An Adventure Game about Resistance, Freedom, and New Beginnings

“Grenzgänger – Aus der DDR in den Westen” is a point-and-click adventure game about three people who want to leave the GDR in different ways. In three episodes, players themselves become “border crossers” (Grenzgänger) and make decisions that determine resistance, freedom, and new beginnings. In the Role of Assel, Micha, or Hanna, players face different challenges and learn more about the characters' courage, hopes, or despair. Assel, a rebellious punk, fights against the system and dreams of freedom, while Micha wants to escape forced conscription at any cost. Hanna, on the other hand, tries everything to give her chronically ill daughter Peggy a better future. Will the three of them succeed in fulfilling their dreams?

Everything is going as planned... right?

The game not only creates a dense and emotional narrative, but also addresses the uncertainties of exceptional situations such as fleeing. Despite careful planning, an escape depends on external factors such as coincidence and luck, as well as the capriciousness of people in positions of power. In “Grenzgänger,” random events are integrated into the point-and-click adventure to depict the tension and suspense in Assel, Micha, and Hanna’s journey to the West.

The characters therefore have a stress level that is influenced by random events as well as by decisions and objects. The outcome of the random events themselves is in turn influenced by the character's stress level. This means players constantly have to make important decisions whose consequences are not entirely predictable: Who can Assel trust when even her friends might betray her? Is Micha putting his family at risk with his farewell letter? Will Hanna risk everything by joining the white circle?

Yellow walls and pink concrete

Assel, Micha, and Hanna have pressing reasons to leave the country. Nevertheless, it remains a difficult decision. Buildings are destroyed, and the walls are gray, yet their homeland remains a place where people create lives, start families, commit themselves, and support each other. We know from historical witness reports that the sense of community and solidarity in the GDR are particularly positively remembered. To portray this, we have created a game world characterized by bold and vibrant colors.

For the distinctive atmosphere in “Grenzgänger,” we were also able to use music from the GDR punk band “Rosa Beton,” who wrote their songs in the early 1980s, the period in which the game is set, and have now re-recorded them. The punk music not only complements the plot, but also conveys the feeling of rebellion and hope of our protagonists at crucial moments in the game.

Free to play online

“Grenzgänger” can be played online for free by anyone interested and will soon be available to download on Steam. The game was developed for use in an educational context and is primarily aimed at young people aged 14 and above. Educational material will be available to download, providing background information and resources for school use.

• Web: https://media.nal-giessen.de/grenzgaenger/
• Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/4175790/Grenzgnger__Aus_der_DDR_in_den_Westen
• Educational support material: Coming soon

A project with social relevance

“Grenzgänger – Aus der DDR in den Westen” ist a project of the Lern- und Erinnerungsort Notaufnahmelager Gießen, developed with Playing History, funded by Stiftung Orte der deutschen Demokratiegeschichte and the Hessisches Ministerium für Digitalisierung und Innovation.

Would you like to implement a playful educational project yourself? Playing History develops innovative games for political education, museums and educational institutions. Simply get in touch with us!