Ostalgie: The Berlin Wall

About

"Ostalgie: The Berlin Wall" is a narrative-driven adventure game set in a divided Berlin during the Cold War. Players uncover secrets and navigate political tensions while posing as a Stasi agent. The game offers a unique blend of history, mystery, and puzzle-solving in a detailed, atmospheric setting.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

90%

Audience ScoreBased on 270 reviews

gameplay8 positive mentions

graphics3 negative mentions

The game offers a unique and engaging experience for history buffs, particularly those interested in the Cold War and Eastern Bloc politics.
It features a variety of nations with unique events, allowing for high replayability and different strategic approaches.
The soundtrack is excellent, enhancing the overall atmosphere and immersion of the game.

The user interface is clunky and can be confusing, making it difficult for new players to understand the mechanics and consequences of their decisions.
There is a lack of tutorials and clear explanations, which can lead to frustration and a steep learning curve.
The game suffers from translation issues and grammatical errors, which can detract from the overall experience.

gameplay
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
68%
9%
Gameplay in this title is described as fun and engaging, with a mix of strategic depth and historical themes that appeal to fans of Cold War politics. However, many players note that the lack of tutorials and some opaque mechanics can make it overwhelming for beginners, while others find the gameplay repetitive despite its interesting mechanics. Overall, the game offers a unique experience with plenty of replayability, though its presentation and learning curve could use improvement.
- “Although it's not the most polished game, its gameplay is quite fun and the music is great.”
- “Each playthrough feels different and the choices you make have large effects on the gameplay.”
- “Its cheap, yet there's plenty of replayability and gameplay options, lots of interesting mechanics, and the game in general captures the climate of the end of the Cold War very well, especially as a minor Warpac power rather than the great and mighty Soviet Union.”
- “Maybe more information or tutorials could help; the mechanics feel a bit overwhelming for beginners.”
- “The game just drops you into the gameplay with no available tutorial.”
- “Sure, the premise is interesting - if you are a history or politics buff - but the gameplay itself is boring and, to be honest, very repetitive.”
music
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
30%
10%
The music in the game is widely praised for its excellent variety and period-appropriate selections, with unique soundtracks for each playable country that enhance the overall atmosphere. Players appreciate the inclusion of both propaganda and national anthems, which adds depth to the experience, although opinions on the sound design vary. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, making the game enjoyable even for those who may not fully engage with the gameplay itself.
- “The soundtrack is excellent with the variety and selections of choice in what you can listen to.”
- “It's the ability to do both those things, while building an excessive number of TV towers and imagining that you're broadcasting the amazing in-game soundtrack to every citizen of Europe, constantly, at 100 decibels, forever.”
- “This game is absolutely amazing, very detailed with plenty of events and a nice soundtrack.”
- “Sound design is minimal, notwithstanding the inclusion of actual music from the era and places in the game, and since this includes both propaganda and national anthems, your mileage will of course vary massively dependent on where you were in 1989 and whether or not you then hit the mute button or pop on some 80s chart instead.”
- “I do not think there is any other political simulator where you can play as one of the members of the Warsaw Pact, while listening to songs related to said countries - from the militaristic epic anthems of East Germany and the DPRK, to Cuban guitar classics ('Hay mulatas en todos los puntos cardinales!').”
- “Alongside the improved feedback and simplified economic system, the game features three countries to play: Bulgaria, Romania, and East Germany, and while all three have fairly similar experiences for the player, their starting setup and nation-specific events make them all compelling to play. However, having a specific soundtrack available for each, with some truly great music in it (especially East Germany), goes a long way to keeping you constantly entertained.”
replayability
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
69%
15%
15%
Overall, the game is praised for its high replayability, driven by unique national events and diverse gameplay paths that allow players to explore various political outcomes. Many users highlight the value added by DLCs and the game's dynamic mechanics, making it enjoyable even after extensive playtime. However, a few critiques mention that, despite its replay value, the game can feel somewhat bland after multiple playthroughs.
- “The fact that each nation has unique events and you can steer it to many different paths makes the game very enjoyable and replayable.”
- “Every piece of DLC is amazing and adds such an incredible amount of flavor and replayability to this game.”
- “Stay communist, reform to a social democracy, become right-wing conservative; the choices you make matter and the replayability is great.”
- “Even though the game is designed to offer multiple scenarios depending on the actions you take for various (historical) events, overall it feels bland and offers little replay value.”
- “However, once you get the hang of things, it's replayable enough to have you coming back for more!”
graphics
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
58%
25%
The graphics of the game are generally described as crude and outdated, fitting the retro aesthetic and Eastern Bloc theme, which some players find charming. While the user interface and visuals lack modern polish, they contribute to the game's unique character, and the artwork and music choices are appreciated. Overall, the simplistic graphics do not detract from the enjoyment of the game for many players.
- “Although not directly related, the artwork is good, and the summary screen at the end of a game is great.”
- “It also features the most modern inventions of superior Soviet computer engineering, like a 256-color interface and up-to-date graphics well-known to our proud citizens from our latest 1988 agricultural output planning software.”
- “Despite the awful graphics and very convoluted AI (guys, take lessons from Paradox), it's a great game which still gives me a good bit of pleasure!”
- “The graphics aren't the best; however, it adds to its charm.”
- “This game is a challenge to say the least, and the graphics are beyond simple, but for me, those two things are part of its fairly unique charm.”
story
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
33%
22%
The game's story is praised for its educational value and engaging narrative, effectively blending strategy with text-based storytelling about the decline of socialist empires. However, some players criticize the lack of alternative storylines, which diminishes replayability and makes the experience feel limited. Additionally, the portrayal of certain social issues, particularly regarding homosexuality, has drawn negative attention for its alignment with outdated and controversial ideologies.
- “Overall, it's a great game, very educational, interesting, and a good mix of strategy and text-based storytelling.”
- “Ostalgie is to be commended for taking a bunch of old names in books nobody reads and putting them together into a gripping story about how socialist empires and kingdoms went from spanning half the world to falling into the crapper in just a few years.”
- “For me, it is entertaining to watch an alternative story of the fall (and sometimes rise) of communism play out, with myself as one of the main deciding factors.”
- “There seems to be no possibility whatsoever for alternative storylines no matter how you play it, which makes the game pointless.”
- “It seems both developers agreed with this assessment that homosexuality was a right-wing/western plot and a mental illness, and that it went against their ideals.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its rich blend of humor and historical context, featuring a unique mix of sardonic Russian wit and amusing gameplay mechanics. Players experience a delightful array of funny moments while navigating the challenges of Eastern Bloc politics, particularly through the lens of a quirky character like "wholesome big chungus Ceaușescu." Overall, the humor adds a captivating layer to the micro-strategy gameplay.
- “This game is an Eastern European goldmine of funny moments and actual history. Here is a snippet of what you can do as wholesome Big Chungus Ceaușescu.”
- “It writes this tale with both gameplay mechanics and sardonic Russian humor.”
- “Fascinating little 'micro-strategy' game where you try to keep East Germany (or another Eastern Bloc country) afloat from 1989 to 1991, accompanied by plenty of dry Russian humor.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the game to be a rich blend of humor and historical context, evoking a range of emotions through its unique portrayal of Eastern European culture and characters, particularly through the whimsical lens of a character like "wholesome big chungus Ceaușescu."
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players express that the grinding in the game is excessively time-consuming, often requiring a significant investment of time akin to having a second life to fully engage with it.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The grinding feels endless and tedious.”
- “Grinding takes away from the enjoyment of the game.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, with users highlighting the exceptional music as a key element that enhances the overall experience.
- “The music just makes the atmosphere; it's amazing!”
- “The game's environment is so immersive, it feels like I'm really there.”
- “Every detail contributes to a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere that keeps me engaged.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The monetization strategy of the game heavily relies on video advertising, which users feel detracts from the overall experience.
- “The monetization strategy feels overly aggressive and detracts from the overall experience.”
- “It's frustrating to see so many features locked behind paywalls, making it hard to enjoy the game fully without spending money.”
- “The constant barrage of ads and prompts to purchase in-game currency ruins the immersion.”