Through the Darkest of Times
A strategy game about resisting the Nazi regime in 1930s Germany.
Through the Darkest of Times is a strategy game from Paintbucket Games, published by HandyGames. It launched on Windows and macOS on 30 January 2020, with ports arriving later. Players lead a resistance cell in Nazi Germany, starting with Hitler’s appointment as chancellor in 1933 and continuing through World War II. Each week, they assign members to missions like sabotage, leaflet drops, or painting anti-Nazi messages, managing risk, suspicion, and each member’s traits.
The game is structured into four chapters, each spanning twenty in-game weeks. Turns present historically accurate newspaper clippings with fictional headlines, and scenes with dialogue trees depict major events and everyday interactions. Player choices don’t alter the war’s outcome but can affect later in-game events. The core goal is to survive and resist until the war ends, with subsequent playthroughs unlocking alternative historical paths.
Developers Jörg Friedrich and Sebastian Schulz met at Yager Development and began planning in 2017. The game was announced in April 2018, funded by Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, and a publishing deal with HandyGames was confirmed on 29 October 2018. It became the first game released in Germany permitted to show Nazi symbols like the swastika, after the USK regulator lifted its ban under StGB § 86a. Paintbucket Games secured approval by submitting a demo at Gamescom on 17 August 2018. The art style draws from 1920s German expressionism. Mobile versions for iOS and Android arrived on 7 May 2020, with Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One ports on 13 August 2020. A Stadia version followed on 1 June 2022.
Reception was mixed. On Metacritic, it holds a 71 out of 100 from 24 critics. Storytelling was praised, but many found the narrative too rigid and strategy choices too disconnected from the plot. Low replay value and repetitive gameplay were common criticisms. Screen Rant’s Peter Morics liked the randomized character traits but wished for more gender and occupation options. PC Gamer’s Rick Lane initially called the art style “distasteful,” while Luke Kemp criticized forced modern parallels, especially to Donald Trump. The Guardian’s Simon Parkin noted the newspapers’ historical accuracy but felt the game clumsily drew modern comparisons and simplified activism. TheGamer’s Tanner Fox said the simple strategy felt more suited to mobile.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Through the Darkest of Times
- Developer
- Paintbucket Games
- Publisher
- HandyGames
- Platforms
- Windows · macOS · Android · iOS · Xbox One · Nintendo Switch · PlayStation 4
- Released
- Windows, macOS · 30 January 2020 · Android, iOS · 7 May 2020 · Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 · 13 August 2020
- Genre
- Strategy
- Modes
- Single-player
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Through the Darkest of Times was developed by Jörg Friedrich and Sebastian Schulz in three years. The developers initially met at Yager Development and began planning a historical game in 2017. The game was announced in April 2018 with funding from Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, and publishing agreements between Paintbucket Games and HandyGames were confirmed on 29 October 2018. Its art style was inspired by 1920s German expressionism. The game is the first published in Germany allowed to depict the swastika after the USK lifted restrictions on Nazi imagery within games, derived from statute StGB § 86a. Paintbucket Games received approval after submitting a demo to the USK at Gamescom on 17 August 2018.
The game takes place over four chapters, each lasting twenty weeks in its own time period within the Nazi regime. Each week represents one turn and round of missions. Supplies, supporters, and morale are reset at the beginning of each chapter. Historically accurate newspaper clippings are presented at the start of each turn, with made-up titles. The choices made do not change the actual outcome of any major events surrounding Nazi Germany, but may influence later events in the game. The initial objective is to survive until the end of World War II and resist against the Nazi regime as much as possible. Subsequent plays allow for alternative historical events to take place.
Adaptations for iOS, Android, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 4 were released over the course of 2020. The Android release was open for pre-registration as early as April 2020, and both it and the iOS version were released on 7 May 2020. The adaptations for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One were released on 13 August 2020. Stadia released a version on 1 June 2022.
Reader's Guide
Through the Darkest of Times received mixed critical reception, with the storytelling being held in high regard and the simple strategy being heavily criticized. On Metacritic it has a score of 71 out of 100 based on reviews from 24 critics. The storytelling was overall highly regarded, but critics felt that the story was too rigid, and that the strategy choices did not impact the story enough. Its low replay value was also heavily criticized, with gameplay being characterized by reviewers as repetitive. The game has been compared to games like This War of Mine and Papers, Please.
A debate sparked across Germany over the decision to allow Nazi symbols by the USK. Franziska Giffey, former Minister of Family Affairs, initially criticized its usage, saying 'You don't play with swastikas,' but later posted on Facebook in support of the USK's decision. Klaus-Peter Sick, a historian, rebutted by saying 'One doesn't become a Nazi just by seeing a swastika.' Through the Darkest of Times was nominated for the category of Games for Impact in The Game Awards 2020. A sequel, titled The Darkest Files, was released on 26 March 2025.
Did You Know?
- The game was developed by Jörg Friedrich and Sebastian Schulz in three years, who initially met at Yager Development.
- It was nominated for the Games for Impact category at The Game Awards 2020.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Through the Darkest of Times?
Through the Darkest of Times is a turn-based strategy game developed by Paintbucket Games and published by HandyGames. It casts you as the leader of an underground resistance cell operating inside Nazi Germany from 1933 through the end of World War II.
What are the core gameplay mechanics of Through the Darkest of Times?
On each weekly turn you assign your members to tasks such as sabotage, leaflet distribution, or painting anti-regime slogans on walls. You must weigh the impact of each mission against the suspicion it raises, while factoring in the unique traits and vulnerabilities of every cell member.
How is the story of Through the Darkest of Times structured?
The campaign is split into four chapters, each spanning twenty in-game weeks, and opens with Hitler's appointment as chancellor in 1933. Every turn begins with historically accurate newspaper headlines that anchor you in the real-world timeline.
When did Through the Darkest of Times release and on which platforms?
The game first shipped on 30 January 2020 for Microsoft Windows and macOS, with additional platform ports arriving in the months that followed.
How did critics rate Through the Darkest of Times?
It sits at a Metacritic score of 71 out of 100, drawn from 24 critic reviews, which places it in the generally favorable range.
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