Valiant Hearts: The Great War asks players to sit through a war they can barely control. The 2014 game, made for PS3, PS4, Android, and PC, puts players in the shoes of five characters caught up in World War I. It is a puzzle-adventure that leans on family bonds, animal companions, and quiet tragedy to carry its weight. It mostly succeeds, though its pacing sags in the middle.
Trailer, via AllGamesBeta.
Five Characters, One War
Valiant Hearts follows four human characters and one dog. Each chapter shifts between their points of view, and each brings a different skill to solving puzzles. One character is an engineer who builds bridges. Another is a soldier with a machine gun. A third is a doctor with medical supplies. The dog acts as a fourth playable companion, used for tasks humans cannot manage.
The design forces players to switch between these five regularly. A puzzle solved by one character often requires another to complete it. This keeps the game from settling into a single rhythm, even when the story drags.
Puzzles That Work
The puzzles in Valiant Hearts are simple on paper but clever in practice. They ask players to move objects, use tools, and connect ideas across rooms. Nothing here demands deep thought, but the best moments land because the solutions feel earned rather than guessed.
Some sequences, especially those involving the dog, stand out. The game trusts players to treat the animal as a full character rather than a gimmick, and these scenes are often the most memorable parts of the experience.
A Story That Sags
The narrative strength of Valiant Hearts is also its weakness. The game wants to be about love, loss, and hope in wartime. It succeeds at setting that tone early and failing to sustain it. Middle chapters repeat themes of separation and hardship without adding new emotional stakes.
This is a game that knows how to open a door and close it, but struggles to keep the audience engaged between those openings.
Sound and Sight
Valiant Hearts runs on a hand-drawn art style that feels both warm and grim. The backgrounds are detailed, and the character designs are expressive enough to carry facial reactions across small screens. The lighting changes depending on the time of day, which gives the game a sense of passage that text alone could not deliver.
The music matches the tone. A piano-led score plays during quiet moments and swells during combat sequences, giving the game a consistent emotional register even when the plot falters.
Platform Choices
Valiant Hearts launched across multiple platforms, and each version plays the same core game. There is no additional content tied to a specific platform, which means players who own it on PS3 or PS4 get the same experience as those playing on PC or Android.
This consistency is a relief, since the game’s length means it would be frustrating to have to replay parts elsewhere.
Length and Pace
The game is short by modern standards. Players can finish it in a few hours, though some may spend longer due to the puzzle design. The brevity works in its favor, since the middle chapters would test patience over a longer stretch.
Hard Numbers
- Title: Valiant Hearts: The Great War
- Platforms: PS3, PS4, Android, PC
- Release: 2014
- Score: 7.6/10
Valiant Hearts: The Great War is a game that understands its own strengths better than its weaknesses. Its puzzles are sharp, its art is warm, and its emotional core is honest. The story, however, fails to sustain itself across its middle chapters, leaving players with a shorter, stronger experience than a longer, weaker one. It is worth playing for a few hours, but not a game that demands a full afternoon.
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