An extremely amazing game truly unlike anything I've ever played before. Valiant Hearts adds a human element to the game that is missing from a lot of these war games that we see and is a fresh break from the whole "Kill kill kill" mindset you need for those games. The majority of Valiant Hearts is done through puzzles. The player needs to find ways to navigate around in the game, and do it by using their smarts rather than their trigger fingers. There are indeed parts where you do attack the enemies (you have to so they don't detect you and end the game), so it isn't just puzzles. Each of the characters are very likable and have their own unique stories, motivations, and reasons for getting involved in "The Great War" - and the best part is that those reasons, like these characters, are all believable.

Valiant Hearts also does well in capturing the nightmare that was World War I, and does it without graphic depictions of blood, gore and violence that is prevalent in games set in war. In the final chapter of this game the full scope of exactly how brutal and bloody this whole sordid affair was becomes obvious (there is a part where you have to take cover from machine gun fire by hiding behind solid cover- a few piles of dead soldiers are used this way at one point). There are also many very interesting facts this game presents about WWI that most players may not have known, so history buffs and fact lovers are going to be in for some good info. In my opinion, it is not only good to see a game that is set in WWI when most game studios seem to prefer WWII (perhaps it is because of the "noble cause" of the allies in that conflict), but Valliant Hearts takes both an unflinching and unapologetic look at the first World War and presents something as vile as trench warfare in a manner that is much more palatable than a shoot 'em up sort of game would have been.

Just a heads up, though: Valiant Hearts FORCES you to download and install UPlay. This is a fact that is not READILY visible on the store page unless you have enhanced Steam (which I do not). While that fact may not have prevented me from getting this game, I just don't want to HAVE to download a new DRM console every time I get a new game from a different publisher.

I bought this game expecting it to be a quick play with a focus on an artistic art style that only an art snob would like. I couldn't have been more wrong.
The game will last you about 5-6 hours, which is well worth the normal $15 that this game goes for. If you see this on sale for any less, buy it instantly.
The game is simple to learn, with challenges that will stretch your brain, but once you figure them out you'll think "My god, I'm an idiot".
The story of this game is the main thing that will keep you playing this game. You easily get attatched to the charecters. They will make you laugh, cry, worry, smile, and laugh out loud. There are plenty of plot twists to keep things interesting, but not so many that the story is hard to follow.
The game displays plenty of historical facts about the time period, and place, that you are playing in the game. While you are motly never directly tied to the events except for a few level designs, it was refreshing to get some background information about the world, and the war, while you go through it.


TL;DR version
+great story
+great characters and development
+simple, yet challenging missions
+realitvely cheap for what you're getting out of it
+The BEST intergration with music that I have ever seen in a video game

-first time I've cried over a video game since Mass Effect 3's revamped endings

Valiant Hearts: The Great Wars tells you the story of 4 different characters where destiny brought them together. As soon you start the game the first thing you will notice is the simple yet very creative art-style from the world during dark times. With brights colors and a very warm design, soon you find that while the cartoon style may try to tone down some aspects of the true events of war, the pages of the Diaries as well the photographies from these past events may hit you. I dare to say that, depending on your sensitivity one or two can actually make you feel uncomfortable, but war never was a pleasing sight to start.

The soundtrack is quite simple but it’s strong enough to make a nice companion here and there or even on those tiny bits when you find a solution to a puzzle or when are about to discover something related to the main plot. You can expect one or two plot twists but it’s nothing serious, yet, the story managed to keep me hooked until the very end. I simply couldn’t stop until I found out what happened to them, and I’m glad for being able to experience this game from start to finish without feeling any sort of boredom. There was however, some emotions which brings the next point.

The game may offer a big contrast depending on who is playing and how someone plays a game. If you play for a mere completionist purpose or because you simply like to play videogames, you will find a 6-8 hours long depending on how much time you take to discover the solutions to the puzzles or if you are interested in collecting every hidden object. However, this game offers much, much more depth. It’s clear that the creators did their homework and worked hard to deliver great content for those interested in the culture of war. The “Facts” are filled with a variety of knowledge from all sorts of equipment, weapons, special events, conditions from the soldiers such diseases and locations where this war took place. Since a little bit of knowledge is always welcome I found this to be a satisfying surprise to see in a 2D game. Then there is the immersion. I felt for it and I’m glad I did. By letting myself "fall" into the game I could enjoy the Story as it might be intended by the creators. A warm hearth will love the constant ups and downs that the player will experience. This game did not made me laugh, but it did made me smile quite sometimes and while It didn’t made me cry, it made me a bit emocional because they created a story showing the horrors of war, where when you are faced with a bit of hope, it quickly dies and you are in deep trouble yet again.

It’s not a fair story, there are no heroes, there is no right or wrong, only wrong because this game showed how pointless and destructive is the war. The letters who are based from real ones, written by the people back then showed how the quick turn of events made regular people into soldiers and how bonds like family and brotherhood can play a decisive role during such times.

I honestly hope anyone can play this game with a open heart and look at it as a mean, cruel time-machine who let you experience a tale of the horrors that happened during war and how love can patch a wound, offer hope or give the only strength to sustain such adversities when all seems lost and pointless.

I reccommend buying this game for its beautiful story and amazing soundtrack. The puzzles are quite intelligent and really interesting to solve. I would recommend getting a box of tissues and an empty bucket alongside with the game.
You'll cry... It's okay to cry.

Cons:
-Uplay
-Uplay
-Uplay

A real man is not ashamed to cry

1- Buy the game
2- Play to the end
3- Lie down
4- Try not to cry
5- Cry a lot
6- Appreciate the art, the gameplay, the music
7- Cry again

Simply put, Valiant Hearts is a fantastic game. It's mix of simple yet interesting puzzling and storytelling, combined with its gorgeous visuals make a game well worth it's price. While the driving scenes act like a rhythm game, trying to dodge various things popping up on your screen, they don't distract from the overall game.

The story of the first world war is somewhat simpled down to make a game that could be played by a young child, perhaps to teach them about the war. However, the diary and history facts littered throughout the game allow you to delve into the history and the story of WWI.

Your faithful canine companion gives some depth to the puzzles, and also a character to feel for and love. Even though the characters themselves aren't developed massively, you can connect with them on a personal level.

Overall, Valiant Hearts gets an 8/10.

A great storyline with compelling characters, amazing music that still brings a tear to my eyes and beautiful art that, mixed with everything else, creates one of the best experiences I've had with a game in years.

I recommend it fully. Treat yourself to a short but memorable game.

I've bought the game during the steam summer sale. I regret doing that.

Should've bought it full price.

Short game. I'm in tears

Valiant Hearts is a puzzle-platforming game with a rather unique subject matter: World War I. Instead of shooting waves of enemies or commanding massive faceless armies as is the usual in most war games, Valiant Hearts instead decides to focus on the lives of several characters with WWI merely serving as the backdrop that changes their lives forever. The main cast of characters are Emile, a Frenchman getting on in his years who is conscripted into service despite his age; Karl, a German living in France who is married to Emile's daughter Marie; Freddie, an African American Creole who enlisted in the French military to avenge a loved one; Anna, a Belgian field medic who's father designs weapons for the Germans; and Marie, the daughter of Emile and wife of Karl who struggles to maintain her family farm as the war escalates.

This game is first and foremost about its story. Not just the written story per se; in fact there is very little spoken dialogue that isn't from the interlevel narrations and most of the in game diction is handled through speech bubbes with cartoonish graphics inside them along with body gestures. Rather, this game is about story in a much deeper and meaningful way, its about how these characters as well as the minor and even nameless NPCs are shaped and affected by the terrible war around them. It says so much with very little, letting the emotions and feelings of the situation grab ahold of you and fill it in itself. There's no egregious monologues or exposition or self-indulgent angst; just pure humanity in all of its forms, and it touches you in a very personal way because you really feel for what these characters are going through.

Now the game itself, as a game, is nothing too terrilbly spectacular: it is about a 10 or so hour game given or take a few more for finding all of the hidden items (it can't be an Ubisoft game without a hundred odd pickups, could it?) with basic sidescrolling and controls. You move left and right, can climb over ledges and sneak behind cover when permitted, perform context specific actions as well as character specific ones (such as using Emile's shovel to dig through tunnels), all while solving modest item based puzzles where you pull levels and turn wheels and blow up walls or unlock doors. It is honestly nothing groundbreaking or new, and the puzzle solving is broken up with a handful of obstacle course style driving levels (which are my personal favorite) and the occasional quicktime event. Nothing about the gameplay is truly spectacular, but it is adequate enough to serve its purpose and keep you interested in progressing.

However, while the gameplay might be standard fare, everything else does truly stand out. Along with the story, the game has a beautifully composed original soundtrack, as well as a few classical bits too (Brahms's Hungarian Dance no. 5, the French Cancan, Flight of the Bumblebee, and Night on Bald Mountain all play during the various driving segments). The art direction is simplistic and charming, but deceptively dark and grim when it needs to be (and given the subject matter, that is often). Backgrounds are beautifully illustrated and detailed, and character animations are smooth and well made. There are collectibles as said before, over 100 items spread throughout most of the game's 20+ levels which are divided into four chapters. These items are all historically researched and finding them adds an entry to the in-game "Wiki" describing what it is, what it was for, and why it came to be during WWI. There is also more history to be found every level with short articles about what is relevent to the current level: be it a battlefield history, an elaboration on colonial army units, or chemical warfare. The game goes the extra mile to really help you feel what it was like to live during this time and in turn that helps you better associate with the characters in the story.

Ultimately, Valiant Hearts is a simplistic and unassuming puzzle sidescroller that has a LOT of heart and soul in it. Beyond the so-so gameplay is a gripping and upsetting tale of one the 20th century's greatest catastrophes, uncensored and unabashed in a beautiful package that serves to keep the past alive and help us never forget the tragedies that were had. Forgive the underwhelming gameplay and let everything else engross you and I'm sure you'll love it as much as I have. It is a work of art.