1979 Revolution: Black Friday

77%
Game Brain Score Based on 606 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
1979 Revolution: Black Friday Game Cover
Part historical documentary, part video game, 1979 Revolution: Black Friday is a solid foundation for a tension-filled story grounded in the reality of a confusing time.
Starting at €8.19Buy now
Get on Steam

"1979 Revolution: Black Friday" is a historical, narrative-driven game that immerses players in the real events of the Iranian Revolution. With critical choices to make and a cinematic experience, players must decide their allegiances and navigate the turbulent world of Tehran in the 1970s. The game has received numerous awards and accolades for its engaging and authentic storyline.

  • iPad
  • iPhone
  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Play​station 4
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Android
  • Mobile Platform
  • Play​Station
  • Tablet
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

77%
Audience ScoreBased on 606 reviews
story157 positive mentions
stability10 negative mentions
  • The game provides a unique and immersive perspective on the Iranian Revolution, allowing players to experience historical events through the eyes of a character.
  • The voice acting and writing are well-executed, creating believable characters and emotional moments that resonate with players.
  • The integration of real historical photographs and information enhances the educational value of the game, making it a compelling experience for those interested in history.
  • The game is very short, with a playtime of around 2-3 hours, leaving players feeling unsatisfied and wanting more.
  • Choices made during the game often feel inconsequential, with little impact on the overall story or character development.
  • The abrupt ending leaves many plot points unresolved, making it feel incomplete and frustrating for players.
  • story520 mentions

    The story of "1979 Revolution: Black Friday" is centered around the Iranian Revolution, offering a compelling narrative that intertwines historical events with personal experiences. While many players appreciate the unique perspective and emotional depth, they often criticize the story for being too short, feeling rushed, and lacking significant character development, leading to an abrupt ending that leaves many plot points unresolved. Overall, the game is seen as a valuable educational experience, but its execution leaves room for improvement in storytelling and player choice impact.

    • “This narrative-driven game, set during the days of the Iranian revolution as well as shortly after, has a great story and interesting characters, quite balanced and rounded, allegedly based on real people and events.”
    • “The story is gripping, and the historical knowledge of these events really adds to it.”
    • “The game has a fascinating and thrilling story with memorable characters and many different endings, which increases its replay value.”
    • “The game has no closure; once you get to the action of the revolution, the story ends with no real outcome.”
    • “The story ends abruptly, leaving so much unresolved after building up as if there was much more that still needed to be played out.”
    • “The story is not very long, and the plot is maybe a bit simple, even naive.”
  • gameplay182 mentions

    The gameplay of "1979 Revolution: Black Friday" is heavily inspired by Telltale games, featuring minimal interactivity primarily through dialogue choices and quick-time events, which many players found lacking in depth and execution. While the narrative and historical context are praised, the mechanics are often described as clunky and frustrating, with limited exploration and a short playtime of around 2-3 hours. Overall, the gameplay is seen as a secondary aspect to the storytelling, which some players found engaging despite the mechanical shortcomings.

    • “The gameplay follows the familiar episodic story model - a bit of exploration, dialogue choices, and quick-time events.”
    • “The characters were interesting and the photographer mechanic was an excellent fit for what is basically a learning experience.”
    • “The gameplay is very much what you would expect from a Telltale game series title.”
    • “Gameplay-wise, this is obviously inspired by the Telltale games but with even less gameplay, so if you're looking for puzzles and exploration, you should lower your expectations a bit.”
    • “The gameplay is lackluster, between irritating fixed camera angles, a silly photo focus minigame, and unnecessary quick-time events.”
    • “The game has a great story but disappointing gameplay and a really bad ending.”
  • graphics96 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players noting that they are dated and reminiscent of early Telltale titles, often described as "potato graphics" or "mediocre." While some appreciate the distinctive art style and solid voice acting, others feel that the visuals detract from the overall experience, particularly due to issues like repetitive character models and poor NPC rendering. Overall, the graphics are considered acceptable for an indie title focused on storytelling, but they do not stand out in terms of technical quality.

    • “The graphics are a bit rudimentary, but the game still has adorable and distinctive aesthetics.”
    • “Graphics are solid, voice acting is excellent, and the story, since it is based on actual events, is compelling.”
    • “The art style is nice, and the gameplay mechanics work well for this type of game.”
    • “Sadly, graphics are not good, but since this is a fully story-oriented game, it did not bother me much.”
    • “The graphic design is fairly mediocre even on the highest setting, and the environments tend to have very poorly rendered NPC background characters.”
    • “The visuals are unfortunately a little bit less than could be expected for a game released in 2016, doubtless partly because it was released simultaneously on PC and mobile platforms.”
  • emotional42 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is widely praised for its powerful storytelling, evocative music, and deeply written scenes that resonate with players, often leading to strong emotional reactions. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to tackle heavy historical themes and moral dilemmas, creating a compelling narrative that fosters emotional investment in the characters. However, some players feel that the game's short length limits the depth of emotional connections, leaving them wanting more from the character development and overall experience.

    • “The music is great - it really fits the atmosphere of the game and suits the emotional peaks.”
    • “It's beautifully done, heartbreaking, but beautifully done.”
    • “I was blown away by how much this game made me feel and think about things.”
  • music34 mentions

    The music in the game is generally well-received, with many reviewers praising its ability to enhance the atmosphere and emotional depth of the narrative. While some noted that the soundtrack may not be particularly memorable, it effectively complements the game's themes of revolution and conflict. Overall, the voice acting and music contribute positively to the immersive experience, despite occasional clashes with dialogue.

    • “The music is also great - really fits the atmosphere of the game and suited the emotional peaks of the game.”
    • “The music is very well suited to the atmosphere of the game, effectively conveying the sense that revolution is in the air - words like 'fear', 'terror', 'anticipation', 'tension', 'despair' and 'gravity' come to mind.”
    • “1979 Revolution has a beautiful soundtrack and introduces you to the complex politics of the Iranian revolution.”
    • “The soundtrack serves the purpose; no more, no less.”
    • “Unfortunately it does occasionally clash with the dialogue, but in general it is nonetheless a suitable soundtrack.”
    • “I wanted to read it but the need to go into menus which stopped the music or click multiple buttons to click in and out of the various screens made me sometimes want to just not bother.”
  • atmosphere27 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive quality, effectively capturing the historical context and emotional weight of the revolution. Players appreciate the strong writing, fitting music, and evocative voice acting that enhance the overall experience, although some feel that certain elements could be more developed. Overall, the game successfully transports players to a tumultuous time, creating a compelling and engaging environment.

    • “That is indicative of good writing and masterful atmosphere that really captures and takes you back into that place and time.”
    • “The music is very well suited to the atmosphere of the game, effectively conveying the sense that revolution is in the air - words like 'fear', 'terror', 'anticipation', 'tension', 'despair' and 'gravity' come to mind.”
    • “The story builds well, the atmosphere is electric, and I had to blink away a few tears at the end.”
    • “So, if you are interested in the topic, you won’t get much of it; it only gives a tiny bit about the revolutionary atmosphere, which means if you do not expect too much from it, it will be an enjoyable experience.”
    • “Arguably, this could contribute to the atmosphere of chaos and moral confusion that accompanied the revolution for many, but these uninformed and inconsequential decisions are placed at the heart of the player's interaction with the world, leaving you feeling purposeless and unengaged.”
    • “It just seems forced into the game that once I make a violent option, I'm pretty much crapped out of the game atmosphere.”
  • replayability17 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is generally considered low, primarily due to its short length and limited impact of player choices. While some players appreciate the different paths and collectibles that offer slight replay value, many feel that the game does not provide enough content to justify multiple playthroughs. A few players enjoyed replaying it for the story and character interactions, but the consensus leans towards minimal replayability.

    • “The game has a fascinating and thrilling story with memorable characters and many different endings, which increases its replay value.”
    • “I really like how my choices affected the outcome and the replayability of this game.”
    • “You will find a bit of replayability though due to the different paths you may follow, as well as tons of collectibles and achievements to hunt for as well.”
    • “Replay value is limited, making it expensive for the length of play.”
    • “Because of the limited effects of your choices, the replay value here is sorely limited.”
    • “It is only two hours long and replay value to experiment with choices only adds another couple of hours.”
  • optimization13 mentions

    The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players noting significant performance issues, particularly on mid-range systems, leading to a frustrating experience. While the narrative and character performances are praised, the graphics are described as outdated and poorly optimized, with low texture resolutions and limited visual effects. Some users found that adjusting settings improved performance, but overall, the optimization remains a notable drawback.

    • “The actors/actresses really pulled the narrative together with strong, convincing performances and in the brief time I knew this world and its characters I was able to attach to them and get intertwined in the story.”
    • “I did have one performance issue, but the devs were quick in helping me fix it when I brought it to the forums.”
    • “But maybe outdated might suit better the level of graphics developed in Unity and badly optimized, as it is barely playable on my machine with mid-low basic details, which is nonsense.”
    • “While this explains the limited texture resolution and lack of moving parts - whether the crowds that use several copy-and-pasted animations or the hair made out of play-doh - it doesn't explain the underuse of colour, lighting and composition even where it would have no effect on performance.”
    • “Black Friday is a game set in an alternative universe in which the Iranian nation is plagued with bad optimization and low-res citizens.”
  • stability10 mentions

    The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players reporting frequent graphical glitches, NPC clipping, and stuttering, particularly in high resolutions. However, others have experienced a stable gameplay environment with minimal issues, suggesting that stability may vary based on individual experiences and system performance. Overall, while some users encountered significant bugs, others found the game to be relatively stable.

    • “This looks like a game with a great story, but I couldn't get through the first few minutes without experiencing glitches and stutter.”
    • “I spotted several glitches including people walking through solid objects and a few seconds of a couple scenes that seemed to repeat themselves.”
    • “Only con: doesn't work terribly well on high resolutions (4k), making the photography minigames tedious and buggy.”
  • character development7 mentions

    Character development in the game is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the voice acting and note that the main character shows growth, many feel that overall character development is lacking, with limited screen time for supporting characters and an abrupt story conclusion that leaves potential untapped. Overall, the consensus suggests that while there are glimpses of character depth, the execution falls short, leaving players wanting more.

    • “The voice acting is pretty good, and character development is good as well.”
    • “Unfortunately, I found this game was a bit short in terms of storyline, and I feel some of the character development fell short. However, overall, I found the game to be a refreshing take on the Iranian Revolution and sincerely hope more games like this one are produced—hopefully with more plot next time.”
    • “Linked to this, while you can see some character development throughout, your actions don't change how the other characters see you.”
    • “There's a lot of potential for character development there, so it's a little bit too bad that the story ends abruptly.”
    • “Very little character development or any development at all.”
  • grinding3 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, comparing it unfavorably to Telltale games due to cumbersome mechanics and a lack of engaging storytelling. Additionally, high-resolution settings (4k) exacerbate the issue, making certain minigames feel buggy and frustrating.

    • “You have to walk the main character through areas of the game; I thought this was tedious and the mechanics were cumbersome.”
    • “Only con: doesn't work terribly well on high resolutions (4K), making the photography minigames tedious and buggy.”
    • “To me, it is almost similar to a Telltale game, without the dragging tedious story and the funny character expressions.”
  • humor2 mentions

    The humor in the game is likened to that of a Telltale game, featuring amusing character expressions that enhance the experience. Players appreciate the comedic elements, which stand out without the burden of a slow-paced narrative.

    • “To me, it is almost similar to a Telltale game, without the dragging tedious story and the funny character expressions.”
    • “And the funny thing is, I bought this game without looking closely at what it was about.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized for resembling a cash grab, drawing negative comparisons to Telltale Games' approach, which some players feel detracts from the overall game design and experience.

    • “The game feels like a cash grab, heavily inspired by Telltale's monetization tactics.”
    • “The monetization strategy is frustrating and detracts from the overall experience.”
    • “It seems like every feature is locked behind a paywall, making it hard to enjoy the game fully.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

62% average critic score

Buy 1979 Revolution: Black Friday

Play time

3hMedian play time
3hAverage play time
2-4hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 7 analyzed playthroughs

Videos

Similar Games