Gerda: A Flame in Winter Reviews
Gerda: A Flame in Winter is a great experience that simply isn’t usually told. The game isn’t particularly long, at about 5-6 hours, but it is intended to be played more than once to see the alternate possibilities. It also shows a side of the War that isn’t shown very often because it isn’t glitzy and glamorous. But real civilians lived through World War 2, and their stories should also be told.
Gerda: A Flame in Winter is a brilliantly done RPG. In the art department, it is insanely good, but the sound design could be done in a way that immerses the players a lot more than it does in its current state. The RPG system is nothing new, but it is very nuanced and immersive. Many aspects of the story, like the internal conflicts, make it interesting. It is predictable, sure, but it is really good, and isn’t that all that matters?
Overall I thoroughly recommend Gerda: A Flame in Winter as a bold branching adventure game which is keen to tell the story of a relatively unknown part of the Second World War, in a mature and thoughtful manner. The in-game glossary helps to explain a lot of the historical backstory, as well as educate players in an elegant fashion. I’m looking forward to seeing what stories PortaPlay might decide to tackle next.