Gerda: A Flame in Winter

During the height of World War II, a small village in Denmark became occupied by soldiers. As their once peaceful village becomes the new front for a violent war, the citizens of this place find their entire lives have been turned upside down. One of these people who are affected is named Gerda, and she is the protagonist of Gerda: A Flame in Winter.

Developed by PortaPlay Gaming Aps and published by DON’T NOD, Gerda: A Flame in Winter is a narrative-focused light RPG that tells a story based on true events. As Gerda, you will watch your home of Tinglev transform before your eyes. Make decisions about where you will travel to, how to handle different situations, and who is worthy of your trust. If you’re ready to help Gerda survive this nightmare and protect the ones she loves, then here is everything you need to know about Gerda: A Flame in Winter.

An Unlikely Hero

Most games have a protagonist that is supremely powerful or skilled in combat. In this game, however, you will step into the shoes of a regular person. Gerda isn’t a gun-toting adventurer like the Tomb Raider. Instead, she is a nurse who is first in line to see the bloody horror that war causes when the battles rage right up to her hometown.

Armed with only her bravery and intelligence, Gerda will do whatever she has to in order to ensure the survival of herself and her family. But, as a nurse, that will likely mean without harming anybody if she can help it.

Stay True to Yourself

How the story unfolds in Gerda: A Flame in Winter is supremely unique. Instead of making black-and-white choices, the decisions you make will come as a result of direct dialog, exploration, and even how you manage your resources and relationships with other characters. All of these elements will determine your personality, and in turn how the story is presented to you.

The best experience and story outcome will be the result of playing the game and making decisions how the good-hearted Gerda actually would. Treat others with kindness, help them when you can, but also stay true to yourself and never falter in your mission. Mixing and matching approaches will result in you going down the many different story branches the game has, which will give you one of many endings.

The Unseen Heroes

Gerda: A Flame in Winter tells a singular story about civilians in wartime, but the game was created as an ode to all of the unseen heroes of every war. The people who had to stand up and act in the face of their own mortality, just like Gerda does here.

Pros

• A powerful story of bravery
• Interesting gameplay mechanics

Cons

• Quite short