| 1979 Revolution: Black Friday | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | iNK Stories |
| Publisher(s) | iNK Stories |
| Director(s) | Navid Khonsari |
| Producer(s) |
|
| Writer(s) |
|
| Composer(s) | Nima Fakhrara |
| Engine | Unity |
| Platform(s) | |
| Release | April 5, 2016
|
| Genre(s) | Adventure, interactive drama |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
1979 Revolution: Black Friday is an adventure interactive drama video game developed and published by iNK Stories, with assistance from by N-Fusion Interactive. It was released for OS X, Windows, and Android and iOS devices in 2016, and for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One in 2018. The player controls Reza Shirazi, an aspiring photojournalist, who returns to Iran amidst the Iranian Revolution. As he becomes more involved in the events of the Revolution, Reza is forced to make decisions in order to survive. The player make timed responses throughout the game, determining the outcome of the plot. They are tasked with taking in-game photographs of their surroundings, and given historical background of the events.
The game was in development for four years and was created to combine elements from video games and documentaries with an engaging narrative. Game director Navid Khonsari, who was a child in Iran at the time of the Revolution, developed the game with the intention of making the player understand the moral ambiguity of the situation. The development team conducted extensive research, interviewing historical scholars and Iranians who lived in Tehran during the Revolution and gathering numerous archival photos and historical speeches. Cast performances were recorded using motion capture and each character was developed with ambiguous attitudes and morals.
1979 Revolution was well received by critics, with praise particularly directed at the narrative, characters, performances, and historical representations, though some criticism was directed at the quick-time sequences and visual quality. The game was criticized by an Iranian journalist who declared it as propaganda. Khonsari consequently felt afraid to reenter Iran and other members of the development team adopted aliases for protection. The game was nominated for multiple year-end accolades from several gaming publications.