Velvet 89 is a free educational game for PC developed by Charles Games. It's a hidden object puzzler that features a unique historical twist. In it, players will be immersing themselves in a story of how a group of ordinary people helped change the course of history. 

Similar to games like Hidden Folks and TOEM: A Photo Adventure, Velvet 89 boasts charming hard-drawn art to complement its narrative-driven experience. What makes it stand out from its contemporaries is it's based on the history of a former communist regime in Central Europe and the real-life stories of its people. 

Making a stand 

Velvet 89 is a hidden object game that features a narrative that centers around the former communist regime of the country of Czechoslovakia, known as The Czech Republic today. It tells a deep and grounded story of a group of citizens who stood up to the oppression and mistreatment and were fueled by their discontent with the governance at the time through peaceful protests and large-scale demonstrations. 

Follow an intricate narrative that transpires at five protests across four cities in the country. At each sight, hundreds of people will be gathering, and a select few will have important stories to tell based on real-life testimonies from over 40 individuals who decided to speak up about police brutality during peaceful demonstrations. It's up to you to search for them among a sea of faces. 

To add to the immersion, these stories will come alive in picture book-like styling and some will even include actual footage captured during those moments, all leading the Velvet Revolution that changed the course of the country forever. Now, some will find the gameplay a bit tedious at times, since the character designs have very little differentiation among them, making it unnecessarily hard to find who you're looking for. 

Makings of a revolution 

Overall, Velvet 89 puts a nice spin on the sub-genre by giving more thought to its narrative and presentation. The gameplay is a classic hidden object elevated by immersive storytelling. The art style, while charming, can get in the way of itself at times, but it's not enough to detract from the unique experience you can have with this game.