Gerda: A Flame in Winter Reviews
It will never not be uncomfortable to see genocide and any kind of game mechanics on screen at the same time. But Gerda avoids this as best it can, offering us a game that puts history at the forefront, understanding that nothing else is more important. It’s an uncomfortable journey, but one that shows what RPG-lites are capable of.
Gerda: A Flame in Winter - Liva's Story examines the harsh realities of conflict from WWII with some fantastic writing and tough decisions.
Gerda: A Flame in Winter tells an intimate tale of love and sacrifice, and forces you to make difficult decisions you often struggle to make.
Gerda: A Flame in Winter is an interactive novel featuring well-written dialogue and varied pathways, coupled with simple RPG elements. Much like a good book, this is one game that's hard to put down.
Buoyed by consistently strong writing, Gerda: A Flame in Winter handles its compelling narrative with aplomb.
Deep characters lure you into a razor-sharp tale of difficult decisions and hidden intrigue from a frightening, divisive time in history.
Gerda: A Flame in Winter offers an intricately woven and nuanced story of bravery, compassion and what it takes to be kind in a hostile environment.
Gerda: A Flame in Winter is a must play if you're a fan of well-thought out choices matter RPG games like Disco Elysium. Not only will you get a nail-biting story with high stakes, you'll come out knowing a plethora of historical details and challenges of the Danish people during WW2. You will come to love or hate the cast of characters, depending on what pathway you choose, but there are endless possibilities because of the games re-playability. Persevere if your first playthrough is not everything that you imagined, because Gerda: A Flame in Winter gets better and better the more you play.
Gerda is an excellent adventure set in WWII, that depicts an eye-opening perspective on the conflict and the nazi occupations.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Gerda: A Flame in Winter offers a somewhat optimistic glimpse at the lives of ordinary folks caught in the war. It will push players to decide where their loyalties lie, though the drama of conversation is often lost for the sake of an RPG point system.
Gerda: A Flame in Winter is an in-depth narrative adventure that teaches you about history while you uncover the secrets of the town. With its minor bugs, it still manages to keep you entranced in the narrative. Its true-to-life storytelling will keep you immersed and guessing with all the hard choices you make. Gerda: A Flame In Winter is perfect for history buffs and narrative story lovers.
Liva’s Story DLC is a seamless addition to the already incredible narrative of Gerda: A Flame in Winter. While it doesn’t change much or add anything revolutionary to the game or its narrative, it doesn’t need to and merely just adds a bit more context to the main game’s story. If you are a fan of narrative-heavy games or just a fan of Gerda: A Flame in Winter, then Liva’s Story is an excellent addition to the game, one that you will greatly appreciate.
Discover the challenge of navigating Nazi-occupied Denmark in this historically-inspired indie
The biggest strengths of Gerda: A Flame in Winter are its chilling atmosphere, strong characters and the World War 2 setting. The game lets you see both sides of the conflict through the neutral eyes its main heroine.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
In a medium preoccupied with guns and bombs and violent, power-fantasy notions of heroism, Gerda: A Flame in Winter treads a quieter path through its World War II setting, and is perhaps all the more powerful for it.
Gerda: A Flame in Winter is a masterful work of art in both the gaming and storytelling spheres; both aspects enhanced by the other, their impact reduced should they be somehow disconnected from each other. Every moment I spent with it was simultaneously energizing and exhausting, as I was emotionally drained on Gerda’s behalf after each level but couldn’t stop myself from continuing the story, desperate to know what happened next. If you’ve ever wondered what you would do as a civilian in WWII, Gerda: A Flame in Winter gives you the ability to see through the Danish resistance’s eyes.
Gerda: A Flame in Winter might be a bit of a slow burn, but hopefully it’ll light a fire in you to not repeat the same mistakes of the past.
Though it lacks some polishment and refinement in the audiovisual aspect and has an underdeveloped level design, Gerda: A Flame in Winter (Switch) offers a good narrative and metanarrative proposal and a satisfactory result when it comes to historical fiction script. It's a shame it doesn't manage to be more immersive, but, due to its strong points, it's a recommendable title for historical fiction adventure fans.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Besides offering a story that's very rich in details about the nazi occupation in Denmark territory, Gerda: A Flame in Winter puts us in situations in which we have to leave logica aside and follow our intuition, making the immersion guaranteed. The game's visual presentation is adequate to its proposal and has a unique charm, and, while a little rare, the sound work, when it is used, manages to transport us to the World War II period. Unfortunately, while it has a dub in the key moments and good controls, the lack of a Portuguese interface may weaken the experience to someone who hasn't mastered one of the available languages.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review