I have to confess that I never heard of Valiant Hearts, were it not for an article I read on NeoGaf. The game is not a triple A title, or a mainstream title at that, and most of you reading this review might have never have heard about the title if it wasn’t for this review.
The game’s story is set during World War 1, revolving around the lives of four different protagonists from different points of views during the great war. The plot is extremely well narrated, and though the game sports a very charming look, it still manages to portray the crude nature of war. The game manages to blend in the historical references from actual battles, and instances from the war, also allowing access to trivia and articles linked to the specific mission you are playing through.
The amazing bond you manage to create with each and every single character, befuddled me. I have never been so in touch with a video game character, especially ones from a 2D puzzle platformer. The writers managed to intertwine the players emotions with events experienced by the character, allowing a level of interaction, which is simply amazing.
Gameplay is solid, designed extremely well, and intuitive in terms of controls. The puzzles are simply brilliant, remnant of the great puzzle games from my childhood, which are challenging in nature, yet fun to complete. The platforming side of the game is brilliant too, progressing smoothly though out, and managing to blend in very well with the storyline. Environments are crafted amazingly well, with a brilliant design adaptation throughout. You really get the feel of being present as the war unfolds across Europe, even if aesthetics are cartooney.
Bottom-line
This game is far from being a main stream triple A title. Very minimal marketing effort has been put forward, and most of the market might never get to learn about the game. But I honestly believe that Valiant Hearts, is one of the best puzzle platforming title I have ever played.
It is amazing in every single way, and I cannot stress how great the narrative and gameplay are.
Overall Rating
10/10
