Gerda: A Flame in Winter

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 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.

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

Though the game can be completed in under ten hours, Gerda: A Flame in Winter contains multitudes beneath its exterior. I was held in suspense even when I had to shut the game down to go about my life. The choose-your-own-adventure gameplay style made me feel responsible for Gerda’s well-being and the people around her, even as her life was spinning out of control. Though not everything works and the narrative feels slightly too short, it’s also a wild ride that should satisfy those who enjoy the twists and turns of a hearty spy story. The world was a cold and cruel place during the Second Great War, and Gerda: A Flame in Winter provides an intense glimpse of how it felt to live back then.

Gerda: A Flame in Winter is a brilliant adventure game that’s not always as exciting as it is interesting. Simple and approachable mechanically, the same can’t be said for its themes. But if you’re fine with feeling bad for a Nazi while constantly reminded of the damage their ideology did, or if you want to be presented with two horrible choices and be convinced, each time, that you took the worst one, then Gerda is for you.