Dave Critiques - 1979 Revolution: Black Friday - The problems of history as episodic fiction

Transcript

Hey Hey folks, Dave here. Just a friendly reminder that this is a critique. I will be talking about 1979 Revolution: Black Friday in depth, so if you are worried about spoilers, please play the game before watching this video. For everyone else, let’s continue.

1979 Revolution is what would happen if you played a Telltale game set during a real historical event - in this case, during the 1979 Iranian revolution. The Telltale skin disguises any edutainment that might be present underneath, as the cultural and historical information is engaging, and prompts at least myself to want to know more as I played about this time and place in history I know very little about.

You play Reza, a photojournalist who returns home to Iran after studying abroad in Germany. A lot of the game is spent documenting the streets of Iran through your photographs, and after every picture is taken, your image is shown beside a real picture taken of the exact subject. It gives a sense of authenticity to your role in the game, even if the person you are playing may or may not be fictional. Someone took these photographs during the revolution, and now all these years later, you are doing the same. That the tale of the revolution brewing is intercut with your character being tortured and interrogated in prison heightens the authenticity, and perhaps dictates your actions during those moments when you can choose how to behave.

But more than most Telltale games, the choices in 1979 Revolution undercut the story being told. During the game, I decided to stick to the creed of Reza’s friend Babak and to go through the events with a philosophy of nonviolence. I wasn’t persuaded by the arguments of the revolutionaries Reza finds himself amongst either, but despite not wanting to be a part of the movement, the story has to continue, so reluctance or enthusiasm aside, you find yourself a contributor until the climax of Black Friday. The choice made during the massacre, and whether to side with your brother or cousin feels meaningful, and where you stand when it comes to what you've seen and how you feel about it. Then Babak gets killed, and it’s easy to see Reza fully joining the movement that I had chosen to keep a distance from during my playtime.

And after this, the final section of the game is back in prison, leading to murder, an act of defiance, and a very abrupt finale. You have no idea what happens to Reza or what occurred in the time between Babak’s death and when he is arrested at the start of the game. I have read that Ink Stories, the developer wants to make more episodes with these characters, but there is the issue of funding. So at the moment, it feels like I’ve played episode 1 of a Telltale game, enjoyed it, but am unsure if episode 2 is ever going to come out. Now I know how fans of the Blackwell Legacy felt when that game was first released in 2006. I definitely want to spend more time with these characters in this time period in this part of the world. Even more, I would love to experience other periods of history and other cultures using this style of videogame.

Thanks for watching!