Info about Valiant Hearts: The Great War™ / Soldats Inconnus : Mémoires de la Grande Guerre™:

Official game description:
“CHARMING AND DEEPLY MOVING” –**IGN**  
“INTRIGUING AND EVOCATIVE” – **DESTRUCTOID**  
“A GORGEOUS AND EMOTIONAL JOURNEY” –  
“VALIANT HEARTS IS TREMENDOUSLY EXCITING” - **XBOX ACHIEVEMENTS**  
“UBISOFT’S LATEST BIG PUSH ON THE DIGITAL FRONT.” - **EUROGAMER**  
**This is the story of crossed destinies and a broken love in a world torn apart.**  
All of them will try to survive the horror of the trenches following their faithful canine companion.  
In Valiant Hearts, the lives of all these characters are inextricably drawn together over the course of the game. Friendship, love, sacrifice and tragedy befall each one as they help each other to retain their humanity against the horrors of war.
Key Features
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**An animated comic book adventure**  
From the green forests of the French countryside, to dank trenches and snowy fields, go back through history in this emotional adventure game delivered with a unique tone and art style.  
**A mix of exploration, action and puzzles**  
Move into action and help your heroes survive the Great War by solving puzzles or sneaking through enemy lines… live a touching and comical adventure.  
**Follow the stories of these Valiant Hearts...**  
Lost in the middle of the trenches, play each of these characters and help a young German soldier find his love!  
**… And their faithful canine companion**  
With the help of your trusty companion’s canine sense of smell, send him through barbed-wire obstacles and shell holes to solve puzzles or avoid enemies… Rely on him: this dog will be your best friend!  
**Relive the Great War**  
This fictitious story takes you back to famous WW1 locations, like Reims or Montfaucon, revisiting historical battles on the Western Front, such as the Battle of the Marne or the Battle of the Somme!  
**Powered by UbiArt Framework**  
Valiant Hearts makes the most of the UbiArt Framework and its motto “Bringing Art to Life”. This powerful engine provides the ability to transfer creative concepts and bring them to life in video games.  
**A team of senior artists at Ubisoft Montpellier**  
Small is beautiful: a small but highly talented team, including the Audio and Art Directors of games such as Beyond Good & Evil and Peter Jackson’s King Kong, and key level designers on Rayman Origins and Rayman Legends.

Release date: Jun 25, 2014

Categories: Puzzle Solving, Exploration, Narrative Adventure, Educational Game, 2D Side-scrolling, Companion System, Emotional Storytelling, Quick-Time Events

Feature scans:
- Wiki: score 50; verdict: The Student; summary: The primary user complaint is the need for external guides to overcome puzzle difficulty and achieve full completion, classifying this as a Tier 3 'The Student' dependency.
- Proton/Linux: score 0; verdict: Works Well; summary: The provided reviews contain no mentions of Linux, Proton, SteamOS, Wine, or any Linux-specific compatibility issues. All complaints are about the Ubisoft Connect launcher and account requirement, which affect all platforms equally. Without any Linux-focused evidence, the game cannot be assessed as having Proton or Linux friction.
- Steam Deck: score 45; verdict: Tinkering Required; summary: Valiant Hearts: The Great War is technically playable on Steam Deck but suffers from a mandatory Ubisoft Connect launcher requirement. While the game itself runs flawlessly with controller support, the external launcher adds significant friction: forced account sign-up, potential login failures, and offline mode workarounds. This aligns with the 'Tinkering Required' category (30-60), as users must deal with a third-party launcher but can eventually play without crashes or unreadable UI.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $9.99 - $14.99
  - Reasoning: The evidence shows a split: one review explicitly calls $15 worth it, while others advise waiting for a sale or not buying at full price. This suggests the community considers a fair base price to be below the original full price (likely $20) but still in the $10–$15 range, where the game is seen as good value without needing a deep discount. The range $9.99–$14.99 captures both the endorsement of $15 and the preference for a lower price point.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 9.0h
  - Story completion: 8.0h
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: Multiple reviews consistently report total playtime between 8 and 10 hours, with a median of 9 hours for finishing the game. One review specifically states the story/campaign is about 8 hours long, which aligns with the lower end of the total range. No reliable evidence was found for typical session length or endgame hours; session length is not mentioned, and the game has no substantial post-story content beyond collectible hunting, which is not quantified in hours.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: Valiant Hearts: The Great War often starts slow and its simple, repetitive gameplay can be a barrier, but players who engage with its rich historical story and emotional narrative tend to find the experience rewarding.
  - Stance: Clicks after
  - Anchor: Engagement with the historical story and artifacts
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: slow start in early chapters; simple, repetitive mechanics; limited puzzles; backtracking and slow movement speed; initial boring appearance
  - Unlock drivers: historical story and facts about the wars; collectible artifacts that reveal daily life during the war; emotional narrative and characters
  - Conditions: interest in historical context; patience with slow pacing and simple gameplay; willingness to explore collectibles for lore
- Player Archetypes:
  - Emotion-Seeking Story Pilgrim (buy)
    - Motivation: Emotional catharsis through an anti-war narrative
    - Playstyle: Slow, immersive; reads every collectible text and historical note; plays in one or two sittings to preserve emotional flow.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: story lover; emotional gamer; cried at the end
    - Reference games: My Memory of Us
  - History-Buff Educator (buy)
    - Motivation: Learning about World War I through an interactive, narrative-driven experience
    - Playstyle: Explores every historical collectible; reads all in-game documents; often plays on Veteran mode to remove hints and increase immersion.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: history enthusiast; student of history; history buff
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Light-Puzzle Relaxer (sale)
    - Motivation: Relaxation and casual entertainment with a light story
    - Playstyle: Plays in short bursts; does not stress over collectibles; appreciates the straightforward puzzles and rhythm segments.
    - Experience: newcomer
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: casual gamer; puzzle lover; relaxed player
    - Reference games: The Cave
  - Frustrated Completionist (deep sale)
    - Motivation: Obtaining 100% achievements and collecting every historical item
    - Playstyle: Methodical and guide-reliant; replays chapters; often annoyed by the difficulty spike of the rhythm-based achievement.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: deep sale
    - Labels: completionist; achievement hunter
    - Reference games: N/A


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Educational WWII history (weight 0.95): The game effectively teaches players about World War I through historical facts, collectibles, and real photos. Reviewers appreciate the educational value and how the war is portrayed without glorification.
- Emotional story touching (weight 0.94): Many players are deeply moved by the game's heartfelt, heartbreaking, and emotionally deep narrative. The story is described as touching, gut-wrenching, and memorable, evoking strong feelings and connecting players to the characters.
- Engaging puzzles (weight 0.51): Puzzles are described as fun, interesting, and simple yet satisfying. They are accessible for new players but still require thought, making the gameplay engaging without being overly complex.
- Unique hand-drawn art (weight 0.46): Players love the game's unique, hand-drawn, comic-style graphics, describing them as beautiful, charming, and distinctive. The art style stands out and adds to the game's appeal.
- Beautiful emotional soundtrack (weight 0.42): The music is praised as excellent, beautiful, and haunting. It enhances the emotional impact and sets the mood, contributing significantly to the overall experience.
- Authentic war depiction (weight 0.39): The game captures the horror, fear, and tragedy of war from multiple perspectives, avoiding glorification. Players praise its profound depiction of war's realities and human stories.
- Simple captivating gameplay (weight 0.32): The gameplay is simple but emotionally effective and immersive. Reviewers find it engaging and perfectly fitting the game's tone, making it accessible while still being enjoyable.
- Quick enjoyable experience (weight 0.3): The game is described as quick but worthwhile, with a well-made and satisfying overall experience. Players find it a nice, compact game that doesn't overstay its welcome.
- Excellent anti-war message (weight 0.26): The game delivers a powerful anti-war narrative that is well-executed and thought-provoking. Players appreciate how it addresses the realities of war and promotes a strong message.
- Great value for price (weight 0.21): Reviewers feel the game is worth its price, offering good value for money. Many note it's well worth the time and cost, especially when on sale.
- Memorable relatable characters (weight 0.16): Characters are well-constructed, memorable, and deeply human, helping players form emotional connections. This character development is a key strength of the narrative.
- Among best WW1 stories (weight 0.15): Players consider it one of the best story games about World War I, praising its writing and historical representation. It stands out as a top game in the genre.
- Masterpiece from Ubisoft (weight 0.14): Some see it as a timeless masterpiece and one of Ubisoft's best works, a rare standout from the publisher. This praise highlights its exceptional quality.

Common complaints:
- Gameplay is slow and boring (weight 0.63): A significant number of players felt the gameplay was slow, tedious, boring, unengaging, or too simple. This was noted across multiple clusters about pacing, complexity, and engagement.
- Puzzles are tedious and repetitive (weight 0.41): Multiple players found puzzles monotonous, annoying, and frustrating, with some being too simple or repetitive. This was the most frequently mentioned issue, spanning clusters about tedium, simplicity, repetitiveness, and frustration.
- Control and controller problems (weight 0.37): Controls were described as sticky, non-responsive, awkward, or poorly mapped. Some noted lack of controller remapping, missing modern controller support, or no controller support at all.
- Technical issues and bugs (weight 0.36): Bugs range from game-breaking (progress blocks, freezes, items not registering) to minor (display glitches, weapon sight moving). Some players experienced crashes or had to replay sections due to bugs.
- Historical inaccuracy and bias (weight 0.34): Criticism includes historical inaccuracies, biased portrayal of sides, American bias, lack of nuance, and a caricature of the antagonist. Some felt the game's portrayal of war was too clean or one-sided.
- Story is average, cliché, or melodramatic (weight 0.32): Multiple players found the narrative cliché (Indiana Jones-like), melodramatic, or lacking emotional weight. Some felt the story was not fun or original, and the ending was heavy but not always satisfying.
- Short length and low replayability (weight 0.29): Many reviews noted the game's short playtime (5-9 hours) and lack of replay value due to linear structure and limited side content. Some said it's a one-time play.
- Ubisoft launcher/DRM is intrusive (weight 0.27): Many complaints about mandatory Ubisoft Connect login, forced account creation, and launcher issues causing access problems. This DRM requirement was cited as a major annoyance.
- Achievements are tedious or spoil experience (weight 0.26): Several players mentioned that achievements feel like grind, spoil first playthroughs, or are too difficult (e.g., Healing hero, collection achievements). Some noted achievements added late to the game.
- Repetitive and recycled content (weight 0.25): Players noted repetitive mechanics, puzzles, boss fights (same character), and excessively recycled assets, making gameplay feel stale over time.
- Lack of language localizations (weight 0.24): Several players noted missing Simplified Chinese support, and some mentioned lack of Russian voice acting, Ukrainian language support, or other localizations. This limited accessibility for non-English audiences.
- Emotionally heavy but not always welcome (weight 0.22): While some appreciated the emotional weight, others found it too heavy, causing anxiety or sobbing. Some felt the tragic/heartbreaking ending left a bitter aftertaste.
- Healing hero minigame is frustrating (weight 0.2): Several players specifically called out the healing hero minigame as extremely difficult, with unclear instructions and high difficulty. The associated achievement 'Healing hero' was described as painful and frustrating.
- Poor guidance and unclear objectives (weight 0.19): Players reported sometimes not knowing what to do, with little explanation or confusing puzzles that required hints. Some mentioned poor guidance or moon logic puzzles.
- Graphics and animation are lacking (weight 0.19): Graphics were described as not great, lacking, or not smooth. Some also noted recycled assets and poor ambiance.
- Performance and display issues (weight 0.19): Specific technical issues include FPS caps under 30, resolution problems (2K monitor, non-standard resolutions), refresh rate problems causing windowed mode, and game slowdowns.
- Tonal disconnect between visuals and themes (weight 0.18): Some players felt the game's light visual style clashed with the heavy war themes, making it feel childish or sterile. Heroic aura and invincibility also broke immersion.
- Unclear audience and no sequel potential (weight 0.1): Players expressed uncertainty about who to recommend the game to, and some feared a bad sequel or wished for more games like this from Ubisoft. The game feels niche.
- Side content and fetch quests are generic (weight 0.1): Side quests were described as generic fetch quests, and collectibles were considered tedious or distracting from the main theme. Some felt historical items were irrelevant.
- Poor mobile port or outdated feel (weight 0.08): Some reviews criticized the game as a bad mobile port, with missing features or controls felt dated. The game was described as 'old' or 'primitive' in design.

Gameplay feedback:
- Puzzles with hints and exploration (weight 0.54): The game combines puzzle-solving with exploration, offering optional hints to help players. The puzzles are described as interesting and simple, focusing on fun rather than complexity.
- Collectibles with historical facts (weight 0.46): Players can collect items like historical documents, notes, photographs, and letters that provide real historical context. These collectibles enhance the educational value of the game.
- Adventure puzzle with action (weight 0.33): The game is a puzzle-adventure that includes action moments and emotional exploration. It combines puzzle-solving with exploration and narrative-driven gameplay.
- Historical facts and education (weight 0.3): The game includes real historical facts and descriptions, making it educational. The collectibles provide context about WWI, enriching the player's understanding.
- Narrative-driven story (weight 0.21): The game is story-driven and narrative-focused, emphasizing atmosphere and storytelling. It features multiple protagonists and an interactive story.
- Dog companion with mechanics (weight 0.19): A dog companion is present that can be petted and helps in solving puzzles. This adds a charming element to the gameplay.
- 2D side-scrolling gameplay (weight 0.19): The game features 2D side-scrolling linear gameplay with puzzles and minigames. It is described as a 2D quest with puzzle solving.
- Easy difficulty and short playtime (weight 0.18): The game is easy to complete and has a short playtime of around 5-6 hours. Achievements are straightforward, making it accessible.
- Quick-time events and minigames (weight 0.18): The game includes QTE sequences, especially at the end, and a healing minigame. These add variety to the puzzle-solving core.
- Cartoon and hand-painted art (weight 0.16): The visual style is cartoonish, comic-like, and hand-painted, giving the game a simple yet appealing look. This art style contributes to the overall atmosphere.
- Rhythm and puzzle elements (weight 0.14): The game incorporates rhythm game elements along with puzzle mechanics, requiring timing and thinking.
- Boss fights and chapters (weight 0.11): There are boss fights or boss-like battles at the end of chapters, often against the same character.
- Simple and casual gameplay (weight 0.08): The gameplay mechanics are simple and casual, making it easy for players to pick up and enjoy without complexity.

Performance notes:
- Excellent base performance (weight 0.26): The game runs well on a variety of hardware including very low-end devices, mobile, and PC, with several reports of stable 60 FPS and fluid performance. No significant bugs or technical issues were encountered by some players.
- Performance degradation and freezing (weight 0.13): The game suffers from freezing starting from chapter 3, as well as slowdown and lag in specific sections like the healing hero minigame. These issues impact progression and gameplay smoothness.
- Bugs and graphical problems (weight 0.13): A considerable amount of bugs and graphical artifacts on unsupported GPUs were reported, along with the game not opening and requiring long wait times. These issues affect overall stability and accessibility.
- High-end hardware issues (weight 0.1): Some players on high-end hardware, such as an RTX 5080 and i7-13th gen, report unplayable performance, while others achieve stable 60 FPS at 4K with excellent optimization. This inconsistency suggests driver or compatibility issues.
- Steam Deck compatibility (weight 0.1): On Steam Deck, the game offers comfortable controls and a rich OLED picture with no lag or technical issues, indicating good optimization for the handheld device.
- Resolution and refresh rate limits (weight 0.09): The game limits resolution to 2048x1152 on 2K monitors and does not support refresh rates above 60 Hz, forcing players to use windowed mode for higher rates. This restricts visual quality on capable displays.
- FPS cap inconsistency (weight 0.09): While some players report stable 60 FPS, others experience an FPS cap below 30, causing a jarring experience. This suggests variable performance based on hardware or settings.

Recommendations:
- Widespread universal recommendation (weight 0.73): A large number of reviews strongly recommend the game to everyone, with phrases like 'wholeheartedly recommend to everyone' and 'highly recommended for everyone.' This indicates broad appeal and high satisfaction.
- Must-play experience (weight 0.53): Reviewers describe the game as a 'must-play masterpiece' and 'must-play experience,' emphasizing its unique and essential nature as a game that everyone should try at least once.
- No-regret purchase confidence (weight 0.46): Feedback consistently states that buying the game is a no-regret decision, with phrases like 'won't regret buying' and 'worth the money.' This suggests high perceived value.
- Unique and emotionally impactful (weight 0.37): Reviewers emphasize the game's emotional story and unique experience, saying it is worth experiencing at least once and offers memorable depth.
- Historical interest appeal (weight 0.33): Several reviews recommend the game to history enthusiasts, particularly those interested in World War I or historical games, noting its historical value and educational aspects.
- Narrative-driven recommendation (weight 0.26): The game is recommended for fans of story-driven and emotional narratives, with feedback highlighting its simple yet moving story and strong emphasis on emotions over mechanics.
- High numerical ratings (weight 0.22): Explicit high scores such as 9/10, 9.5/10, and 10/10 are given, reinforcing the game's quality and positive reception.
- Buy on sale advice (weight 0.22): Some reviewers suggest buying the game on sale, stating that it is a worthwhile purchase even at a discount and that players won't regret it.
- Puzzle and war game fans (weight 0.12): The game is recommended for puzzle enthusiasts and fans of war games, particularly with a World War I setting, appealing to a niche but passionate audience.

Other player notes:
- Cheat code for achievements (weight 0.05): A reviewer mentions the inclusion of a cheat code that unlocks achievements. This could be seen as a feature for players who want to bypass certain challenges, though it may affect the game's integrity or progression sense.
- Steam rewards requested (weight 0.04): A reviewer suggests implementing Steam rewards, likely referring to trading cards, badges, or other platform-specific incentives. This feedback indicates a desire for deeper integration with Steam's community features.

Emotions:
- Sadness (weight 0.1): Players are overwhelmingly moved by the tragic ending, particularly the death of the character Emile and his final letter. The game's portrayal of war's cruelty, the heartbreaking finale, and the emotional impact of character deaths cause deep sorrow and tears. Many reviews highlight the game's ability to evoke a sense of personal loss and reflection on real-world war tragedies.
- Frustration (weight 0.1): Frustration stems mainly from difficult and grindy achievements, especially the 'Healing Hero' achievement, and technical issues like bugs, forced Ubisoft Connect login, and poor controller support. Tedious puzzles, slow movement, a low FPS cap, lack of Chinese localization, and game-breaking bugs that prevent completion also contribute to player irritation.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.08): Players feel satisfied due to well-designed puzzles, a concise and educational experience, and the game's smooth performance on multiple platforms like Steam Deck. The rewarding puzzle-solving, coherent story, and overall quality, along with the ability to earn all achievements in a reasonable time, create a sense of accomplishment and value.
- Admiration (weight 0.07): Admiration is expressed for the game's beautiful art style, historical accuracy, and its sensitive, humanistic portrayal of WWI without glorification. The soundtrack, voice acting, and narrative depth are praised as a 'masterpiece,' with reviewers highlighting the game's ability to convey a powerful anti-war message and emotional depth despite Ubisoft's usual track record.
- Appreciation (weight 0.07): Players appreciate the game's hand-drawn art, anti-war story, and educational value, praising how it makes history exciting and preserves historical memory. The high-quality visuals, music, and narrative, along with the game's focus on the human cost of war, evoke gratitude for a serious, soulful experience that contrasts with typical war game portrayals.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.07): Enjoyment arises from engaging puzzles, a superb story, historical facts, and the game's relaxing gameplay, such as driving with classical music. Players find fun in mini-games like healing mechanics and canine cooperation, with many praising the innovative design, replay value, and immersive music that contribute to a positive overall experience.
- Emotional impact (weight 0.04): The game's emotional impact is driven by its gut-wrenching story about war horrors and human suffering, particularly a devastating ending that leaves players in silence. Characters' experiences and losses, along with the narrative and artistic direction, create a deep, lasting impression that touches the heart and provokes tears.
- Disappointment (weight 0.04): Disappointment is linked to primitive, repetitive gameplay mechanics that lack engagement and depth beyond theme and music. Missing features like official Chinese translation on PC, poor narrative shift, and a lack of immersion or emotional connection in certain scenes also frustrate players, with some noting the game's short length and unengaging side content.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.03): Nostalgia is evoked by memories of old Ubisoft quality and childhood experiences, such as playing the mobile version or watching live streams. Players recall the game as a childhood masterpiece, with the graphics and soundtrack prompting desire to return to earlier, more passionate game development eras.
- Moved (weight 0.03): Players are moved by the game's deep, tragic, and human story, which contrasts with historical context and evokes strong emotions through a final letter. The anti-war message and audiovisual experience that reaches the heart, often leading to tears, are central to this emotional response.
- Love (weight 0.02): Love for the game stems from its touching story, memorable characters like Emile and the dog, and overall quality including plot, atmosphere, soundtrack, and art. The game appeals even to non-genre fans, who are charmed by its emotional content and well-crafted puzzles.
- Emotional (weight 0.02): Emotional responses are triggered by the depiction of war and characters, a heartfelt story connected to real cities, and music that brings tears. The strong anti-war message and narrative tone evoke deep resonance, making the game unforgettable and poignant.
- Impressed (weight 0.02): Players are impressed by high-quality voice acting, stunning visuals, and the game's ability to run on low-end hardware. The educational value, unique graphics, character development, and morally challenging story also contribute to a strong positive impression.
- Touched (weight 0.02): Players are touched by the emotional story and characters, particularly the real story of a mutineer soldier and the ending line. The game's heartfelt journey and humanistic perspectives create a deeply moving experience that resonates on a personal level.
- Surprise (weight 0.02): Surprise comes from the game's unexpected quality and depth from Ubisoft, including more intense and heartfelt content than anticipated. Features like tunnel battles and historical details pleasantly surprise players, exceeding low expectations.
- Awe (weight 0.02): Awe is inspired by the masterpiece depiction of war, horror, and unforgettable characters, with a soul-touching ending. The beautiful art style, music, and narrative depth are described as a work of art, with the game being called a cinematic masterpiece.
- Reflection (weight 0.02): Reflection is prompted by the commentary on war, politics, and capital, emphasizing war's true nature and fragility of life. The humanistic perspective and contrast between war and peace encourage players to contemplate the importance of remembering history.
- Fun (weight 0.01): Fun is derived from puzzle-solving, humorous art, and music sections like the car escape sequence. Engaging gameplay and story contribute to an enjoyable experience that balances challenge with entertainment.
- Boredom (weight 0.01): Boredom results from slow early chapters and repetitive puzzle mechanics, with some players finding the game overall dull. The monotony of puzzles and lack of variety in gameplay detract from the experience.
- Gratitude (weight 0.01): Gratitude is expressed for the game's quality voice acting, music, and story, with thanks to Ubisoft and developers for creating a historical educational experience. Players feel lucky to enjoy a peaceful game about war, appreciating the accurate portrayal and emotional depth.}