Review for Gerda: A Flame in Winter

Gerda: A Flame in Winter is a mesmerizing jewel of an adventure. It transports the player to Nazi-occupied, Tinglev Denmark during World War II. The war’s tragedy bleeds through this gem’s every facet: from the dark, impressionistic-style graphics to the sparse, well-chosen music and expert voice acting. These polished facets are yoked together using an interface that is easy for anyone to use. The crown of developer PortaPlay’s masterpiece is an ingeniously written, emotionally charged story. It has many endings depending on player choices. No matter how they choose to play, gamers will find this to be a memorable experience.

The protagonist is a nurse who must try to rescue her husband Anders from the Nazis. Gerda’s success depends on player choices. Can she help her husband more efficiently through working with the resistance, or with the enemy? This decision and others like it permeate the fog of war that Gerda, and the player, must navigate. 

Gerda’s town of Tinglev is fully realized, both visually and audibly, grounding the player in the Second World War. The somber graphics reminded me that, throughout the entire game, the shadow of the Nazis hangs like a shroud over everything. The sound and music plucked my heartstrings, starting with the happy song at the beginning, to the suspenseful tunes that accompany numerous intense sequences. For instance, while breaking into a clinic to steal a vital object, the background music successfully adds to feelings of nervous anticipation. At the conclusion of each chapter, players hear an expertly voiced monologue detailing what Gerda’s experience has taught her. This helped me to empathize with her and care what happened to her, making Gerda the most likeable character in the game.

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The interface allows the player to seamlessly inhabit Gerda. She moves using the left mouse button or ASWD on the keyboard. Red circles with exclamation points designate hotspots. Gerda frequently contends with challenges during conversations plus certain role-playing elements. You select her actions by left-clicking on the buttons at the bottom of the screen.

When making a decision, it's important to be aware of the information on the right side of the screen. The top-right corner contains Gerda’s mental energies: compassion, wit, and insight. These will unlock conversational choices, like swaying a character to help with a task. These can be added to at the end of each chapter by selecting a moral or lesson that Gerda writes in her journal. (The ease of interactivity would be improved if the player had been told which moral/lesson increases which attribute.) Below mental energies, there’s Gerda’s standing with each faction: the Danes, the Germans, or the Occupying Force. Higher numbers indicate a better standing. Lastly, there’s Gerda’s standing with specific characters. It's the last bit of information shown on the right side of the screen. After she acquires the journal, you may access it by clicking on its icon at the upper-left of the screen. Gerda will remember her current task if you click on her or press the G key on the keyboard.

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Character trust while carrying out consequential actions, like stealing an item or persuading a character to help, involves a roll of the dice. Chance rolls include blue for an easy roll, yellow for a more challenging one, and red for difficult rolls. In addition, sometimes Gerda’s mental energies or past deeds assist her in carrying out successful exploits. This will be indicated by a blue checkmark beside the selected action. From time to time, on her way to locations, Gerda will need to contend with random unexpected encounters. Her standing with the various factions will increase or decrease, depending on how well she resolves them. During the suspense-filled finale, she’ll need all the help she can get to rescue her husband.

Gerda: A Flame in Winter successfully puts the player in the middle of World War II. It opens a small window into what it might have been like to live during that horrible period in history. The story is profound; the climax at the end is exceptionally exciting.