Gerda: A Flame in Winter

Gerda: A Flame in Winter is an adventure role-playing game developed by PortaPlay and published by Don't Nod. It was released on 1 September 2022 for Microsoft Windows and Nintendo Switch.

Gerda: A Flame in Winter
Developer(s)PortaPlay
Publisher(s)Don't Nod
Director(s)Hans von Knut Skovfoged
Designer(s)Shalev Moran
Programmer(s)
  • Magnus Barbier
  • Sonne Storbjerg
  • Lukas Wendt
Artist(s)
  • Caroline Fangel
  • Jakob Hansson
Writer(s)
  • Ida Broni Christensen
  • Damir Omić
Composer(s)Jakob Støvring Hansen
EngineUnity
Platform(s)
Release1 September 2022
Genre(s)Adventure, Role-playing
Mode(s)Single-player

Gameplay

The player controls nurse Gerda Larsen and selects dialogue choices that affecting her relations with the four factions, Occupation, Resistance, Danes and Germans.

Plot

Set in Tinglev (Southern Jutland, Denmark) during the German occupation of Denmark in World War II in 1945. Gerda is Danish-German, with a German father and a Danish mother, and lives with her husband Anders. During the game, Gerda finds Anders has been arrested by the Gestapo and has left behind documents from the resistance movement.

Development and release

The game was developed by Danish developer PortaPlay and published by Don't Nod as their first third-party game.[1] It was announced at the Nintendo Indie World Showcase in December 2021.[2] The release on 1 September for Microsoft Windows and Nintendo Switch was announced in May 2022.[3] Creative director Hans von Knut Skovfoged said the game is inspired by his grandmother smuggling weapons for the resistance.[4] A downloadable content (DLC), Liva's Story, was released on 23 May 2023.[5]

Reception

Politiken praised the balance between boring and meaningful storytelling, but criticized the 3D models quality.[6] Le Monde praised the narrative choices and criticized the mechanics.[7] The Escapist said the game isn't notably visually appealing but the "RPG-lite" elements added a "sense of urgency" and strategy to decisions.[8]

At the Games for Change Awards 2023, it won Best Narrative and was nominated for Most Significant Impact.

At the Danish Game Awards Spilprisen 2023, it won Best Narrative.

References
  1. Dealessandri, Marie (1 September 2022). "Don't Nod ventures into new territory with Gerda and indie publishing". GamesIndustry.biz.
  2. Wise, Josh (16 December 2021). "Dontnod announces Gerda: A Flame in Winter". VideoGamer.com.
  3. Romano, Sal (19 May 2022). "Gerda: A Flame in Winter launches September 1". Gematsu.
  4. Nielsen, Silas Bay (30 August 2022). "Hans har lavet computerspil om sin egen mormor. Hun smuglede våben i en barnevogn under Anden Verdenskrig". DR (in Danish).
  5. White, Chris (13 June 2023). "Gerda: A Flame in Winter - Liva's Story review". GodisaGeek.com.
  6. Roliggaard, Simon Løber (10 October 2022). "Dansk spilfirma har skabt et unikt krigsspil, der foregår i Tinglev i Sønderjylland". Politiken (in Danish).
  7. Le Baron, Julie (1 September 2022). "On a testé… " Gerda : A Flame in Winter ", un récit intimiste dans le Danemark de la seconde guerre mondiale". Le Monde.fr (in French).
  8. Cruz, Will (4 September 2022). "Gerda: A Flame in Winter Review in 3 Minutes: Dilemma in WWII Denmark". The Escapist.
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