Welcome to our review of Through the darkest of times, a narrative-driven game about the second world war.
Dark times mean fear and risks. The risk to be caught by patrolling National Socialists, looking for people who publicly stand against their point of view. The risk of being beaten up or even killed by the German military because we‘re opposing the regime. The risk of losing everything, including our loved ones. This is how we live. This is how we try to survive. Through the darkest of times.
You are the leader of a small resistance group in 1933’s Berlin, of ordinary people, from Jews to Catholics and Communists to Patriots who simply can’t stand aside. Your goal is to deal with small blows to the regime – dropping leaflets to spread awareness about what the Nazis are really up to among the people, painting messages on walls, sabotaging, gathering information and recruiting more followers. And all of that while staying undercover – if the regime’s forces learn about your group, the life of each member is in grave danger.
Through the Darkest of Times is a historical resistance strategy game, focusing on conveying the somber mood of the period and the very real struggles of average people living in the 3rd Reich. Historical accuracy means that your small group of resistance fighters will not change the outcome of the war, nor will you prevent all of the Nazi’s atrocities, but you can certainly do everything in your power to save as many lives as you can and oppose the fascist system wherever possible.
This game is a narrative-driven game about the rise to power of Hitler and this from 1933 to the end of the second world war. All missions in this game are balanced between getting progress or risk getting uncovered. A very heavy game as there are a lot of options and outcomes to get, but at what cost?
Most of the game is reading and figuring out what to do, but let us not forget you can not change history. Hitler will rule and there are parts that you need to submit yourself to. The horrors of fascism are all there and the smallest chance you take might be a game between life and death.
Personally, I thought this game was very risky to be made as you are given a very heavy story due to real-life history and I want to say that despite all the effort put into this great game, which it really is. Its historical facts and learning curve are all there, yet I could not get myself to like this game.
Not that I found it to be boring or bad, on the contrary, this game is a toughie in itself. I never really liked learning history in school and at times I felt like the game was more trying to teach me history rather than let me enjoy myself. I just wish I had a different experience.
In conclusion, I can see its greatness, but Through the darkest of times never got me out of the comfort zone of enjoying a game but got me reliving my childhood where we learned all about the second World War in history class. I am sure my score will not represent a real proper score, but it is what my gut told me to give it.
