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Through the Darkest of Times

A superbly crafted game that serves as storyteller, teacher, and concerned friend.
77%Game Brain Score
story, gameplay
grinding, stability
79% User Score Based on 800 reviews
Critic Score 76%Based on 14 reviews

Platforms

iPhoneiPhoneMac OSMac OSNintendo SwitchNintendo SwitchPCPCPhonePhonePlaystation 4Playstation 4WindowsWindowsXbox OneXbox OneXbox Series X|SXbox Series X|SAndroidAndroidMobile PlatformMobile PlatformPlayStationPlayStationTabletTabletXboxXboxiPadiPad

About

"Through the Darkest of Times" is a strategy game set in 1930s Berlin, where you lead a small resistance group against the Nazi regime. Your mission is to undermine the regime through sabotage, recruit followers, and spread awareness, while avoiding detection by Nazi forces. The game offers an immersive historical experience, showcasing the struggles and risks of those who opposed the Nazis.

Through the Darkest of Times screenshot
Through the Darkest of Times screenshot
Through the Darkest of Times screenshot
Through the Darkest of Times screenshot
Through the Darkest of Times screenshot
Through the Darkest of Times screenshot
Through the Darkest of Times screenshot
Through the Darkest of Times screenshot
Through the Darkest of Times screenshot
Through the Darkest of Times screenshot
Through the Darkest of Times screenshot
+20

79%
Audience ScoreBased on 814 reviews
story117 positive mentions
grinding10 negative mentions

  • The game provides a compelling and immersive narrative that effectively portrays the emotional toll of living under a totalitarian regime.
  • It offers a unique perspective on the rise of fascism in Germany, allowing players to engage with historical events and moral dilemmas faced by resistance fighters.
  • The art style and atmosphere are striking, enhancing the overall experience and making the historical context feel more real and impactful.
  • Gameplay can become repetitive and lacks depth, with many actions feeling inconsequential and the overall strategy being simplistic.
  • The game resets progress after each chapter, which can be frustrating and diminishes the sense of achievement and growth.
  • Some players have reported bugs and issues with mission mechanics, leading to a less satisfying experience overall.
  • story
    529 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of "Through the Darkest of Times" is widely praised for its emotional depth and historical accuracy, effectively immersing players in the struggles of a resistance group during Nazi Germany. While the narrative is compelling and features impactful choices, many players feel that the gameplay mechanics are repetitive and detract from the overall experience, leading to a sense of frustration as the story progresses. Despite its flaws, the game is recognized for its powerful storytelling and ability to evoke strong emotional responses, making it a significant narrative-driven experience.

    • “A superbly crafted game that serves as storyteller, teacher, and concerned friend.”
    • “The way the story is written here is almost impeccable.”
    • “Through the darkest of times empathetically tells a fearsome but beautiful story of bravery in the face of war, hate and inhumanity.”
    • “Each time you get ready to start doing real resistance work your chapter is over with and the story progresses (spoiler alert, you can't really do anything).”
    • “After a while I realized that it doesn't matter what I do, the story doesn't change so I lost interest in it.”
    • “The way the chapters are structured it feels like they should be separate missions you'd pick from when you start a game.”
  • gameplay
    316 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay has received mixed to negative feedback, with many players finding it shallow, repetitive, and frustrating, often feeling more like a narrative experience than a strategic game. While some appreciate the historical context and art style, the mechanics are criticized for being simplistic, poorly explained, and lacking meaningful impact on the player's choices. Overall, the game seems to prioritize storytelling over engaging gameplay, leading to a disconnect for those seeking a more dynamic experience.

    • “A combination of addictive & challenging mechanics combined with the tragedy of WWII in Berlin makes this a moving and highly recommended title.”
    • “The gameplay centres around team management: the player assigns certain tasks to certain members of the resistance, each of whom have different strengths, weaknesses, and attributes.”
    • “The gameplay is engaging and keeps the player attentive as the tragedy that was the rise to power of the national socialists is depicted in events that affect both the player's comrades and average Germans that one encounters on the street in historical events.”
    • “The recommendation is not for the gameplay - it's quite shallow, boring, and somewhat frustrating.”
    • “Unfortunately, the gameplay is shallow and boring.”
    • “The gameplay loop gets repetitive and isn't very compelling.”
  • graphics
    77 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's graphics are characterized by a unique and appealing art style that effectively complements its dark themes and narrative, with many reviewers praising the visuals as a highlight. While some users noted occasional glitches and a minimalistic approach reminiscent of mobile games, the overall aesthetic is described as beautiful and immersive, enhancing the storytelling experience. However, opinions on the art style's appeal vary, with some finding it less engaging than others.

    • “The graphics are great and blend perfectly for the dark setting; the characters are realistic and likable, and the cutscenes are amazing and can emotionally tear your heart out at certain scenes.”
    • “The game's abstracted art style is a breath of fresh air.”
    • “The art style is extremely unique and fits the dark atmosphere of the game and the heavy subject it is covering.”
    • “The game offers some okay graphics, although there are some ugly glitches here and there; it is pleasant all the same.”
    • “From the morose, downtrodden storyline, the tension-filled resistance banter, to the muted sepia-toned graphics.”
    • “Regardless of politics, I wasn't impressed by the personality-free art style, the dull music, and the entirely RNG-based game loop.”
  • emotional
    53 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game "Through the Darkest of Times" is widely praised for its deeply emotional narrative, effectively conveying the harrowing experiences of resistance during Nazi Germany. Players report feeling a range of intense emotions, including anger, sadness, and helplessness, as they navigate the game's challenging choices and connect with its realistic characters. While some critiques mention a lack of emotional payoff in certain areas, the overall experience is described as both challenging and rewarding, offering profound insights into a dark historical period.

    • “As the name suggests, Through the Darkest of Times has an incredible ability to reflect the emotional toll of being part of the resistance in Nazi Germany: trying to progress through self-set challenges where there is no set goal, no reward, and no indication that what you are trying to do is the right thing or will even 'matter'.”
    • “Made me cry a couple of times and did its job inspiring me to fight harder against the destruction of democracy in the world today.”
    • “The game doesn't try to spin this into a lighthearted game - it's heartbreaking at times and you do feel for the people being unfairly prosecuted in Nazi Germany.”
  • atmosphere
    44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its haunting and chilling qualities, effectively capturing a sense of hopelessness and the gravity of historical events. The unique art style and music enhance the overall experience, immersing players in a dark and oppressive setting that reflects the struggles of ordinary individuals during tumultuous times. However, some players noted that the repetitive gameplay detracts from the otherwise compelling atmosphere.

    • “A game with a chilling atmosphere, through the darkest of times offers players a peek into the life of ordinary Germans who fought the Nazi regime.”
    • “The art style is extremely unique and fits the dark atmosphere of the game and the heavy subject it is covering.”
    • “It does a very good job of creating a sinister atmosphere, and I often found myself thinking, 'What would I really do in this situation?'”
    • “I get the atmosphere of hopelessness they were going for here, but it would be nice to at least have some small victory after hours of playing.”
    • “The atmosphere is appropriately dreary, but the game is repetitive to a fault.”
    • “This game starts off strong, the premise, the atmosphere are all set, each decision matters and you have to really replay a lot to understand the game... much to the frustration of some or enjoyment of others... but I think what made me give a negative review of this game is that in the 2nd act of the game you literally start by doing the same missions that you did in the 1st sequence.”
  • music
    44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising its quality and atmospheric contribution, particularly the use of 1930s jazz that enhances the game's dark themes. However, some players feel the soundtrack could have been more diverse and impactful, expressing disappointment over its limited variety. Overall, while the music is often highlighted as a strong point, there are suggestions that it could have been better integrated with the game's setting and mechanics.

    • “The art style seen in the game is also really great, and I couldn't think of a better soundtrack.”
    • “The visual and sonic artwork is quite good, with a dark, expressionistic, graphic novel feel, along with a great soundtrack of Nazi-banned 1930s jazz music, to which your characters can occasionally spend a night dancing as an act of subversion to Nazi oppression.”
    • “The atmosphere is like twilight, enforced by the music.”
    • “Poorly explained mechanics, poor UI, terrible pacing, bland music... this is the police 1 is probably better than this game in every single regard.”
    • “The soundtrack seemingly consists of two songs and three trumpet wails.”
    • “Regardless of politics, I wasn't impressed by the personality-free art style, the dull music, and entirely RNG-based game loop.”
  • replayability
    34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players find it enjoyable enough to revisit due to hidden content and story elements, many express concerns about the lack of diversity in events and gameplay, leading to a tedious experience on subsequent playthroughs. Several reviewers noted that the scripted nature of events limits replay value, although a few still see potential for exploration in different missions. Ultimately, while there are aspects that encourage replaying, the consensus leans towards a limited replayability experience.

    • “This game is definitely replayable.”
    • “The game even has some replayability, so all things considered I can actually recommend this.”
    • “2nd time I finished it but still I didn't manage to do the special things the game offers, so it's definitely replayable and I am looking to play more as well.”
    • “That being said, the downside is that there isn't really replayability since all the events are the same and honestly a bit tedious the second time around.”
    • “The gameplay is a little too light and lacks clear objectives; yet replayability is rather low and not really fun.”
    • “However, the replayability is completely hampered by the gameplay: impossible to tell the result of actions.”
  • grinding
    10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, particularly when played for extended periods. While it offers enjoyable strategic gameplay in short bursts, the heavy reliance on RNG and lack of replayability contribute to a sense of slogging through the content, making progress feel frustratingly slow. Overall, the game is seen as interesting but can become confusing and monotonous after a few chapters.

    • “Unfortunately, the premise is wasted as the RNG is so heavily balanced against you, even in story mode, that it becomes a tedious and repetitive slog to make any progress.”
    • “Interesting game, but it gets difficult, confusing, and tedious after a few chapters.”
    • “The game does feel a little grindy since you basically raise money, get supporters, or get items each turn.”
  • humor
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Reviews indicate that the game's humor is derived from its juxtaposition of serious historical violence with exaggerated, cartoonish visuals, though many find this approach unconvincing and unimpressive. Overall, while some players appreciate the comedic elements, the execution leaves much to be desired.

    • “I doubt they saw my coverage of the game; I just find that funny.”
  • stability
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game generally provides a stable experience, but players have reported occasional glitches that detract from the overall enjoyment. Despite these issues, the graphics are considered acceptable, contributing to a pleasant gaming experience.

  • optimization
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Users consistently highlight that the optimization of the game offers an excellent price-performance ratio, indicating that players feel they are getting significant value for their investment.

    • “The price-performance ratio is very good here in this area.”

Buy Through the Darkest of Times

7h Median play time
6h Average play time
4-8h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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