10 Video Games That Taught Us Forgotten History
1. 1979 Revolution: Black Friday (Iranian Revolution)
2016's 1979 Revolution: Black Friday is an interactive drama adventure game with a similar graphic style and choices-matter mechanic to that of TellTale's games.
Written by survivors of the
1979 Islamic Revolution of Iran, the story puts the player in control
of a young photo-journalist being interrogated about his part in the
revolution. While deliberately ambiguous in an attempt to shed light
on the different belief systems of the Iranian people at the time,
the developers combined gameplay with documentaries to express both
the excitement and the reasons behind the revolution, as well as the
more negative violence and consequences that followed.
Whether you agree the revolution was accurately depicted in the game or not, Black Friday helped inform a new generation of the event and its causes.
Unlike most revolutions, the Iranian Revolution occurred during an era of peace and was, in part, ironically caused by the country's improved prosperity following increases in oil revenue. Civilians and opposing government forces, as well as anti-secularists, lost faith in the ruling Shah and it's pro-Western sentiments. A combination of factors allowed for the rise of Khomeini and his anti-colonialism, pro-Shia message, enticing protests.
The Shah responded with martial law and the infamous deaths of Black Friday – the final nail in the coffin that Khomeini needed to exile the Shah and consolidate power.
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Which other historic games succeeded in teaching you something incredible? Let us know in the comments!