Bertha

About

Bertha is a compact visual novel that reframes a 19th-century vampire legend through the perspective of its overlooked female victim. Developed by solflo and released in early 2024, it reworks elements from Sheridan LeFanu’s classic horror tales to center Bertha, a character buried beneath layers of male authorship. The game unfolds as a text-heavy narrative, blending gothic atmosphere with direct, unflinching dialogue. Players follow Bertha’s harrowing encounter with a vampire known as Millarca, stripping away historical assumptions to present a raw, unromanticized account of her ordeal. The game’s standout lies in its subversive focus on queer and feminist themes, positioning Bertha’s story as both a horror tale and a critique of historical erasure. By repurposing public domain source material through a modern lens, it challenges romanticized vampire tropes while giving voice to a marginalized figure. Its brevity (capped at 2.7k words) sharpens the impact, avoiding bloated exposition in favor of taut, confrontational storytelling. The title’s inclusion in the queer vampire jam context highlights its niche but bold approach to rewriting classic horror narratives.

Storyline

"In 1871, irish author Sheridan LeFanu began publishing a Dr. Hesselius' retelling of a certain Laura's experiences with the vampire Mircalla Karnstein (whom she knew by the name of Carmilla). But now my attention turns towards another nested narrative: General Spielsdorf's. His niece, Bertha, had recently died, a victim of the "hellish arts" of the vampire. It is her story with Mircalla (whom she knew as Millarca) that I'd like to explore and give proper attention to, dig up from underneath the weight of three prejudiced 19th century men."