A narrative adventure set in Denmark during its occupation by the Nazis during World War II, Gerda: A Flame in Winter is the first game set to be published by Dontnod. Pocket Tactics had the pleasure of playing a preview version of this unique new game, and it’s safe to say it fits perfectly into the French studio’s stable of other poignant and thoughtful titles, surpassing our expectations with its deep gameplay mechanics, nuanced world, and gorgeous graphics.
The game begins as half-German and half-Danish protagonist Gerda steps off a train in her sleepy Danish hometown, just returning from learning to be a nurse in a nearby city. The first thing you notice as she greets her waiting father and husband is that the world is rendered in a beautiful and punchy watercolour-esque style that allows you to see enough detail in its vividness to know what’s going on, but leaves enough to the imagination to give an air of blurry old-world charm.
Gerda draws a lot of inspiration from traditional adventure games; you move her around the world and click on items to interact with them. But, in typical Dontnod fashion, it also mixes this with RPG elements that affect how you play the game. This becomes obvious when you’re given the choice of either letting your husband, Anders, or your father help with your luggage at the train station. Whoever isn’t chosen gets -1 towards Gerda, we’re told.
