GAMEPLAY:
The player controls all these four figures alternately, depending on the how the story proceeds.
"Valiant Hearts" can be assigned to a single, unique genre. Rather, it is a mix of adventure, skill and puzzle game. In most cases one is concerned with solving various puzzles to reach the next section of the story (as I get the pliers to cut through the barbed wire / how do I get past the enemy soldiers ...), but must occasionally tackle as a nurse Anne breakneck car rides in a duel with enemy armored vehicles, casualties in its role to help shoot as many enemy base into the ground (in the form of a QuickTime events) or as Freddy.
The latter, incidentally one of the few moments in which you shoot on enemy targeted points. Because most Solving puzzles and problems in a peaceful manner rather unlike war shooters, in which killing the enemy is in the foreground.
The buttons control the PC, proves to learn but easy. Otherwise there is the possibility of adapting the control according to their own wishes.
The general difficulty is easily maintained, even beginners should manage to understand the puzzles and other tasks in a short time and resolve. Even if not: A "carrier pigeons function" provides on request at certain time intervals two discreet notes ready and after each death of the currently played character is given to the adventure in the last automatically saved game continues.
GRAPHICS:
This is kept in 2D, both in style and in the style of play. Thus, the player controls the characters from left to right and vice versa, in a world in comic style characters. But this is not to say that through this optic downplayed the horror of the war or is hidden. Certainly but you see no fürchtertlich disfigured faces or intestines, for enough blood and corpses to the players to remember the seriousness of these events, without wallow in these atrocities.
The graphics are very nice to look at, this kept detailed, yet clear. The figures seem alive despite limited facial expressions and language ability, the colors are often deliberately used less satiating and shrill. The animations are smooth and fluid.
MUSIC AND SYNCHRONISATION:
Dialogues are not here, the characters speak - if at all - a French / English / German colored gibberish that makes beiweilen for amusement. What the figures really mean, is displayed instead in balloons as symbols.
Rather play here especially music and sounds significant roles. The soundtrack is very nice to listen and provide many emotional moments. The only neat spoken text comes every now and then from the off, either by the narrator (the players through the action sections) or the talk about for the game characters, their own letters to the family from the off.
Menus and options:
The main menu offers the following selection options: continuation of an old saved game or start a new game, Kaptitel and collections of past achievements (quasi an overview of previously Geleistetes), options (control sound) and list of contributors.
Within a game turn are further menu items: so can be called up with the tab key diary entries, War Facts and the Items list. With F1 any clues to puzzle solutions can be displayed. But again, sound and control may be about to change, without having to switch to the main menu.
Overall, one can also not complain, everything is well laid out and available. However, there are no multiple memory locations, which can be occupied.
EXTRAS:
It is possible to collect different hidden items (each about three to five) in each section. These represent important everyday and war objects of this era and by text explains their purpose (eg provisional gas masks or war cash), often there are also original texts letter by soldiers to read from the front.
In all stages - which in turn play at different stages and types of war - there are also informative texts about battles, famine and other crises, accompanied by kolorisierten photos from this time to read.
The main characters of the game also more often give insight into their joys, concerns and needs by means of diary entries, which will be gradually expanded (depending on the game progress).
Speaking of progress: If you have particularly significant sections through and special achievements accomplished (about collecting all the hidden items) you can collect so-called achievements.
At Ubisoft's proprietary game platform "Uplay" these achievements are collected and displayed, but you can there also unlock a few Rewards. But these are only - after all beautiful - collected frames from the cutscenes. That's it but unfortunately.
Otherwise I would have as PC gamers these Achievements rather have had in Steam as to Uplay, for which I had to sign up separately to be able to play "Valiant Hearts" at all. One of the few real negative criticisms here.
CONCLUSION:
"Valiant Hearts" impressed on many levels and when has repeatedly claimed that it was one of the best games of 2014, then this statement is not unfounded.
"Valiant Hearts" is thus probably a successful and touching tribute to the French game developer Ubisoft (otherwise known for "Rayman", the "Raving Rabbids" or "Assassin's Creed") to the victims and casualties of the First World War, which not and Plink is destruction, but on puzzle solving and reminiscent of the humanity and on the outskirts of the battlefield, giving the game a certain depth.
This game is also recommended for beginners, but not necessarily children (despite the comic style).
