That said, I hope (fingers crossed!) to see a patch for this game, as I feel like it is likely an easy fix. As I had already beat the game, this wasn’t game-breaking. While exploring everything I missed, I got stuck in a loop where I was unable to continue to explore the remaining areas of the game. However, there were a few glitches that I ran into. Enough so, at least, that I had moments of immersion. For a moment, I truly felt like an investigator trying to to make a judgement on the historical status of this seemingly innocuous schoolhouse. These moments helped immerse me in the game. This adds more life and context to a game already brimming with it. Players get to click and explore these documents. Interspersed between the FMVs, comics, and minigames are “primary documents”. Svoboda 1945 uses the farm simulator mechanic to illustrate the effects of collectivized farming on independent farmers in the Czech Republic. One I found especially powerful was the inclusion of a farming simulator. These minigames contextualize the events being described. Occasionally, these flashbacks include a minigame. I found the comics especially charming, both aesthetically and as a narrative device. Whenever a townsperson reflects on the history of the town, the game flashes to a series of comics. However, instead of feeling like a series of unrelated video clips, the game includes comics and mini-games to keep players engaged. This works to further immerse the player, as well as show the reality of WWII and post-WWII Czech Republic.Ĭomics and Minigames Breathe Life Into History Interspersed between these well-acted FMV clips are historical clips. However, the acting is great and really helps take this VN to the next level. In general, the sound design and soundtrack are perfectly serviceable. This was a great decision from Charles Games, as it really brings to life each and every townsperson. We get to see the conflicted emotions of the townspeople as we ask questions and explore their relationship to the schoolhouse. Instead of the events that occurred in the village being a list of abstract facts, they are real things that have caused real emotions. It breathes life into the history it is exploring. FMV Done RightĪs stated earlier, Svoboda 1945 utilizes FMV well. The depth in which you can dive into the history can be as shallow or deep as the players wants. Honestly, I’m surprised this is a feature in a museum. Personally, though somewhat familiar with Eastern European history, I found myself learning a lot about WWII and post-WWII Czech Republic. It also lets players who may be more familiar with the subject skip reading about an event they are already well-acquainted with.Ĭharles Games has masterfully created a piece of historical media that you can start with any level of background knowledge. This helps players contextualize what is being described without interrupting the narrative. This makes perfect sense as the Institute of Contemporary History of the Czech Academy of Sciences helped create the game.Īdditionally, important historical events and tidbits trigger a clickable menu where you can learn more about it. The writing and gameplay do a great job of contextualizing this portion of Czech history. Fact-based Explorationĭespite being deeply entrenched in historical fact, you do not need a background in history to enjoy Svoboda 1945. Based on all of these intimate testimonies you collect, you need to make a choice about the schoolhouse’s status as a historical landmark. Their and their families’ relationship to the schoolhouse and its history is deeply personal. Rather, as you explore and read, you learn that everyone holds their beliefs for pretty valid reasons. This is what Svoboda 1945 explores at its heart.Ĭharles Games does a great job of making sure no character quite feels like the “bad guy”. The townsfolk carry these emotions from long-ago into the modern-day. With all of these major political changes and catastrophes occurring, the town of Svoboda acts as a microcosm for the emotions, pain, and trauma surrounding WWII and the events that resulted from it.
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