Deal | Hearts of Iron IV too short? This Grand strategy classic is now under $2 on Steam

In Darkest Hour: A Hearts of Iron Game, players are given the first half of the 20th century as their strategic playground. Unlike the much newer Hearts of Iron IV, its historical scope stretches from the Russo-Japanese War and World War I through World War II and into the beginning of the Cold War. Until August 17, Darkest Hour is available on Steam at an 80% discount for $1.99 instead of $9.99. According to SteamDB, this matches the strategy game's all-time low, last reached during the 2026 Summer Sale.

Darkest Hour was developed by experienced modders from the Paradox community based on Hearts of Iron II: Armageddon. In the process, the familiar formula was significantly expanded. On a detailed world map, players lead their nation across several decades, build armies, advance research, manage industry and resources and forge diplomatic alliances. Once war breaks out, there is much more to consider than sheer troop strength: Terrain, weather, time of day, supply, morale and experience can all determine victory or defeat.

A wide selection of playable nations and different starting dates provide plenty of variety. While major powers such as Germany, the Soviet Union and the United States enter the game with correspondingly vast economic and military capabilities, smaller countries present players with very different challenges. The major campaigns offer several starting points across the two World Wars, while shorter Battle Scenarios focus on individual conflicts.

On Steam, players particularly praise the enormous strategic depth, broad historical scope and high replay value. However, the strategy game cannot hide the fact that it is now more than 15 years old. Criticism is mainly directed at the outdated and sometimes cluttered user interface, as well as the typically steep learning curve associated with Paradox games. Many mechanics are poorly explained, while some diplomatic and non-military systems feel rather basic compared with more modern strategy games. The AI also shows strategic weaknesses at times, and some scripted events can restrict the otherwise considerable freedom players have.

Even so, Darkest Hour remains popular with players to this day: 89% of more than 2,000 Steam reviews are positive. Metacritic lists a Metascore of 81 and a User Score of 8.1. Those who are not put off by the old-fashioned presentation and steep learning curve therefore get an exceptionally extensive grand strategy game for $1.99. Darkest Hour is not a good fit for the Steam Deck, however – Valve rates the game as “Unsupported.”

Disclaimer: Notebookcheck is not responsible for price changes carried out by retailers. The discounted price or deal mentioned in this item was available at the time of writing and may be subject to time restrictions and/or limited unit availability.