Unknown Soldiers: Memories of the Great War
Ubisoft Montpellier tells the stories of five characters swept up in the 1914–1918 war.
One hundred years ago, the First World War—the famous "war to end all wars"—began. Not exactly to celebrate the start of hostilities, but rather to ensure that the sacrifice of millions of anonymous victims would never be forgotten, Ubisoft is releasing Unknown Soldiers: Memories of the Great War today. Led wholeheartedly by Paul Tumelaire, the game breaks new ground and adopts a deliberately unconventional art style to invite us to remember, without sinking into horror for horror's sake. A fine historical gaming achievement.
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Oh Barbara, What a foolish thing war is
At the beginning of Unknown Soldiers,
we discover the tragedy affecting a small family from Saint-Mihiel. As Karl—the German son-in-law—is expelled from France, Émile Chaillon, the father, is drafted shortly afterward. War is declared between France and Germany, leaving Marie alone with her young son. Shortly after his assignment, Émile befriends Freddie, an American. At the same time, Karl is enlisted in Baron Von Dorf's forces, while Anna, a Belgian nurse, finds herself trapped in Paris under threat of a German invasion.
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Within just a few minutes,
all of Unknown Soldiers' characters have been introduced. We get to know and appreciate them as
the opening events of a conflict that was not supposed to last unfold. The German offensive is halted following the episode of the Marne taxis, and with the support of British forces, the French Army manages to stabilize the front. Trench warfare can then begin, along with the horrors of the trenches, incessant artillery bombardments, failed breakthroughs and the first attempts at chemical attacks.
ANNA AND THE MARNE TAXIS
The generals triumph, the soldiers fall
These different episodes of the conflict are all recounted in Unknown Soldiers, but through
that distinctive style—a blend of naivety and poetry—that makes it possible to convey everything gently, without diminishing its impact. Supported by a moving soundtrack, the developers at Ubisoft Montpellier
regularly offer refreshers in the form of historical panels that we are never required to consult, but which provide a little more information about those distant memories from school: Yperite, the Chemin des Dames, the Voie Sacrée...
Historically speaking, Unknown Soldiers is a resounding success,
the kind that proves it is possible to learn while being entertained. We have already mentioned the historical facts that shed light on the war's major events, but we must also discuss the articles collected throughout the game, which
teach us a little more about soldiers' daily lives through everyday objects: the famous red uniforms worn by our poilus, identity tags, tobacco pouches... There is only one criticism: for the sake of the scenario, the game ignores the Eastern Front.
A war between Europeans is a civil war
Although it accurately depicts the First World War and has a pleasant little "history book" quality,
Unknown Soldiers never forgets that it is first and foremost a video game. In that respect, it offers interesting
gameplay, even if it will probably not appeal to everyone.
Primarily consisting of small puzzles, it is built around relatively simple areas—two or three screens at the beginning, four or five toward the end—that must be explored to obtain various objects and identify any mechanisms that need to be activated.
A large part of the game therefore simply involves using the right objects in the right places, as well as correctly operating
mechanisms that sometimes resemble genuine brainteasers. However, there is never any question of introducing excessive difficulty, and a hint system has even been implemented so that less experienced players can still make progress without getting stuck for too long. Cleverly,
these hints are unlocked little by little, encouraging players to search for the solution before giving up.
War is too serious a matter to entrust to the military
Throughout the adventure's four chapters,
the difficulty gradually increases, but Ubisoft Montpellier has remained modest, and even the most hardened players will encounter absolutely no difficulty during the adventure's six to eight hours. They will, however, appreciate the developers' efforts to add some variety. The puzzles call on slightly more complex mechanisms as we approach the conclusion, and
a few "action" sequences are included to change things up.
The paths of all our characters regularly cross, and when Anna encounters Émile and Freddie, or later comes to Karl's rescue, we discover
driving sequences that are both entertaining and beautifully staged. Elsewhere, sections piloting a tank and a few shooting exercises provide a little more variety, even though most of the game consists of the areas and puzzles, an excerpt of which we invite you to discover in our
gameplay video... An excerpt that takes care not to reveal anything about the plot skillfully staged by Ubisoft.
Oh Barbara, What a foolish thing war is
At the beginning of Unknown Soldiers, we discover the tragedy affecting a small family from Saint-Mihiel. As Karl—the German son-in-law—is expelled from France, Émile Chaillon, the father, is drafted shortly afterward. War is declared between France and Germany, leaving Marie alone with her young son. Shortly after his assignment, Émile befriends Freddie, an American. At the same time, Karl is enlisted in Baron Von Dorf's forces, while Anna, a Belgian nurse, finds herself trapped in Paris under threat of a German invasion.
Within just a few minutes, all of Unknown Soldiers' characters have been introduced. We get to know and appreciate them as the opening events of a conflict that was not supposed to last unfold. The German offensive is halted following the episode of the Marne taxis, and with the support of British forces, the French Army manages to stabilize the front. Trench warfare can then begin, along with the horrors of the trenches, incessant artillery bombardments, failed breakthroughs and the first attempts at chemical attacks.
Historically speaking, Unknown Soldiers is a resounding success, the kind that proves it is possible to learn while being entertained. We have already mentioned the historical facts that shed light on the war's major events, but we must also discuss the articles collected throughout the game, which teach us a little more about soldiers' daily lives through everyday objects: the famous red uniforms worn by our poilus, identity tags, tobacco pouches... There is only one criticism: for the sake of the scenario, the game ignores the Eastern Front.
A war between Europeans is a civil war
Although it accurately depicts the First World War and has a pleasant little "history book" quality, Unknown Soldiers never forgets that it is first and foremost a video game. In that respect, it offers interesting gameplay, even if it will probably not appeal to everyone. Primarily consisting of small puzzles, it is built around relatively simple areas—two or three screens at the beginning, four or five toward the end—that must be explored to obtain various objects and identify any mechanisms that need to be activated.
A large part of the game therefore simply involves using the right objects in the right places, as well as correctly operating mechanisms that sometimes resemble genuine brainteasers. However, there is never any question of introducing excessive difficulty, and a hint system has even been implemented so that less experienced players can still make progress without getting stuck for too long. Cleverly, these hints are unlocked little by little, encouraging players to search for the solution before giving up.
War is too serious a matter to entrust to the military
Throughout the adventure's four chapters, the difficulty gradually increases, but Ubisoft Montpellier has remained modest, and even the most hardened players will encounter absolutely no difficulty during the adventure's six to eight hours. They will, however, appreciate the developers' efforts to add some variety. The puzzles call on slightly more complex mechanisms as we approach the conclusion, and a few "action" sequences are included to change things up.
The paths of all our characters regularly cross, and when Anna encounters Émile and Freddie, or later comes to Karl's rescue, we discover driving sequences that are both entertaining and beautifully staged. Elsewhere, sections piloting a tank and a few shooting exercises provide a little more variety, even though most of the game consists of the areas and puzzles, an excerpt of which we invite you to discover in our gameplay video... An excerpt that takes care not to reveal anything about the plot skillfully staged by Ubisoft. 
