All Quiet in the Trenches

About

"All Quiet in the Trenches" is a war game set in World War I, where you play as a German Unteroffizier responsible for your soldiers' survival. Manage camp life and make decisions that affect your soldiers' well-being, balancing their needs and your superiors' demands. The chaos of war and your choices create a unique story each playthrough, but they won't change the war's outcome. Visit the roadmap at for more information.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

91%

Audience ScoreBased on 496 reviews

story44 positive mentions

grinding2 negative mentions

The combat system is unique and engaging, providing a fresh take on strategy gameplay.
The narrative is well-written, allowing players to form emotional connections with the characters.
The game has a promising future with regular updates planned, indicating ongoing support from the developers.

The game is currently short, with only a few hours of content available, making the price feel steep.
Combat mechanics can feel clunky and lack clarity, leading to frustrating moments during battles.
There are repetitive elements in the gameplay, particularly in camp management and dialogue, which can detract from replayability.

story
116 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
59%
3%
The game's story is widely praised for its emotional depth and immersive narrative, effectively capturing the harrowing realities of World War I through the experiences of individual soldiers. Players appreciate the character development and the impact of their decisions on the storyline, although some express a desire for more varied missions and content due to the game's current limitations in early access. Overall, the storytelling is considered a standout feature, with many looking forward to future expansions and improvements.
- “The storytelling is masterful, capturing the harrowing realities of life in the trenches during World War I in a compelling and immersive way.”
- “Learning the story of each soldier under your command and seeing the consequences of decisions play out really hits home on the weight of command.”
- “The story is superb and very well written.”
- “The commanding officer proves to be comically villainous to the detriment of the story.”
- “Building is basically useless and a pure waste of time; I've got the same story five times in one run and the same event three times in one battle.”
- “Unfortunately, the story is very short.”
gameplay
97 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
61%
6%
The gameplay has received mixed feedback, with players appreciating its immersive storytelling and mechanics but criticizing its repetitiveness and limited content, especially given its early access status. While some enjoy the tactical elements and resource management, others find the combat simplistic and lacking depth, leading to a desire for more dynamic events and gameplay variety. Overall, the game shows promise but requires further development to enhance engagement and expand its content.
- “I find myself wanting to help random comrades when I share a shell crater with them in the heat of battle, and I think that's exactly what you should be trying to encourage with the gameplay in an anti-war game.”
- “The storytelling, the gameplay, everything is incredible.”
- “The atmosphere is detailed and immersive, and the core gameplay is fun and satisfying.”
- “You see there are two real parts of the gameplay, combat and management, and those two parts make up about 95% of the game. The other 5% consists of minor story events. Both the combat and management systems are awful. While there are some strategic elements, at the end of the day, 99% of the gameplay is just comparing two values and going with the better one. You end up pressing the same three buttons and dragging the person with the better value to the right place, and that's it.”
- “The gameplay is easy to learn, but the core mechanics in both the preparation phase in the military camp and the battle phase in the trenches are very boring and tedious. There's not a lot to do, and the battle mechanics are bad. Overall, I reckon save your money and don't get it.”
- “Sadly, the hype and synopsis far exceeded the gameplay itself. The game has a good concept, but the battle mechanics are not good at all. When my soldier throws a grenade, he just stands there and does nothing. The game is very repetitive, and most battles feel the same: running around with your squad and never dying even if you're directly in front of the enemy.”
graphics
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
46%
12%
The graphics of the game are characterized by an atmospheric art style that effectively captures the grim realities of trench warfare, though opinions vary on its execution, with some finding it functional rather than striking. While the visuals are generally appreciated for their immersive qualities, they are described as somewhat janky and not technically flawless, reflecting the studio's size. Overall, the art style is seen as unique and fitting for the narrative focus, though some players suggest that a darker aesthetic could enhance the game's thematic impact.
- “The art style is very cool, and it's nice that the game chose to really focus on the narrative rather than the fighting side of things.”
- “🎨 Grim visuals: immerse yourself in the grim atmosphere of the trenches, with visuals that depict the harsh conditions and horrors of war.”
- “👍 Atmospheric visuals: successfully captures the grim reality of war through its visual design.”
- “It's more like you're reading a 'choose your own adventure' book with unrelated graphics happening on the screen.”
- “The graphics can be a little janky, but it's what you'd expect from a studio of their size.”
- “Now for the technical, obviously it's open access and a few bugs, but not so much of the gameplay than as the visuals; it's definitely playable and the sounds are wildly immersive.”
emotional
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game "All Quiet in the Trenches" is praised for its emotional depth and historical accuracy, effectively portraying the psychological toll of war on soldiers. Players report experiencing strong emotional connections with the characters, leading to moments of heartbreak and reflection on the harsh realities of combat. The narrative emphasizes personal stories over statistics, creating a compelling and poignant experience that resonates deeply with players.
- “The attention to historical detail and emotional depth makes this game truly stand out.”
- “Set against the backdrop of World War I, 'All Quiet in the Trenches' offers a deeply personal and emotional narrative.”
- “Similar to games like This War of Mine, you quickly build an emotional bond with the individually designed soldiers, who all have their own background story, character traits, and storylines.”
replayability
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
53%
20%
The game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the dynamic events and decision-making that can lead to different outcomes, many feel that the limited content and short playtime diminish its overall value. Despite claims of high replayability, several users express disappointment, citing a lack of substantial differences in subsequent playthroughs and questioning whether the experience justifies the price. Overall, while there is potential for replay value, it may not meet the expectations set by the developers.
- “Replayability through dynamic events: different outcomes based on player choices encourage multiple playthroughs.”
- “Highly replayable & engaging & highly recommend!”
- “Replay value: each decision you make changes the way the soldiers you command develop and the way the higher-ups view you and your unit.”
- “It's not as 're-playable' as it pretends to be. I played for 6 hours and I'm done with it. Finished it too quickly; it's too easy. Really annoyed I can't refund this as 25 euros is a joke for the amount of content in this.”
- “Currently not worth the money and not replayable.”
- “It's supposed to be replayable, but since you only get different soldiers from a limited pool and most events are similar, there is no reason to replay again for 2 more hours.”
atmosphere
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
8%
25%
The atmosphere of the game is effectively immersive, capturing the grim realities of World War I trench warfare through detailed visuals and chaotic battle sequences that evoke a sense of disorientation and helplessness. While the art style is noted as functional rather than striking, it successfully conveys the harsh conditions of war, contributing to an overall engaging experience. However, some players feel that certain gameplay elements, like NPC shooting, detract from the intended atmosphere.
- “The visual style is very interesting, the stories and incidents that come up during play add a lot to the atmosphere and the sense of disorientation and helplessness during the battle sequences really reminded me of the famous 'run along the trenches' sequence in the film 1917, shells exploding all around, the ground shaking, people scrambling to get to the next trench.”
- “The atmosphere is detailed and immersive, and the core gameplay is fun and satisfying.”
- “Chaos and confusion do add a certain atmosphere to be sure, and the point of the battles is not to win the war right there, but it would be nice if in the tutorial screens it better clarified concepts like suppression, firing at will, and how you can actually counter/effect enemy movements.”
- “🎨 [b]grim visuals:[/b] immerse yourself in the grim atmosphere of the trenches, with visuals that depict the harsh conditions and horrors of war.”
- “The shooting that the NPCs do between turns does nothing to add to the atmosphere as I know they're not actually shooting anything.”
optimization
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
Overall, the game's optimization is generally stable, with some players reporting minor bugs and performance issues typical of early access titles. While some users experienced no performance problems and found it well-optimized, others noted that technical bugs could detract from the experience, particularly in certain aspects of gameplay.
- “Training to remove negative traits: soldiers could remove traits like fear or insomniac through rest, rehabilitation, or mentorship, improving morale and performance.”
- “The key: keep balance between keeping your men alive and well and keeping your superiors content with your performance.”
- “Overall well optimized as well.”
- “Generally stable, but some players have reported minor bugs and performance issues, typical of early access games.”
- “Technical bugs: minor bugs and performance issues can detract from the experience.”
- “It also has the worst performance compared to the rest of the game.”
grinding
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
Players consistently express that grinding in the game is excessively time-consuming, often requiring an unrealistic commitment akin to having a "second life." Additionally, the limited content and repetitive gameplay during both the preparation and battle phases contribute to a tedious experience.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Besides having only limited content for an overpriced game, the core gameplay in both the preparation phase in the military camp and the battle phase in the trenches is very boring and tedious.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is generally perceived as unstable, with numerous bugs and glitches reported by users, which detracts from the overall experience. While some players appreciate the engaging story and troop dynamics, the technical issues are a significant concern, especially for an early access title.
- “This game is a buggy disaster.”
- “This game is a buggy mess, lacks content, and is not that fun.”
- “Fun, but there are a lot of glitches at the moment.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The game's soundtrack is catchy and memorable, drawing comparisons to classic scores, and is complemented by impressive sound design. However, some players feel that the music lacks intensity during combat scenarios, suggesting a need for more dynamic audio in those moments. Overall, the music is a highlight, though there are areas for improvement.
- “I have barely scratched the surface of this game, but the soundtrack has already been stuck in my head.”
- “The music is catchy, reminiscent of the score from the 1979 film 'All Quiet on the Western Front', and the sound design is impressive as well.”
- “Even though I really enjoy this game's soundtrack, art style, and story, I do have some complaints.”
- “Music should also be more intense when in combat.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is effective, eliciting genuine laughter from players. However, some users note that the anti-war messaging can become overshadowed if players excel at the gameplay, potentially diminishing its intended impact.
- “It has made me laugh.”
- “The funny thing about anti-war games is that if you are good at them and not anti-war yourself, the often times the anti-war messaging of the game falls off.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The character development in the game is highlighted as a key strength, with users praising the emotional storytelling that creates a deeply engaging narrative.
- “The narrative is deeply engaging, with strong character development.”
- “The emotional storytelling really brings the characters to life, making their journeys feel personal and impactful.”
- “Each character evolves in a believable way, allowing players to connect with their struggles and triumphs.”