The world of video games is at the crossroads between the faithful representation of historical facts and militarized propaganda. Call of Duty, for years a symbol of war epic, has been criticized for its propagandistic approach to the narratives of U.S. military actions in various conflicts, presenting the country as the indisputable hero. In this context, Fourteen Years of Flames emerges, a Chinese video game that seeks to offer an alternative perspective, focusing on the Second Sino-Japanese War, a conflict in which an estimated 21.3 million Chinese died between 1937 and 1945, which some historians refer to as the “Asian Holocaust.”
A Deeply Anti-Japanese Game
Developed by Fenghuo Studio, Fourteen Years of Flames resembles a Chinese Call of Duty, focusing on a narrative first-person shooter (FPS) with cinematic ambition. However, unlike Activision’s installments, which tackle more well-known conflicts, this title allows players to explore a lesser-known chapter of history, the atrocities suffered by the Chinese population during the Japanese invasion.
The game serves a dual purpose: it not only seeks to entertain but also to educate, promoting historical awareness about the calamities of conflict. Players embody seven key characters throughout 16 real historical events, exploring from the rural areas of the northeast to Chongqing, one of the most bombed capitals of World War II.
With a representation of weapons, equipment, and scenarios so true to history that a 1:1 model is used, the game seeks to accurately reflect war. Although its narrative is based on characters that did not exist, they are inspired by real stories, thus allowing for a more balanced account. Although Fourteen Years of Flames does not yet have a release date or translations into other languages, it stands out as a unique proposal in the field of video games, challenging conventional narratives and digging into a historical wound that is still open for China.
