Svoboda 1945:
Liberation Review

Svoboda 1945: Liberation (2021) is a narrative game that uses footage of real actors to tell an interweaving story about the aftermath of the Second World War. As you talk to the villagers, explore locations untouched for years and complete puzzles, you unravel the mystery of your family's past and uncover the historically accurate (and often moving) stories of the residents who lived through the war.

You are sent to the town of Svoboda, on the Czech-German border, to settle a longstanding feud, but when you arrive, find a picture of your own grandfather stored in an old attic. It's from here you set out across the town to uncover your family's part in its history and hear the stories of its inhabitants.

You explore various locations across Svoboda and talk to the people you find there. Each interaction is created with video footage, and you choose replies and questions in response to what they say. Depending on your choice of words, the outcome of the conversations can vary greatly. The stories and opinions you hear are based on real events and provide a (sometimes) harrowing reminder of the atrocities that took place during the war on both sides.

Alongside these conversations, you can explore locations for clues in the form of items and photos, which you can then develop using authentic techniques. You can also plant crops and harvest them on the game's map and play cards with military commanders and bureaucrats.

The result is a game that shows how life in many areas has struggled to move on after the horrors of WWII. It provides a thoughtful exploration of grief and trauma through interactive conversations with townsfolk.

Our examiner, Ben Kendall, first checked Svoboda 1945: Liberation 15 months ago. It was re-examined by Jo Robertson and updated 14 months ago.