, upheaval, and generally depressing strife. Hell, even all modern set games gloss over these issues. Look at the genocides in Africa and the warsin the middle east.

I think when setting something in a difficult time, one should aim to be respectful and make a point. This game seems like it is doing that.

I'm sold. Seems interesting!

Seems a pretty respectful treatment of a war to be honest. I mean how is this more gross than WW2 FPS games?

This feels like an edutainment game

Oh, christ; I've spent far too much money on the steam sale as it is, and now I almost feel obligated to pick this up.

"Karl is his son-in law. Karl is married to Emile's wife..."

Wait, what?

but...DO make games where you actually kill soldiers from that war? This kinda seems like it has to be an all-or-nothing thing, you're okay with games taking place in war or it's never okay. This certainly seems like it has a much higher dedication to honoring people in war than any given Call of Duty or Medal of Honor.

@mrgtd: @village_guy I agree MrGtD, its an interesting hypocrisy. There's nothing in this game that makes light of the war...in fact, this game is an incredibly way for young people (and adults) to learn about the atrocities in WW1 that in all honestly, most people don't know about.

There's nothing wrong with this game, tonally. I've spent about an hour with this on the PS4 and I know I will play through the whole thing. Great game, in my opinion.

I wonder what the idea behind not giving any of the characters visible eyes was.

This seems like a pretty cool game.

I don't feel like stories have an obligation to treat historical settings with any particular tone, but the fact that they're tried to capture WWI as the horrible, insane mess that it was on an emotional level, without being explicitly violent is kind of neat.

And it looks fantastic, visually.

Freddie is likely not American, as Amercia entered the war in 1917.

He's an American who was living in Paris at the beginning of the war.

Yeah, I did a double-take a Drew's slip-of-tongue, there, too. Obviously, he meant that Karl is married to Emil's DAUGHTER. ;)

Nothing about your comment makes any sense whatsoever. The red line through the game is WWI. Without that, it wouldn't be the same game. It's like having The Walking Dead without zombies.

"Huh." - Jeff Gerstmann, Brad Shoemaker.

Needs more Brad to hype up Hardcore History!

Also PUPPIES!

This DOES look cool.

Why does it have to be all or nothing? I'm sure it's trying to do more than your CoDs and MoHs and that's admirable but that's not a high bar to beat and there are plenty of artistic works that venerably represents the time preriod like: All Quiet on the Western Front, A Farwell to Arms or even by people who did not fight in the war like Johnny Got His Gun.

@mbr2: Boy, I'm usually not the type to agree with this sort of sentiment, but...

I feel sort of grossed out, too. I mean, when they went down into that area with the big cartoony gas machine pumping chlorine gas to the surface, turned wheels and pushed boxes around until it stopped, and then picked up a urine-soaked rag as a collectible, I felt very confused, frustrated, and maybe a little offended, though I'm having a difficult time putting into words why I feel that way.

It's worth noting that the "share on twitter/facebook" buttons on the edutainment-like pages for the collectibles amplified that feeling of grossness.

I played through the game yesterday. I do have some minor issues when it comes to the Baron and battling him (it just took me out of the moment and felt kind of awkward in there). However, there is a great amount of respect shown for the source material. Even with the art style, the depictions of battles, especially towards the end, and use of chemical warfare is tragic and haunting. The collectibles impart useful and educational information that doesn't detract from the experience (even though "can you collect them all thing" is a bit much lol). Also, god damn the ending ripped my heart out and stomped all over it.

It's not a game without fault, but it is one of the more endearing works I've experience in recent memory.

vinny is the adventure game your way through his guy.

@keichan: I read your comment and I felt very confused, frustrated, and maybe a little dumber.

@stevesonaplane: Gosh, someone's grouchy.