Attentat 1942

Intriguing FMV with comic-like parts and mini-games that's based on true stories of survivors who witnessed first-hand the events before, during and after the assassination of Heydrich.

TLDR: A decent FMV game telling stories of those directly impacted from WW2. While it severely lacks in engrossing gameplay, it makes up for this through some good historical narrative and footage.

PROS:
➕”X-ray”-type information (like from Prime Video)
➕Informative and factual

NEUTRALS:
🔹Good message, but bad conclusion presentation

CONS:
➖Unclear direction at times
➖Lacks gameplay

Content (Game world/Narrative) –
The game world, mostly told through FMV, is a depiction of the 1940s-era war setting. The only issue I have is the relevance of the footage being shown versus what footage just is available of that time period. I think Attentat 1942 would have benefited greatly from some on-site present day footage, for example.
The narrative is simple, which is finding information about your grandfather. It does have a wholesome ending about a reunion between two friends that each thought the other died, unfortunately doesn’t do much with the conclusion.

Gameplay (Mechanics/Difficulty) –
A common issue with FMV/visual novel games - poor gameplay. Here all you really do is click on objects or make some small choices. No real mechanics.

Graphics (Quality/Technical) –
Most of the game is FMV, and good quality. What isn’t FMV is drawn visuals, comic book style, which is just okay.
No technical issues or bugs found.
i9-13900KF | RTX 4090 | 64GB RAM | 1440p @ 240hz | Windows 11 installed on SSD

Audio –
Average, nothing really stuck out to me.

Replay Factor (Longevity) –
You can redo segments for missed story holes or try to get achievements, but it's mostly a one-and-done.

Final Verdict –
Attentat 1942 (A1942) is a FMV point-and-click adventure game with a strong emphasis on the historical accuracy of citizens during World War II. You play as the grandchild of a Czeckoslovakian couple. As your grandfather is ill and doesn’t appear to have much time left, you want to learn about what happened to him during the period of WW2.

To start with the negatives, to me the biggest one is the lack of meaningful gameplay, especially considering the length of the game. Since it's about a 2.5 hour game, I would say perhaps ~20ish minutes of that consist of an actual minigame with gameplay elements, like finding items that could be considered anti-German paraphernalia, or navigating a conversation in a way that the character would. These minigames are good at setting the tone of the story, but occur too infrequently and are too sparse.

As for the positives, I think A1942 was good at showcasing the horrors of WW2 from a civilian, and especially husband/wife perspective. It presented a single small tale of a handful of people directly affected by the Nazi invasion and really makes you think about all of the other untold or lost stories that will never be found because of the atrocities of war. Despite listing it as a neutral, I like how the narrative ultimately ends on a high note by two friends being reunited when each thinking the other was dead. Granted, the game ends off specifically at a really awkward part, but I still think its a good message and one that is backed by historical evidence.

Overall, A1942 is a decent game. I’ve played better visual novels/point-n-click adventure games, but I commend A1942 for committing to the teaching of history. Especially in modern times, if history is forgotten then it's doomed to be repeated. That being said, considering its price, it's a tad expensive for the amount of playtime available, but it's a no-brainer to pick it up on sale if you have any sort of interest in learning about WW2-era stories from those that went through it.

Recommend?
Yes
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I'm not sure if this really is a game as much of a documentary of what it was like under Nazi occupation in Czechoslovakia. The game teaches you history through clips and storytelling. You are a member of a fictional family but the events are real and what happens in the game mimics what happened to many living in the time period. It's really sobering and well done. I think this is more of a visual novel that teaches you about the past.

This was a highly moving and educational game, in more ways than one. As a Jewish person, and as an American living through some interesting times, this game gave me an odd sort of not-quite solidarity and inner quiet as I worked through the story, gathering tidbits where I could and trying to put myself in their shoes. Incredible experience - I would recommend this to any history buffs, political folks, or those who simply need to feel a little less alone or find solace amid the struggles they go through. While the path through may seem twisting and frustrating, it's still there, waiting for you.
Time: 3.5 hours for 100% achievements
Rating: 5/5 (but not for everyone)
Difficulty: Casual

Really good and informative game.
Tells stories of those impacted by WW2 and the Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia and lets you investigate how their fates affected each other, and ultimately, your character's grandfather.
The game has a really good encyclopedia that you unlock as you go, it gives you tons of interesting information about those times and how people suffered under the regime. It definitely sparked my interest to research more about it later.
Very much recommended - just keep in mind that it's more of an informative documentary-like game with quite a few interactive elements rather than a full fledged game in its classic sense. Doesn't make the game any less worth playing!

recomendo. muito bom, adorei essa forma de misturar a fotografia/vídeo real com as animações parecendo HQ também.

Attentat 1942 isn't a 'video game' in conventional sense, however I find it utilizes FMV and mini-games well enough to be informative about WW2 and Czech. I also think it's a shame the encyclopedia doesn't provide a list of resources (e.g., web article or video) where we could learn more about specific topics.