By Ted Reyes

Music is a critical part of any video game. From the 8-bit midi sounds of Activision's River Raid to the emotionally charged sounds of The Last of Us, the whole experience of playing a video game is never complete without music. Have you tried playing video games with the volume turned down to escape your parents' wrath? It was like having a psychedelic trip in monochrome. There is a reason hi-def speakers or headsets are required to play video games.  

Ubisoft Montpellier's widely successful emotional puzzler Valiant Hearts: The Great War is one of the best games in recent memory that combines rich visuals, compelling gameplay, and beautiful music.  

The game, released in 2014, is set during the First World War and tells the story of several characters impacted by the conflict. It employs a unique visual style, like a comic book, using hand-drawn graphics. Gameplay involves solving puzzles with various difficulties, keeping players engaged while they are immersed in this powerful and emotional experience. The game is such an emotional journey that even today, players who finished the game cry by just rewatching the trailer. 

VALIANT HEARTS: THE GREAT WAR AT-A-GLANCE 

• Release date: June 24, 2014 

• Developer: Ubisoft Montpellier 

• Publisher: Ubisoft 

• Platforms: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android 

• Genre: Puzzle-adventure 

• Modes: Single player 

• Metacritic score: 81/100 (PC), 85/100 (PS4), 83/100 (Xbox One), 78/100 (Nintendo Switch) 

• Steam user reviews: Very Positive (overwhelmingly positive) 

• Sales: Over 1 million copies sold as of May 2016 

• Awards: Valiant Hearts: The Great War won several awards, including "Best Narrative" and "Best Indie Game" at the 2014 Gamescom Awards and "Best Game" at the 2015 French Video Game Awards. 

The game's narrative is well-written and well-paced, using the characters' stories to convey the human cost of war. This storyline is further augmented by exceptional music, from the APM catalog. Each piece of music is carefully woven into the visuals and gameplay, transporting players to a time and space filled with emotional wealth and logical satisfaction.  

The musical experience begins with the start screen, where a melancholic piano waltz piece entitled A Little Trinketry, written by David Jacob Tepper plays while the screen shows a cartoonish soldier standing in front of the ruins of a village destroyed by war. It is such a beautiful piece of music reminiscent of works by turn-of-century composers like Claude Debussy and Erik Satie. 

The game starts, and a cinematic of the map of Europe takes over the screen while a voiceover establishes the storyline for the entire game. Martial music enhances this stage of the game incredibly as we begin to learn more about the playable characters. 

The drum and bugle music that played during the initial part of the game and the festive version of "La Marseilles" evoke the misguided optimism and excitement of the enlisted personnel. If they only knew what they were getting into, a solo cello piece played in the minor key would have been more appropriate. But that is the nature of war. 

The symphonic pieces that synchronize perfectly with battle sequences give them the right amount of tension and grandiosity common to all depictions of grand battles. There is no place for drum and flute here when thousands of soldiers come face to face with rifles, bayonets, and knives– shooting, piercing, and stabbing each other at extremely close ranges.  

As the game progresses, beautiful music accompanies it throughout, creating a complete, immersive experience. In fact, the game's final sequence is often cited as one of the most heart-wrenching endings in video game history due to this expert mix of visuals, narrative, and music. No wonder critics and players alike have nothing but praise for this masterpiece. 

"Valiant Hearts: The Great War is a true gem of a game, and its soundtrack is one of the primary reasons for that. Chris Tilton's score is both haunting and beautiful, perfectly capturing the melancholic and emotional story of the game." - Kyle Campbell, Destructoid 

"The music of Valiant Hearts is stunning, emotional, and evocative, which is exactly what a game such as this one requires. Chris Tilton has created a soundtrack that is both memorable and melancholic, and it complements the visuals and narrative perfectly." - Katie Smith-Wong, Game Critics 

"Valiant Hearts' music is beautiful, evocative, and haunting. The soundtrack perfectly captures the emotions of the characters and the events of the game, and it adds a lot to the overall experience. Chris Tilton's score is nothing short of brilliant." - Dave Rudden, IGN 

"This has to be definitely the best Indie game, if not the best game in general, I've ever played," Nicholas Gallo posted on YouTube. "The soundtrack and characterization take the story to a whole new level and are deeply moving. Well done, Ubisoft, well done." 

Valiant Hearts: The Great War is truly a classic. 

VALIANT HEARTS: COMING HOME 

The sequel is quite a unique experience because it is only available on mobile devices through Netflix Games. But the top-notch graphics, gameplay, and music remain. 

The story is still contained in the world established by The Great War, with familiar characters like Marie and Anna making a much-awaited return after a decade. Still, new characters like Americans James and Freddie and a German pilot named Ernst are expected to bring the storyline to new emotional heights. 

The game is scored entirely with APM Music and shares some of the music from its predecessor, including the main theme  A Little Trinketry from KPM's Curious Little Box of Happiness album. But players will be thrilled to hear new pieces of music sourced from various albums within APMs massive library. 

We have not had the chance to play the sequel yet, but we were thrilled when the official trailer dropped last January. 

Watch the Valiant Hearts: Coming Home trailer below.

Listen to all the music used in Valiant Hearts: The Great War  HERE.

 

Listen to all the music used in Valiant Hearts: Coming Home HERE