1979 Revolution: Black Friday

About

"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.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

1979 Revolution: Black Friday screenshot

77%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,216 reviews

story313 positive mentions

replayability4 negative mentions

The game provides a compelling and educational insight into the events of the 1979 Iranian Revolution, making it a unique experience.
The voice acting and character development are strong, allowing players to connect emotionally with the characters and their struggles.
The integration of real historical photographs and information enhances the narrative, making the experience feel authentic and immersive.

The game is very short, typically taking only 2-3 hours to complete, which may leave players feeling unsatisfied.
Choices made during the game often feel inconsequential, with little impact on the overall story or character outcomes.
The abrupt ending leaves many plot points unresolved, making it feel incomplete and potentially frustrating for players.

story
1,039 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
67%
3%
The story of "1979 Revolution: Black Friday" is a compelling yet brief narrative centered around the Iranian Revolution, focusing on the character of Reza Shirazi, a photographer caught in the turmoil. While the game effectively conveys the historical context and emotional weight of the events, many players feel the story is rushed, lacking depth in character development and resolution, often ending abruptly without closure. Despite its flaws, the game is praised for its unique perspective and educational value, making it a worthwhile experience for those interested in the subject matter.
- “The story is fairly linear and doesn’t deviate too much, as some Telltale games seem to do.”
- “Through personal choices and connections, the game conveys the story of a real revolution and what comes after.”
- “The story is great, and the historical knowledge of these events really do add to it.”
- “The game has no closure; once you get to the action of the revolution, the story ends with no real outcome.”
- “The problem is that the game finished before the story ended.”
- “The story and player choices are so ambiguous and the story so short that your decisions are ultimately pointless.”
gameplay
367 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
74%
11%
The gameplay of "1979 Revolution: Black Friday" has been widely criticized for its clunky mechanics and minimal interactivity, often likened to a less engaging version of Telltale games. Players noted issues such as awkward character movement, limited exploration, and repetitive quick-time events, which detracted from the overall experience. While the narrative and historical context received praise, many felt that the gameplay was ultimately a secondary concern, with some reviewers suggesting it felt more like an interactive story than a traditional game.
- “Played in the style of modern Telltale adventure games, 1979 puts more emphasis on historical in-game artifacts and teaching/learning opportunities scattered throughout its gameplay sections.”
- “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 lackluster, between irritating fixed camera angles, a silly photo focus minigame, and unnecessary quick-time events.”
- “I would say though that the gameplay is extremely disappointing, very clunky, terrible camera, painfully repetitive, and the decision making doesn't really affect anything.”
- “The game is based on a true story so it was an interesting way to learn some history; however, I was very disappointed in the game. It only took me 45 minutes to finish, the game mechanics were horrible, and it had probably the worst ending I have seen in years.”
graphics
192 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
52%
17%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players noting that they are dated and reminiscent of early Telltale titles, often describing them as "potato graphics" or "mediocre." While some appreciate the distinctive art style and find the visuals acceptable for a story-driven experience, others feel that the graphics detract from immersion and overall gameplay quality. Despite these criticisms, many agree that the compelling narrative and voice acting compensate for the graphical shortcomings.
- “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.”
emotional
84 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
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 game pummels you with a series of heart-wrenching twists and turns on an emotional rollercoaster, but, to an extent, you have a feeling of agency and choice that you would not get with a movie.”
- “A powerful emotional experience which is also educational.”
- “I was blown away by how greatly I was upset when the game ended, and the emotional connection I felt with the characters through what couldn't have been greater than a 3-hour journey.”
music
68 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
49%
4%
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, particularly in relation to the themes of revolution and conflict. While some noted that the soundtrack may not be particularly memorable, it effectively serves its purpose and complements the voice acting, which is also highlighted as a strong point. Overall, the soundtrack is described as beautiful and fitting, though it occasionally clashes with dialogue.
- “The music is also great - really fits the atmosphere of the game and suited the emotional peaks of the game.”
- “1979 Revolution has a beautiful soundtrack and introduces you to the complex politics of the Iranian revolution.”
- “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 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 navigate the various screens made me sometimes want to just not bother.”
atmosphere
53 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
40%
6%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive quality, effectively capturing the emotional and historical context of the revolution through strong music, voice acting, and storytelling. While some players noted that the atmosphere felt underdeveloped at times, many found it to be the standout feature, creating a compelling sense of tension, chaos, and engagement with the time period. Overall, the atmosphere is described as electric and evocative, making it a significant draw for players despite other gameplay shortcomings.
- “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.”
- “A damn good try, buckets of atmosphere, set at a moment in history that deserves the attention.”
- “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 excluded from the game atmosphere.”
- “So, if you are interested in the topic, you won’t get much of it; it only gives a tiny bit about the revolution atmosphere, which means if you do not expect too much from it, it will be an enjoyable experience.”
replayability
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
9%
79%
12%
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 a slight incentive to replay, many feel that the game does not provide enough content to justify multiple playthroughs. A few users noted that despite the limited replay value, they still found the experience enjoyable enough to play through multiple times.
- “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 due to the different paths you may follow, as well as tons of collectibles and achievements to hunt for.”
- “Because of the limited effects of your choices, the replay value here is sorely limited.”
- “The game is short and replay value is very low, but I still recommend it for the right price, which has already happened without a discount as of writing this.”
- “To make matters worse, it has little to no replay value.”
optimization
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
54%
23%
The game's optimization has received significant criticism, with many users reporting poor graphics quality, low texture resolution, and performance issues, particularly on mid-range systems. While some players found success at lower resolutions, the overall experience is marred by outdated visuals and control problems. Despite these shortcomings, the narrative and character performances are praised, suggesting that the game's strengths lie more in storytelling than technical execution.
- “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.”
- “If you want something to enjoy that's a nice change of pace from typical gaming fare, and you enjoy stories and incredible performances, Revolution will find a sweet spot with you.”
- “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.”
stability
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with some players reporting frequent graphical glitches and bugs, particularly in the early stages, such as NPC clipping and scene repetition. However, others have experienced a stable gameplay environment with minimal issues, although high-resolution settings (4K) can lead to performance problems. Overall, while some users encounter significant stability issues, others find 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 development
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
57%
21%
Character development in the game is inconsistent, with some players noting good voice acting but a lack of depth for most characters aside from the protagonist. Many reviews highlight missed opportunities for meaningful character growth, as player choices do not significantly impact how other characters perceive them. Overall, while there are glimpses of character development, it often feels underdeveloped and overshadowed by a short storyline.
- “The voice acting is pretty good, and the character development is good as well.”
- “Unfortunately, I found this game to be a bit short in terms of storyline, and I feel some of the character development fell short. However, 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.”
- “None of the characters (except the main character) get much screen time, so there isn’t much character development.”
grinding
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, with cumbersome mechanics that require excessive walking through areas, reminiscent of Telltale games but lacking their engaging storytelling and humor. Additionally, high-resolution settings (4k) exacerbate the tedium, particularly in photography minigames, leading to a buggy experience.
- “You have to walk the main character through areas of the game; I thought this was tedious and the mechanics were cumbersome.”
- “To me, it is almost similar to a Telltale game, without the dragging tedious story and the funny character expressions.”
- “Only con: doesn't work terribly well on high resolutions (4K), making the photography minigames tedious and buggy.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is likened to that of a Telltale game, featuring amusing character expressions and a lighthearted tone, which enhances the overall experience without the burden of a tedious narrative. Players appreciate the unexpected comedic elements, often finding them delightful and engaging.
- “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.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized for resembling a cash grab formula similar to that of Telltale Games, leading to perceptions of poor game design and a lack of genuine value for players.
- “Crappy game design mainly inspired by Telltale Games' cash grab formula.”