Through the Darkest of Times Reviews

Through the Darkest of Times is ranked in the 56th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
Mar 20, 2021

The events of World War II are widely documented from the point of view of the allied forces. You don’t have to search too far to come across stories of the French resistance who fought against the Nazis. But what about those Germans who opposed Hitler’s regime? Through the Darkest of Times takes you on a journey through the build-up and key events of WWII from a German resistance group’s perspective. Sound interesting? Read on to find out more.

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8.5 / 10.0
Jan 22, 2021

As a result, Through the Darkest of Times is an excellent game. Despite some flaws in its dialogue and mission selection. It manages to capture the atmosphere and history of Nazi Germany, showing how effective video games can be as a medium in teaching past historical and political events. While at the same time, offering fantastic strategic gameplay mechanics that make the game stand out within its genre.

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Lee Mehr
Top Critic
7 / 10
Sep 9, 2020

A mechanically-archetypal strategy sim elevated by the potent historical context through which it's examined.

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Geeks Under Grace
Sidney Stoddard
7.5 / 10.0
Sep 8, 2020

Through the Darkest of TImes is a great way to experience the realities of Nazi Germany and try to resist its evil, but it's definitely not for every kind of player.

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7.2 / 10.0
Aug 30, 2020

Through the Darkest of Times is not surprising, it's fun and different from normal, but it won't capture the attention of a larger audience.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

7 / 10
Aug 27, 2020

The Darkest of Times stark and sobering reminder of how lucky we are, and what sacrifices were made for the greater good. As basic as you can get for a strategy game but it’s all the better for it.

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8.5 / 10.0
Aug 24, 2020

A great journey through history where we learn about the atrocities of Nazism while trying to stop them from the inside.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

8 / 10.0
Aug 24, 2020

The Night is Darkest Before The Dawn. Through the Darkest of Times is an interesting strategy game that combines the storytelling of a visual novel with the tactics of a war table planner. The art style is striking in its simplicity and the music provides an immersive ambiance. The game's focus on telling the story of the fight against the Nazis from the inside offers a compelling plot and plenty of character moments that draw you in.

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6.2 / 10.0
Aug 19, 2020

This strategy game offers an intriguing tale while the presentation is lacking, it makes up for it in it’s challenge and the wide choiced it presents you over the course of the game.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

Aug 18, 2020

The writing in Through the Darkest of Times is evocative, powerful and poignant. Too often it's undermined by the game also having systems that contain the same kind of resource juggling and time management that we see in anime dating sims.

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9 / 10.0
Aug 17, 2020

Through the Darkest of Times gives players a glimpse of what life was like under Hitler’s rule within the heart of Germany. The gameplay is very strategic, requiring you to pre-plan events as you work towards your goal of helping those who can’t help themselves, yet the stories will test your morality and judgement of others. Despite knowing that history is written in stone, you’ll find yourself determined to try and help as much as you can, not because it’ll change the narrative, but because it’s something you feel you have to do. A second playthrough may not have the same impact as the first one, due to the strict timeline that holds the game together, but you’ll still find yourself drawn back into this dark narrative as you try to help those who you failed the first time around.

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8.5 / 10.0
Aug 13, 2020

While games are a great vehicle for departing from reality and enjoying an escape they’ve increasingly been used as a means to put players in sometimes uncomfortable situations in order to convey ideas and foster greater understanding...

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Jul 4, 2020

This captivating game, which immerses players in 1930s Berlin, is an essential reminder of how fascism takes root and grows

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80 / 100
May 7, 2020

Not many games have you play the underdog from beginning to end. It's tense, and each passing day keeps you on edge. You'll be emotionally invested in trying to keep your members, friends, family, and even strangers safe as you make choices that will shape your life and their future. Although a second playthrough doesn't hit the same way emotionally as the first, it's still a fantastic title to understand the heart-wrenching reality of that period.

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8 / 10.0
Apr 20, 2020

Overall this is a nice title and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a fun but short game.

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7 / 10.0
Apr 20, 2020

Unique return to dark Nazi Germany with good story and fair gameplay.

Review in Slovak | Read full review

4.5 / 5.0
Apr 11, 2020

Through The Darkest Of Times is a must-play title that will absolutely blow you away, leaving you with mixed emotions of despair and hope that will stay with you long after the credits roll.

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Cubed3
Top Critic
3 / 10
Apr 10, 2020

There is little to recommend about this game. The gameplay is not engaging, with mindless clicking in boring gameplay loops, and the story feels like an endless scolding for something no one alive today even did, accompanied by an undercurrent of shame for supposed parallels to modern politics. Some interesting art is overshadowed by how outright simple and stupid most of the characters look. The not-so-hidden political agenda and modern criticisms to the game are so ham-fisted, it is very tough to recommend this unless one is in the mood for a moralizing diatribe.

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BaziCenter
Ehsan Mohamadieh
Top Critic
5 / 10.0
Mar 1, 2020

Through the Darkest of Times, as the name suggests, tells the story of one of the most horrifying eras in the history of mankind in a relatively different way, and while the concept seems appealing, the game itself is sometimes not. If you are interested in history, this game is probably the right choice for you, but be warned that the gameplay mechanics are not always working as they should.

Review in Persian | Read full review

82 / 100
Feb 22, 2020

The management and RPG style made me think of a digital board game like Antihero, but really it plays more like a visual novel — a genre that leans hard on player interaction to involve you in the story. And in that, Through the Darkest of Times was quite effective.

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