Through the Darkest of Times Reviews
This captivating game, which immerses players in 1930s Berlin, is an essential reminder of how fascism takes root and grows
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.
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.
A superbly crafted game that serves as storyteller, teacher, and concerned friend.
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
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.
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...
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.
Through the Darkest of Times paints what feels like an accurate portrait of life in Nazi Germany. Cherry-picking major events, like the Reichstag Fire or the opening ceremony of the Olympics, it convincingly places you at the scene, putting you in the shoes of a regular German trying to come to grips with how one person--or even five people--can respond in the presence of evil.
Complex themes and a gameplay that really conveys the story: Through the Darkest of Times may be a simple game, but it's worth your time.
Review in Italian | Read full review
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.
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.
Overall this is a nice title and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a fun but short game.
Through The Darkest Of Times is a powerful title, able to do justice to the subject matter thanks to intelligent game mechanics and a first-rate technical/artistic sector, between vintage graphic styles and disturbing music. The world of Nazi Germany, despite some bizza narrative and a replayability not at the top for the genre, is well deepened and able to interest for more than ten hours. If you feel like going for a ride in the worst of historical times, you've just found an intelligent way to do it.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Through the Darkest of Times has a great atmosphere and has a great handle on its bitter but true story. The gameplay gets repetitive fast and it’s not really that beautiful to look at but it’s good choice for those who want to know more about the history of that era from a different perspective.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Through the Darkest of Times is a game worth trying if you are willing to forgive a slow paced and repetitive gameplay, in exchange for an exciting and very detailed history lesson. Those who prefer to get rid of the Nazis with a BFG 9000 should definitively look for something else.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Once you can accept the occasional glitched mission and language mistakes, it is a journey down history that you will never forget.
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.
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
Through the Darkest of Times tells a compelling, historically grounded story of German resistance fighters who stood up to the Nazis. Its sensitive handling of difficult subject matter makes it a great game for anyone interested in a serious, emotional treatment of Nazi Germany. Unfortunately, the somewhat shallow strategy gameplay falls behind the deep themes.