Through The Darkest Of Times – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Through The Darkest Of Times

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

game2020Role-playing (RPG), Simulator

90%

WISE Score

67%

IGDB

Lead a resistance group in 1933 Berlin and try to keep your humanity (and your head) while the world goes mad.

Through The Darkest Of Times

game

2020, Role-playing (RPG), Simulator

90%

WISE Score

67%

IGDB

Lead a resistance group in 1933 Berlin and try to keep your humanity (and your head) while the world goes mad.

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Where to Play

Screenwise Verdict

If your kid is a history buff or a strategy fan, this is a must-play. It’s the anti-Call of Duty. Instead of a soldier with a machine gun, you’re a secretary, a worker, or a teacher trying to throw a wrench in the gears of a monster. It’s heavy, it’s frustrating, and it’s deeply important.

It doesn't pander to the player. You will likely 'lose' or face devastating setbacks, which is exactly the point. It’s a rare piece of media that treats the player like an adult, capable of handling the moral complexity of one of history’s darkest chapters.

Age Fit

Best for 13 and up. Younger kids might struggle with the complex strategy mechanics, but more importantly, they need the historical context to understand why the game is so relentlessly bleak.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

The game models immense courage, cooperation, and moral clarity against systemic evil, though the tone is intentionally grim and emotionally taxing.

Imaginative

It forces players to imagine life under a totalitarian regime, requiring creative problem-solving and tactical empathy to survive.

Safe

Single-player focus means no toxic social interactions or predatory monetization. The 'danger' is purely thematic, dealing with the reality of the Third Reich.

Enriching

This is a masterclass in historical literacy and ethical reasoning. It moves past 'shooting bad guys' to explore the crushing weight of civil resistance.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Historical immersion that goes way deeper than a textbook, covering the slow-burn rise of the Nazi party from 1933 to 1945.
Meaningful choices where every decision—like painting a slogan on a wall or helping a neighbor—carries real weight and potential consequences.
Unique art style inspired by German Expressionism that perfectly captures the anxiety and tension of the era.
Ethical training ground for teens, forcing them to weigh the value of small victories against the risk of total destruction.

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What to Watch For

The game is intentionally stressful. It’s not a 'power fantasy' where you win easily; it’s a struggle against an overwhelming machine.
It depicts historical atrocities and systemic persecution. While stylized, the descriptions of concentration camps and violence are grounded in reality.
Depending on the version/region, you will see swastikas and Nazi iconography. The developers fought for the right to include these for historical accuracy rather than glorification.

Conversation Starters

"If you lived in Berlin in 1933, at what point would you have realized things were going wrong?"
"Is it better to do one big, risky act of resistance or many small, safe ones?"
"How did the game change your perspective on what 'courage' looks like for normal people?"
"Why do you think some people in the game chose to look the other way while their neighbors were taken?"

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