Ostalgie: The Berlin Wall
- March 25, 2018
- Nostalgames
Get on Steam"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.
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Reviews
- Engaging and fun gameplay with a unique take on alternative history, allowing players to explore various outcomes in the Cold War context.
- Rich in historical detail, providing a fascinating insight into the political dynamics of Eastern Bloc countries during the late 1980s.
- High replayability due to multiple nations to play and diverse events, making each playthrough feel distinct and rewarding.
- Steep learning curve with a lack of tutorials or clear guidance, which can be overwhelming for new players.
- User interface is clunky and poorly designed, making navigation and understanding game mechanics difficult.
- Translation issues and grammatical errors detract from the overall experience, leading to confusion about event choices and their consequences.
- gameplay34 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
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, despite the potential for rewarding gameplay once mastered. Overall, while the game may not be the most polished, it offers a unique experience with plenty of replayability and interesting mechanics.
“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.”
“There are still a few opaque mechanics and unexplained (or at least not clearly explained) fluctuations in party support and income.”
“Sure, the premise is interesting - should you be a history or politics buff - but the gameplay itself is boring and, to be honest, very repetitive.”
- music29 mentions
- 62 % positive mentions
- 28 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
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, significantly contributing to the game's appeal and replayability.
“The soundtrack is excellent with the variety and selections of choice in what you can listen to.”
“The music is fantastic.”
“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, and believe me, 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.”
- replayability13 mentions
- 69 % positive mentions
- 15 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is praised for its high replayability due to unique nation events, diverse gameplay paths, and impactful choices that significantly alter outcomes. Many players highlight the value added by DLCs and the game's ability to maintain interest even after extensive playtime. However, a few critiques mention that, despite its replayable elements, the game can feel somewhat bland after multiple sessions.
“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!”
- graphics12 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
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, the music choices are plenty (all major variances in (ex)-socialist countries are represented), 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.”
- story9 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 22 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game's story is praised for its educational value and engaging narrative, effectively blending strategy with text-based storytelling about the rise and fall 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 decline 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.”
“The story lacks depth and fails to engage the player, making it feel like a missed opportunity.”
“The narrative is linear and predictable, leaving little room for player choice or meaningful consequences.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
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 fascinating "micro-strategy" challenge set in Eastern Europe, filled with funny moments and a whimsical portrayal of historical figures.
“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.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its blend of humor and historical context, creating an emotionally engaging experience that resonates with players. The whimsical portrayal of characters, such as a "wholesome big chungus Ceaușescu," adds a unique charm that enhances the emotional depth of the gameplay.
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
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.”
“I spent hours grinding for minimal rewards.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
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 you're really there.”
“Every detail contributes to a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere that keeps you engaged.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
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.”
