1979 Revolution: Black Friday Reviews
1979 Revolution's rough edges don't obscure its ambition in a worthwhile, enlightening narrative adventure.
Despite some inconsequential decision-making and visual roughness, the amount of heart, character, and unflinching honesty in 1979 Revolution’s short two-hour tale is impressive. As an Iranian-American myself, it’s incredibly refreshing to not only see this subject matter explored, but done so in a smart and sensitive way that succeeds in educating as much as entertaining.
Though rough in places, Revolution is an absorbing thriller that asks you to make tough choices and stand for something
This is a game that can broaden an individual person’s horizons and that of the entire medium, as well. It’s definitely worth your time.
1979 Revolution: Black Friday is a fascinating perspective on a significant historical event that affects the world today. Despite clunky mechanics and sometimes awkward visuals, the title goes above and beyond regarding storytelling by incorporating real-life pieces of media, making a nuanced and varied story out of literal history that most people know nothing about.
Ink Stories should be congratulated on their tackling of a much misunderstood historical event and doing so with such accuracy, clarity and impartiality. However, with a glut of gameplay issues and a short game length that prevents the opportunity to explore some interesting ideas further, there's far too much incentive to give 1979 Revolution: Black Friday a miss. This is best viewed as an educational tool, rather than a satisfying interactive experience in its own right.
By pushing for change in a slightly messy way, the game fittingly embodies its revolutionary namesake in a way that will hopefully encourage others to follow suit and improve upon what it has started.
Along with games like “Cibele” and “That Dragon, Cancer,” “1979 Revolution” sets a new path for games by providing a template for how the medium can tell stories grounded in ordinary life. Some of my favorite episodes in the game were much less spectacular than the incidents one normally sees in games like the aforementioned family dinner or tending to the wounds of an injured protester.
Ink Stories' historical interactive drama recreates one of the most important events of the second half of the 20th century without choosing sides
A brave and inspiring work that provides an evocative window into a world-shaping historical event, what 1979 Revolution: Black Friday lacks in audiovisual presentation it more than makes up for with sheer guts, heart and that most rarest of things - a soul.
Accurate in its execution and complex in its politics, 1979 Revolution may have its flaws, but its faults do not overshadow its success of a nuanced portrayal of a history and its people.
1979 Revolution: Black Friday is a groundbreaking game, not in terms of gameplay, but in its depiction of real historical events in an accurate, thoughtful manner, and its exploration of a genre rarely touched by video games.
1979 Revolution: Black Friday will probably push people away and outrage others for its content. It’s not a feel-good type of game and not everyone may agree with the personal take of history that it provides.
Were this release packed tighter with content it would be an easier recommendation. But, so long as game length and gameplay are not primary concerns, this story is worth considering for those eager for narrative-driven games, and who especially enjoy an interesting cast of characters,
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.
A documentary in game form that allows the player to experience historical events authentically in a way no film could.
1979 Revolution: Black Friday tells the story of the Iranian Revolution in the year within the title. It’s a beautiful, heart-wrenching story that makes you quickly fall for every character on screen. The lack of polish and occasional technical frustrations hamper its impact at times, but the message is still loud and clear. This isn’t about crafting some experience you’re going to sink one hundred hours into; it’s about expanding your horizons and learning about some truly important people.
At its heart, this is a street-level view with a focus on people and their relationship more than the politics of the situation - which is saying something with the amount of historical content found within. It reveals a timeless truth that we would be careful to heed in our heightened cultural climate: the fires of revolution always burn hot, but they are uninhibited in who or what they consume.
I do not think that this game’s flaws outweigh what it is trying to achieve after finishing it though.
Other than a couple of chapters where loading times went up close to a minute before the next chapter would begin, I enjoyed my time with 1979 Revolution: Black Friday.