We. The Revolution: Liberty, Fraternity, Equality, Authenticity

This paper, by Andrew James Reid and Iain Donald, analyzes the 2019 indie game We. The Revolution, developed by Polyslash, to examine how it represents the early French Revolutionary period. Its central argument is that the game prioritizes authenticity, meaning the emotional, moral, and atmospheric feel of the era, over factual accuracy. The authors use a framework they developed in 2020 to show how production decisions shape the historical perspective a player ends up holding, and how the game negotiates representation through its gameplay and narrative choices.

The analysis distinguishes accuracy, defined as fidelity to documented events, timelines, and material culture, from authenticity, which concerns thematic and emotional resonance. Drawing on prior scholarship, the paper treats authenticity not as an inherent property of a game but as a claim made by developers, marketers, reviewers, and players, each of whom may receive it differently. The authors contrast this with high-budget franchises such as Assassin's Creed, whose photorealistic environments lend persuasive credibility to fictional narratives, whereas an indie title with a stylized art style relies more on engagement with historical processes.

The game places players in the role of Alexis Fidèle, a fictional judge in a Revolutionary Tribunal modeled loosely on the real court established in 1792. The paper finds that the game takes considerable liberties with historical judicial practice, dramatizing the judge's agency, allowing manipulation of public opinion and factional politics, and embedding cameos from figures such as Robespierre and Danton. Its polygonal-inspired visuals and palette drawn from revolutionary-era artwork support this atmospheric fidelity, while its moral dilemmas convey the uncertainty and fear of the period.

The authors conclude that We. The Revolution balances these competing demands effectively, sacrificing factual fidelity in favor of narrative and thematic depth. The paper positions the game as an interpretive medium that invites players to reflect on tensions between justice, power, and survival, contributing to broader cultural memory of the French Revolution.