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About Velvet 89
Velvet 89 is a historical hidden‑object game that asks players to read visual clues—clothing, hairstyles, surroundings—to understand what protestors dreamed of and feared during the Velvet Revolution. The game travels across five Czech cities, depicting six key protests that sparked the movement.
Developed with the Stories of Injustice project and the One World in Schools programme, Velvet 89 blends handcrafted paper‑cut visuals with authentic footage and testimonies, offering more than 40 individual stories about the revolution’s rise from border regions to Prague’s squares.
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Visual Style
The game’s art combines paper‑cut graphics, faded photo‑album aesthetics, and real historical footage, creating a handcrafted yet authentic atmosphere. This blend reinforces the documentary feel while keeping the visuals approachable for casual play.
The stylised look supports the hidden‑object mechanics, making clues stand out against background details that echo real‑world protest imagery.
- Compare the paper‑cut textures with the actual footage to spot subtle differences that indicate hidden objects.
- Observe how colour palettes shift between protests; they often hint at the emotional tone of each scene.
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Historical Authenticity
Every story in Velvet 89 is based on real testimonies and was created with experts from the Czech Stories of Injustice project. The narrative follows documented protests, from ecological gatherings to large crowds before police intervention.
The game’s factual grounding aims to educate players about the Velvet Revolution while preserving the personal experiences of those involved.
- Read the accompanying testimony notes to deepen understanding of each protest’s context.
- Compare the game’s sequence of protests with known historical dates for a clearer picture of the revolution’s progression.
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Game Structure
Velvet 89 spans five cities and six distinct protests, each presenting a hidden‑object scene with its own set of clues. Players uncover more than 40 individual stories by locating visual details that reveal what protestors hoped for and feared.
Progression is linear, moving from border‑region demonstrations toward the central squares of Prague, mirroring the historical spread of the movement.
- Take notes on recurring symbols; they often reappear in later protests as narrative threads.
- Focus on background elements first—they frequently hide the most informative clues.
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Educational Collaboration
The game was produced in cooperation with the One World in Schools programme to mark the 35th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution. This partnership ensures the content aligns with educational goals, making the title suitable for classroom use.
By integrating real testimonies, the game serves as a learning tool that encourages discussion about modern Czech history and civic activism.
- Use the game’s story excerpts as prompts for classroom debates on protest motivations.
- Compare the in‑game narratives with textbook accounts to highlight personal perspectives.
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Platform and Features
Velvet 89 is a single‑player title available on Windows, supporting Steam Achievements and Family Sharing. It is free to play, so there is no purchase barrier to trying it.
The game’s Windows release includes standard PC inputs; no additional controller specifications are documented.
- Earn Steam Achievements as you play through the game.
- Share the game via Family Sharing to let multiple household members explore the histories.
COMMUNITY
Player discussion