Gerda: A Flame in Winter – Liva’s Story review

War stories are fascinating to me. In the destruction and death, the terror and turmoil, there’re people at the heart of every conflict, and hearing how inherent goodness and triumph grows through the cracks like a flower through the concrete highlights the tenacity of the human psyche. Unfortunately, not all tales are full of optimism and victory. Gerda: A Flame in Winter was a personal story about everyday people affected by WWII, and Liva’s Story is no different, except this time it follows The Sparrow, a key character from the original.

Liva’s Story acts as a prologue to the events seen in Gerda, and follows a woman called Liva as she has to escape Copenhagen with the members of her resistance after a failed mission, on the run from the Gestapo with the goal of setting up a new base of operations in Tinglev. While Gerda was known for being an everyday citizen who was thrust into dangerous situations, Liva is familiar with conflict, and isn’t afraid to do what is needed, even if that resorts to violence.

Much like Gerda: A Flame in Winter, Liva’s Story is superbly written. When a game can convey emotion through words you’re reading on a screen, it highlights how good the writing is. As you progress through the story and are forced to make tough choices, the actions of your own decisions play a big role in certain outcomes, and I was always impressed with how both Liva and her teammates deal with them. As the leader of a resistance, you’re responsible for making tough decisions and earning the trust of your men, and more often than not, you won’t be able to please everyone.

You’ll choose what missions to accept, whether you deviate from your main goal to help others, and which people you’ll choose to focus your attention on. It was never going to be easy being The Sparrow, and Liva’s Story constantly reminds you of that. I found that while there were certain characters I grew fond of, the need to help everyone could never be satisfied. Everyone in your team has a story to tell, all with their own personalities, but there is only so much you can do. These choices affect how you’re supported, and it’s down to you how that support is used.

Most of your choices are based on three specific skills. Duty is all about following the mission to its end and refusing to deviate; Care allows you to be more compassionate; and Fury often ends in violence towards the enemy. How you respond earns points towards each skill, which in turn can be utilised for specific responses as the game goes on. Virtual dice rolls also play into whether certain decisions are successful or not, so if you don’t have a lot of points in one category, you’re more likely to be unsuccessful.

Gerda: A Flame in Winter – Liva’s Story manages to offer players a chance to see war from all angles, and leaves you questioning your decisions throughout. The writing is excellent, and the same art style might not appeal to those wanting crisper or more detailed environments, however, war was never beautiful painting. It was messy, violent, sorrowful, and tough. Liva’s Story is all of those things, but at the heart of it is a woman who believes she knows what the right thing is, and will do whatever she can to achieve her objective.