Gerda: A Flame in Winter offers an intimate story in the middle of World War II. The title takes us to a village in Denmark, while its inhabitants have to deal with the German occupation. Fans of historically flavored narrative games will love this gem, available on Nintendo Switch and PC.
Copy of game courtesy of Don’t Nod; images by Melanie Boutin-Chartier
Played on Nintendo Switch for review
A fascinating adventure, in the middle of World War II
The story of Gerda: A Flame in Winter tells what this nurse is willing to do to save her husband from Nazi capture. Living in a small village in Denmark, Gerda is well known in her community. She only has a few days to save her husband before he is taken somewhere else, probably to a concentration camp. Tinglev is a Danish village occupied by the Germans. The Resistance also has its feet there, which causes palpable tensions. It is February 1945. The Second World War has been going on for five years and no one yet knows when it will end.
Forging your career through encounters …and a bit of luck
The game is simple to play, playing as a point and click style adventure. We will find elements in the places visited and we talk to many people. To save her husband, Gerda will use her influence with key people. With her points of compassion, intuition and insight, the young woman will be able to extract important information from her interlocutors.
The relationship she has with people will also weigh in the balance. Sometimes, this level of confidence will allow you to try a slightly more risky approach in order to turn events in your favor. This fluke will work, or not.
Simple and user-friendly game mechanics
Gerda: A Flame in Winter is for all players interested in war stories. Regardless of your level of experience, the title is easily picked up. We are kindly directed to places of interest to advance the story. There is little exploration possible, but that’s not a bad thing. Interactive elements display a dot when approached. Often, discussions allow Gerda to choose how to respond. With clues or objects collected beforehand, we can try to turn events in our favor. I really liked this mechanic. In addition, the game allows us to understand how people could be torn. I myself have often hesitated between two answers.
In her diary, Gerda describes what she is going through and offers the player the opportunity to add a sentence describing her feelings more precisely. For history buffs, a tab is dedicated to describing the War in this region. With supporting photos, this section is touching and well thought out. My only issue on Nintendo Switch is that the text is often very small. Fortunately, it is available in French. Only the narration is in English or Danish, for those who would like a more faithful immersive experience. Either way, you’ll be fine with just reading. Narration only supports what is written.
I loved Gerda: A Flame in Winter
Gerda : A Flame in Winter is inspired by the journey of the grandparents of one of the developers of the Danish studio Porta Play. Knowing this, the adventure depicted in the game is even more poignant. Several decisions will influence the course of events. Some will be heartbreaking and people will be left behind. We are at war, and Gerda’s dual nationality allows her to side with the Danes or the Germans. Besides, I found that this duality is a great idea for the game.
I completely immersed myself in this story, told simply. In video games, we rarely develop this angle of war. See how life unfolds in these villages occupied by the Nazi army. Nothing is as before, although we are still looking for a semblance of normality. The tensions are palpable and everyone is on their guard. Wanting to save her husband arrested in these circumstances will lead Gerda to do certain actions that she would not have done otherwise. How we play will determine whether it succeeds in its mission.
The scenario has several possible endings, which encourages its replayability. Once finished, it is possible to resume a chapter to see the possibilities that we would have missed. I like the idea, avoiding to redo everything from the beginning. In addition, as in the other games of Don’t Nod, a table of statistics is displayed at the very end. Of course, I compared my choices with other players. Offered at a low price, Gerda: A Flame in Winter is a strong recommendation from me.
