| Valiant Hearts: The Great War | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Ubisoft Montpellier |
| Publisher(s) | Ubisoft |
| Director(s) | Yoan Fanise Paul Tumelaire |
| Producer(s) | Bruno Galet |
| Designer(s) | Julien Chevallier Simon Chocquet-Bottani |
| Programmer(s) | Stéphane Fricard |
| Artist(s) | Paul Tumelaire |
| Writer(s) | Gabrielle Shrager Matt Entin Ed Kuehnel Gerard Barnaud |
| Composer(s) | Jason Moran |
| Engine | UbiArt Framework |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows PlayStation 3 PlayStation 4 Xbox 360 Xbox One iOS Android Nintendo Switch Stadia |
| Release | 25 June 2014
|
| Genre(s) | Puzzle, adventure |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Valiant Hearts: The Great War[a] is a 2014 puzzle adventure game developed by Ubisoft Montpellier and published by Ubisoft. The game was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One in June 2014. Set during World War I, the game follows four characters who help a young German soldier find his love in a story about survival, sacrifice, and friendship. Players solve puzzles by interacting with various objects and people. The characters are accompanied by a dog named Walt who helps players solve puzzles. Collectible items hidden in each chapter reveal facts about the war.
The development team's goal was to assist players to remember World War I during its centenary in 2014. The team stayed away from creating a war game or a first-person shooter and focused instead on depicting the trials and tribulations of soldiers on both sides during the war. To ensure the game was historically accurate, the team listened to first-hand accounts of the war, read letters written by enlisted soldiers and traveled to the remains of wartime trenches in France. As the team had no experience working on a puzzle game, they took inspiration from old LucasArts adventure games as well as titles like The Cave. Valiant Hearts utilises UbiArt Framework which was previously used in Rayman Legends.
Upon release, The Great War received generally positive reviews. Critics praised the game's themes, visuals, animation, and music, and applauded the developer for enabling players to learn more about history while playing the game. However, reception to the game's story and gameplay was mixed. Valiant Hearts was nominated for several year-end awards, including Best Narrative at The Game Awards 2014. Ubisoft later released the game on additional platforms including iOS, Android, Nintendo Switch, and Google Stadia. A sequel, Valiant Hearts: Coming Home, was released in 2023 for Netflix Games and 2024 for Windows and home consoles.
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