Velvet 89
- October 17, 2024
- Charles Games
Get on Steam"Velvet 89" is a hidden-object game set in a country in revolt, where players investigate a peaceful protest attacked by police. With a historical setting inspired by real events, the game features handcrafted visuals and combines real historical footage. Players uncover the stories of those who dared to speak up, in a journey through four cities and five protests.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Educational and engaging, providing valuable insights into the Velvet Revolution and Czechoslovak history.
- Beautiful art and simple mechanics make it accessible and enjoyable for players of all ages.
- It's a free game that serves as a nice introduction to an important historical event, making learning fun.
- Gameplay can be repetitive and may require intense searching, which could frustrate some players.
- Lacks depth in gameplay mechanics, feeling more like a hidden object experience than a fully developed game.
- Hints are not clearly communicated, which can lead to confusion and hinder the overall experience.
- gameplay5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- -20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The gameplay is described as simple yet compelling, serving primarily as a vehicle for an engaging story about a historical chapter. While it offers an important narrative and introduces significant events, players may find the mechanics repetitive and the visuals dull, with intense searching required due to the similarity of character designs.
“A nice game with compelling mechanics that explores a chapter of history I knew only a little about.”
“Simple gameplay, good story, and an introduction to important events.”
“The gameplay involves some pretty intense searching since every figure is just a slight variant of another.”
“The gameplay consists of a minor amount that serves as a vehicle for some important story elements.”
“However, the gameplay itself involves some pretty intense searching, as every figure is just a slight variant of another.”
“The gameplay visuals are dull and repetitive, which detracts from the overall experience.”
- story3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The story is a concise 40-minute experience that effectively conveys the struggles of life under communist rule and the nuances of the Velvet Revolution, using simple gameplay as a vehicle for its important narrative. While the gameplay is minimal, it serves to enhance the storytelling, making it an engaging introduction to significant historical events.
“From a story perspective, this is a very nice 40-minute experience that manages to convey in a simple way the struggles under communist rule, as well as the particularities of the Velvet Revolution.”
“Simple gameplay, good story, and an introduction to important events.”
“A minor amount of gameplay that serves as a vehicle for some important story.”
“The story feels like a minor afterthought, serving only as a vehicle for the gameplay.”
“The narrative lacks depth and fails to engage the player emotionally.”
“Character development is shallow, making it hard to care about the outcomes.”
- graphics3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The graphics are generally praised for their quality and simplicity, contributing to an appealing interface. However, some users find the gameplay visuals to be dull and repetitive, which detracts from the overall experience.
“The graphics are also very nice, and the interface is simple and user-friendly.”
“I appreciate the subject it picked and the graphics, even if the gameplay isn't great.”
“The gameplay visuals are dull and repetitive.”
“It's not good as a game, but I appreciate the subject it picked and the graphics.”
- music2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The music aspect of the game is polarizing; while some players appreciate the freedom to enjoy previously inaccessible music and media, others find the lack of a proper soundtrack disappointing, suggesting that the constant crowd noise detracts from the experience.
“It meant we could finally trade freely, watch movies, and listen to music that had been out of reach.”
“There is no music, just constant crowd noise. I suggest muting it and putting something else on.”
“The lack of music really detracts from the overall experience.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of Velvet 89 is characterized as somber and impactful, effectively conveying the significance of historical moments through its engaging design. Players appreciate the game's ability to evoke a sense of importance and reflection on the bravery of ordinary individuals who challenged the status quo.
“Informative, well implemented, atmospheric, and, above all, important - it is too easy to forget or overlook these momentous moments when ordinary people were brave and bold enough to risk everything to confront and change the prevailing system.”
“Velvet 89 is a Where's Wally-style game, albeit with a much more somber atmosphere.”
