Darkest Hour: A Hearts of Iron Game

When comparing HOI editions, no one today compares HOI:2 to 3 or 4 (nor ever talk about HOI:1), but you'll see plenty favourably comparing Darkest Hour to both 3 and 4. That's because at least half consider it the high point, improving on the old HOI:2 and taking it as far as it could go (essentially an HOI:2.5), before later titles got too bogged down in features, tactics & micro-management that were fine but the game's own AI wasn't really up to fighting you on (HOI:3), or that eventual streamlined, graphics-over-gameplay money spinning edition (HOI:4). A not uncommon evolutionary pattern across many gaming series. DH also has one big benefit over 3 & 4 and that's an option to start earlier, i.e. in WW1. Now, the graphics in DH don't compare with later, but fear not for it makes up for it with that other great advantage - mods. And not just graphical mods to minimise the pain, but music, gameplay, scenario and even total conversion mods. The big one is Kaiserreich (Germany won WW1) but there's Victorian and Napoleonic ones too. And it's active - as in these mods are still being progressed in late 2020 - which shows you how well regarded this game is, a decade on. I don't know if I can post the game maker's own forum link, but search for "paradox forum darkest hour" - it's the best place (and also the safest) to get mods for this game and probably their other titles too.

I have played this game for about 15 years, if you count HoI2 - and it is basically the same game but with many improvements. It's much, much, much better than HoI3, not to mention the beyond repair mess that is HoI4. Probably has a steep learning curve, but beginners can start with for example USA and get used to the interface before jumping in to the war (or getting jumped on around 1941-1942). I have not experienced the lag issues other mention on Windows 10, at least not in fullscreen. And the guy who mentioned that he claimed Germany... that is simply not possible. You can only claim your national cores, and the UK has 0 national cores in Germany. Maybe some mod or the acceptall cheat? Or if it's a bug it's something I've never encountered in at least 3000 hours of playing (again counting the original HoI2). Also, this is kind of two games in one - DH full and DH light which is closer to the original HoI2.

HOI 2 with its mods (Darkest Hour is a sort of "supermod" of HOI 2, even if this "mod" was later heavily modded too :P) are the best in the serie. Which mod you will like the most is up to the taste of course... Don't expect "balanced countries" for multiplayer, in most mods (even more than vanilla) the Soviet Union / Germany / USA are by far the strongest of course, as they should be. You will not be able to make unrealistic alliances like in HOI3 and HOI4, and here there are still the historical events which disappeared in the sequels (at least vanilla sequels). I love events... Some mods add complexity too, but of course this game will never reach the detail and realism of "War In the East" or "War In The Pacific", on the other side here you can complete a game in a few days instead than months. ;) Both in HOI2 and Darkest Hour the level of realism in logistic, how effective airpower is, if subs are worth it or not (free tip: usually they are not) and some other unit-balancing stuff is up to which mod you choose so check them first if you have preferences about those. I didn't have lag problems or other issues with DH or HOI2 in windows 10, beside with the mod called "compendium" which was for HOI2 not DH btw. A shame as that one was one of my favourites. p.s.: ignore the guy saying that he cored Germany with the UK by diplomacy, these kind of things are completely impossible without cheats. Rather the opposite, for instance the diplomacy here is much more realistic about which alliances are possible.

To be honest, I haven't spent this much time on a single strategy game. I've personally played HoI3 and HoI4, yes those games do have some amazing features that Darkest Hour doesn't. But, I still prefer HoI2 over them. I've spent nearly 700 hours playing this game, playing as various countries and taking different paths / scenarios while also trying out some cool mods. If you haven't tried this game, and even if you have the newer versions of HoI, I still recommend trying this game. It's amazing.

Darkest Hour is a third-party update of the original HOI2 which includes a World War 1 scenario and some others aide, and an engine update, stuff like that. Regarding HOI2 itself though, there's probably games with more depth out there if you aren't looking for just a wargame. I play it with it with the alternate history kaiserreich mod, which has political events and choices. I don't have much in the way of performance issues with HOI2 versus HOI4, and Darkest Hour is supposed to be even better in this regard, I believe.