Last updated on 12 May 2026
When there is no one left to tell the stories, it is in the footprints of the past that we have to look for them. It is with this quotation that the ‘Angel’s mouth’. This is a great online game designed by the Departmental Archives of Yvelines as part of the commemorations of the centenary of the First World War. It will allow players to discover the terrible daily life of the soldiers of the Great War. An exemplary achievement.
The site-game is primarily aimed at Yvelines middle school students, but anyone can register and play to find the trace of a mysterious hairy missing during the Great War whose sketchbook was given to the narrator.
The game takes place over eight chapters, following a progressive pedagogical path. With each new chapter, the player or players (this can be followed as a team) discover a different resource: military administrative documents, population censuses, hairy logs, photographs, monuments to the dead, old … local press All these documents are ‘collected’ on the player’s account and remain searchable at any time, so that, over the enigmas, he can compare and cross-reference the information.
The whole is particularly well done. The progression is punctuated by introductory videos that allow you to discover the daily life of hairy people. The difficulty is growing and is gradually prompting aspiring historians to cross-reference the sources and interpret the documents gathered in their escarcelle.
At the end of the course, a bonus puzzle is proposed. This enigma consists of a real research, to be carried out by mobilizing the knowledge acquired during the game.
The site also offers a small competition only for Yvelines middle school students. The latter score points by carrying out their survey. Those who get the most points will share many prizes.
Gueule l’Ange is a truly innovative educational tool. It allows for a particularly rich approach to this period of history. It also provides a good illustration of the importance of archives and perhaps will bring about the emergence of young historians’ vocations.
Beautiful work. Note that the site offers a pedagogical booklet for teachers to allow them to use the resources of the game with their students.
Link: Gueule d’Ange
English