1428: Shadows over Silesia
A dark fantasy adventure set during the Hussite Wars in Silesia.
1428: Shadows Over Silesia is a dark fantasy action-adventure game from KUBI Games, taking place during the Hussite Wars. It holds the distinction of being the first Czech video game fully accessible to blind players.
The game was announced on 18 February 2020, following the completion of its pre-production phase. Facing financial shortfalls, the developers launched a crowdfunding campaign on the HitHit platform on 7 September 2021, seeking 500,000 CZK. The campaign succeeded on 7 October 2021, raising 606,670 CZK. A demo was released on 7 February 2022, with an initial release window set for late summer 2022. On 21 March 2022, the developers announced full blind accessibility. KUBI Games collaborated with blind programmer Lukáš Hosnedl during development. The game includes a navigational sonar system and recitation of written texts, enabling blind players to play. The release date was first set for 6 September 2022, then delayed to 4 October 2022. It launched on Steam on 4 October, with a physical copy released by Xzone.
The story unfolds during the 1428 Hussite campaign in Silesia, told through the perspectives of Hussite Hauptmann Hynek and Knight Hospitaller Lothar. A central tension arises as they decide whether to remain enemies or unite against a greater threat.
Gameplay spans 13 chapters, with the player controlling both Hynek and Lothar in a linear storyline. It blends adventure, stealth, and action elements, including tactical swordplay focused on realism. Players must defend themselves and time strikes carefully; when outnumbered, they need to use advantageous positions. Stealth is often required instead of direct confrontation. Adventure sections involve gathering objects like keys and solving logical puzzles. Players also discover texts that expand the game’s lore, some written in cipher that must be solved in a logical minigame. Another minigame involves dice.
At the 2022 Czech Game of the Year Awards, 1428: Shadows Over Silesia won the Czech game of the year award.
- Developer
- KUBI Games
- Setting
- Hussite Wars, 1428 in Silesia
- Release date
- 4 October 2022
- Platform
- Steam
- Crowdfunding goal
- 500,000 CZK
- Crowdfunding raised
- 606,670 CZK
- Award
- Czech Game of the Year (2022)
Lore & Background
The game was announced on 18 February 2020 after leaving pre-production. A crowdfunding campaign on the HitHit platform ran from 7 September 2021 to 7 October 2021, raising 606,670 CZK against a goal of 500,000 CZK. A demo was released on 7 February 2022, with the full game initially set for late Summer 2022. On 21 March 2022, developers announced the game would be fully blind accessible, achieved through collaboration with blind programmer Lukáš Hosnedl. Features include a navigational sonar and recitation of written texts. The release date was later set for 6 September 2022, then delayed to 4 October 2022, when it launched on Steam. Xzone released a physical copy.
The plot follows Hussite Hauptmann Hynek and Knight Hospitaller Lothar during the 1428 Hussite campaign in Silesia, exploring whether they remain enemies or join forces against a greater threat. Gameplay progresses through 13 linear chapters, alternating between the two characters. It combines adventure, stealth, and action with tactical swordplay emphasizing realism, requiring the player to defend and time strikes, use advantageous positions when outnumbered, and often employ stealth. Adventure sections involve gathering objects, solving logical puzzles, and discovering texts that expand the lore, some written in cipher requiring a logical minigame. A dice minigame also appears.
Reader's Guide
1428: Shadows Over Silesia holds significance as the first Czech video game fully accessible to blind players, achieved through direct collaboration with a blind programmer and the implementation of navigational sonar and text recitation. Its setting during the Hussite Wars of 1428 provides a historical backdrop rarely explored in video games. The game won the Czech Game of the Year award at the 2022 Czech Game of the Year Awards, marking a milestone for Czech game development. Its blend of adventure, stealth, and tactical action, along with its accessibility features, established it as a notable title in the early 2020s adventure game landscape.
Did You Know?
- 1428: Shadows Over Silesia is the first Czech video game that is fully blind accessible.
- The game was developed by KUBI Games and set during the 1428 Hussite campaign in Silesia.
- The crowdfunding campaign on HitHit raised 606,670 CZK, exceeding its 500,000 CZK goal.
More in Adventure Games of the 2020s, Part 1 1-24
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