Full review can be read at Video Games as Literature[www.videogamesaslit.com].

Developed in The Netherlands, Herald is a choice-driven adventure game set during an alternate 19th century in which the West is united as a colonial superpower: the Protectorate.

I didn't have the highest expectations for this game simply because I had never heard of it before and it seems to have flown way under the radar, but I was pleasantly surprised by the dramatic narration and twisty storytelling in this game. The "historical" events in the game are, of course, fictionalized, since this is an alternate history story, but much of the history that is shared feels accurate in terms of vibes, if that makes any sense. The horrors of colonialism are fully realized and the game will leave you feeling like you learned something about history. I love how the story didn't pull its punches. My only gripes are with accessibility and gameplay. The brief moments when you have to move your character are beyond sluggish and oh so tedious. Accessibility is also a major issue in that there just aren't a lot of accessibility options for any type of disability that may be impacted while playing this game. The fact that you are expected to read letters that are written in cursive is not only inaccessible for people with vision impairments, but it is likely inaccessible for a majority of young people who haven't even been taught to read cursive in school. I hope that these problems will be addressed soon in patches and updates to the game. Overall I did very much enjoy this game and I believe it's a solid purchase for the price.

Absorbing story!