1979 Revolution: Black Friday
Back to Summary
Top Critic
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.
Top Critic
1979 Revolution's rough edges don't obscure its ambition in a worthwhile, enlightening narrative adventure.
Top Critic
Though rough in places, Revolution is an absorbing thriller that asks you to make tough choices and stand for something
Top Critic
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.
Top Critic
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.
Top Critic
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.
Top Critic
Ink Stories' historical interactive drama recreates one of the most important events of the second half of the 20th century without choosing sides
Top Critic
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.
Top Critic
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.
Top Critic
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.
Top Critic
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.
Top Critic
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.
Top Critic
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.
Top Critic
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.
Top Critic
A documentary in game form that allows the player to experience historical events authentically in a way no film could.
Top Critic
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,
Top Critic
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.
Top Critic
I do not think that this game’s flaws outweigh what it is trying to achieve after finishing it though.
Top Critic
As a whole, 1979 Revolution: Black Friday is a quick and blunt showing of an important piece of history that's made to be accessible to our generation.
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.
