Gerda: A Flame in Winter

Buoyed by consistently strong writing, Gerda: A Flame in Winter handles its compelling narrative with aplomb.

Gerda: A flame in Winter, published by DON’T NOD and developed by PortaPlay, is ‘a tale of compassion, community, and courage, inspired by real life experiences and events.’ This narrative driven RPG-lite is a choices matter game set in WW2 that will have you reeling with its all its tricky decisions and yearning for all the characters that suffered.

Gerda: A Flame in Winter is an interactive visual novel for the Nintendo Switch. Coupled with simple RPG elements and set in World War II, it tells the tale of

World War II was an event of such catastrophic devastation that it has cemented its importance in our world’s history forever. A war so impactful to so many across several continents, its legacy is still discussed and explored today. From countless books, TV shows, films, as even video games, such as Medal of Honor and Call of Duty: WWII, its influence still remains at the forefront of many people’s minds. Yet somehow, even after countless historical accounts and media adaptations, ther...

In conclusion, 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.

A great game that will make you question what choices you will make in one of history’s toughest times.