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Svoboda 1945: Liberation Review

History is messy

By Charles SmithPublished 3 years ago 6 min read
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History is messy. It is difficult to escape the generational trauma of violence and war. It can seem impossible to escape at times. Svoboda 1945 - Liberation explores these themes through a creative mixture of full motion video and comics. FMV games are sometimes thought to be an aging relic of 80s and 90s gaming. However, the team at Charles Games have really utilized the format to create an intriguing peak at Czech history.

A Tragic History

Svoboda 1995takes places in the town that gave it its name. It is located on the border between the Czech Republic and Germany. This town has a turbulent past. You play an employee at the Czech Heritage Institute visiting the village. You meet local historians and teachers who are seeking landmark status for the schoolhouse. You learn that each person has a different opinion about the schoolhouse as you speak with them. This makes sense given the context.

Svoboda lies at the border of Germany, Czech Republic and Slovakia. It was occupied by Nazi Germany during WWII. German citizens were forced to leave the region after WWII. This time period is known as the "wild expulsions" due to the often violent means undertaken in the process. It also experienced other major changes, such as collective farming, when the Soviet Union took power in 1948.

A character in Svoboda 1945 discusses the schoolhouse

The town of Svoboda is a microcosm of the emotions, pain and trauma that resulted in WWII and all the other major political and natural disasters. These emotions are carried by the townsfolk from long ago to today. The past's pain continues to haunt us. This is Svoboda 1995at its core.

Charles Games does an excellent job at making sure that no character feels like the "bad guy". Instead, as you read and explore, you discover that each person holds their beliefs for very valid reasons. It is very personal how their families and they relate to the schoolhouse's history and past. You will need to use all the personal testimony you have collected to make a decision about the schoolhouse's historic landmark status.

Fact-based Exploration

Svoboda 45° is a game that allows you to be deeply rooted in Czech history, but not necessarily needing a history background. It makes sense, as the Institute of Contemporary History of Czech Academy of Sciences was the one who created the game.

You can also click on historical events or tidbits to access a menu that will allow you to learn more. It allows players to contextualize the story without having to interrupt it. This allows players to skip reading about events they are familiar with.

Charles Games has created a piece historical media that anyone can use, regardless of their background. Although I am somewhat familiar with Eastern European history and culture, I learned a lot about the Czech Republic after WWII. This is an amazing feature to have in a museum. You can go as deep or as shallow as you like into the history.

FMV done right

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Svoboda 1945uses FMV well, as we have already stated. It gives life to the history it is studying. The events in the village are not abstract facts. They are real and have caused real emotions. As we ask questions, and examine their relationships to the schoolhouse, we get to witness the conflicted emotions of the residents.

These FMVs can be sung in Czech. Charles Games made a wise decision by bringing each townperson to life. The sound design and soundtrack are excellent. The acting is outstanding and takes this VN to the next level.

These FMV clips are interspersed with historical clips. This helps to immerse the viewer and also shows the realities of the Czech Republic after WWII.

Svoboda 1945 includes comic scenes

Comics and minigames breathe life into history

The game isn't just a collection of video clips that don't relate, but it also includes comics and mini games to keep the players interested. The game displays a series comics whenever a townperson recalls the history of their community. The comics were both charming aesthetically as well as as a narrative device.

Sometimes, flashbacks contain a minigame. These minigames help to contextualize the events being discussed. A farming simulator was a powerful addition that I found particularly effective. Svoboda 1945The farm simulator mechanic is used to show the impact of collectivized agriculture on the Czech Republic's independent farmers.

Svoboda 1945 features a farming simulator

The "primary documents" are interspersed among the comics, FMVs and minigames. These documents can be clicked and explored by players. This gives context and life to an already rich game. These moments were a great way to immerse myself in the game. I felt for a brief moment like an investigator trying make a judgment on the historical significance of this seemingly innocent schoolhouse.

The game is overall very enjoyable. It was immersive enough to give me moments of immersion. There were some glitches I encountered. One was in the post-game content. After I had explored everything, I became stuck in a loop that prevented me from exploring the rest of the game. This was not a game-breaking glitch, as I had already won the game. It was disappointing, however. Nevertheless, I do hope that it will be fixed soon. I would love to see a patch for the game. It seems like an easy fix.

Replayability, Bonus Features

Replaying old games can make it feel like a chore for avid VN readers. This is why I was disappointed to find that I had "beaten" the game without warning. There were still people that I wanted to talk to! There are still places I want to visit!

Svoboda 1945 lets you explore primary documents

Svoboda 1995 has already addressed this issue. After you have completed the game, it is possible to contact and speak with anyone you missed. This was a great thing. The story was interesting and I enjoyed reading it again. You can also go back to the index after you have finished the game and find out about historical events that you missed. You can also go back to different mini-games and play them again. These are all great features that allow players to return to the game.

Excellent for Historians and More

Overall, Svoboda 1995 accomplishes what it set out to do: create a VN for exploring Czech history. Although there were some glitches, the game is well-made. It was fun to play and I felt that I learned a lot. I wouldn't be surprised if the game made its way into a classroom or museum in the coming years. It's richer than in history. It is probably a bit niche due to the content. It is worth checking out if you are even remotely interested in WWII or post-WWII history.

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