You’ve probably played a dozen war games where you’re the hero. You know the drill. You sprint across a digital No Man's Land, pop off headshots, and feel like a god. But All Quiet in the Trenches isn't interested in your power fantasy. Honestly, it wants to make you feel tired. It wants you to feel the weight of a soggy boot and the crushing anxiety of a commanding officer who doesn't know your name.
Developed by Totally Not Aliens, this game is a narrative-heavy RPG that focuses on the German side of World War I. Now, before you roll your eyes at another "trench simulator," listen. This isn't a shooter. It’s a management game about people. You play as a Unteroffizier—a non-commissioned officer—responsible for a small squad of soldiers.
The game just hit Early Access on Steam, and it’s already carving out a weird, uncomfortable niche. It's bleak. It’s slow. It's actually kind of depressing. And that is exactly why it works.
The Reality of All Quiet in the Trenches
Most games treat "health" as a bar that refills when you find a medkit. In All Quiet in the Trenches, health is almost secondary to morale and exhaustion. If your men don't sleep, they mess up. If they mess up, people die. It’s a snowball effect of misery that feels surprisingly grounded in historical accounts from the 1914-1918 era.
You aren't winning the war. You’re just trying to survive the next four hours.
The developers clearly did their homework. They cite historical diaries and letters as inspiration. You can see it in the way the soldiers talk. They aren't shouting patriotic slogans; they’re complaining about the quality of the bread and the fact that their feet are rotting. The dialogue feels human. It’s choppy, full of slang, and often defensive. These men are scared, and the game doesn't let you forget it.
It’s Not About the Shooting
There is combat, sure. But it’s handled through a tactical interface that feels more like a puzzle than an action sequence. You give orders. You hope the RNG (random number generation) doesn't screw you over. Most of the time, the "action" is actually just waiting.
Waiting for the artillery to stop.
Waiting for the rain to end.
Waiting for the mail.
This waiting is where the game shines. You have to manage the interpersonal relationships of your squad. One guy might be a devout Catholic who clashes with a cynical socialist. Another might be a farm boy who just wants to go home to his cows. As their leader, you’re the buffer between them and the high command.
High command is usually the villain here. They send down orders that make no sense. "Take that ridge." "Hold this position." You know it’s a suicide mission, but if you refuse, you’re court-martialed. If you obey, your friends die. It’s a lose-lose situation that perfectly captures the "lions led by donkeys" vibe of the Great War.
Why the Psychology Matters
Psychology in games is usually a gimmick. Think of the "Sanity Meter" in Amnesia or the stress levels in Darkest Dungeon. In All Quiet in the Trenches, the psychological toll is baked into every decision.
Let's say you have a soldier named Hans. Hans is a great shot, but he’s losing his mind. He’s seen too many friends get turned into red mist. If you keep sending him on patrol, he might snap. If you let him rest, your other soldiers have to pick up the slack, and they’ll start hating you for it.
There is no "good" choice.
The game uses a system of traits and moods that evolve based on what happens. It isn't just +1 or -1 stats. These traits change how the characters interact with you in the narrative scenes. A soldier who was once cheerful might become "Stoic" or "Bitter" after a particularly nasty raid. You see the light leave their eyes, figuratively speaking, through the text-based interactions.
The Art Style and Atmosphere
It’s got this hand-drawn, slightly grimy look. It isn't going for photorealism, which is a smart move. The stylized art allows the game to be graphic without being exploitative. You see the mud. You see the blood. But it feels like looking at a colored illustration from a 1916 newspaper.
The sound design is where the horror really lives.
The whistle of an incoming shell.
The constant, low-level hum of distant flies.
The silence after a scream stops.
It’s oppressive. You’ll find yourself turning the volume down just to catch a break, which is a testament to how well Totally Not Aliens captured the atmosphere.
Dealing with the "German Perspective"
This is a touchy subject for some. Playing as the German Empire in WWI is different from playing as Nazi Germany in WWII, but it still carries weight. The game handles this by focusing strictly on the individual experience. It doesn't try to justify the war or the politics of the Kaiser. Instead, it highlights the universality of suffering in the trenches.
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The soldiers you lead are kids.
They are victims of a system that viewed them as replaceable parts in a massive, grinding machine. By focusing on the small-scale—just one squad—the game avoids becoming a political statement and stays a human one. It’s about the guy next to you, not the map in Berlin.
A Look at the Mechanics
If you're coming from XCOM or Civilization, you might find the UI a bit clunky at first. It’s very text-heavy. You spend a lot of time reading. If you hate reading, you will hate this game. Simple as that.
The "Camp" phase is where the meat of the strategy happens. You assign tasks:
- Cleaning rifles (so they don't jam)
- Writing letters (to keep morale up)
- Scavenging (because the supply lines are broken)
Each task takes time. You never have enough time. You have to prioritize. Do you fix the uniforms so the men don't get sick, or do you let them sleep so they’re sharp for the night raid? These micro-decisions are the heart of All Quiet in the Trenches. They feel heavy because the consequences are permanent. There is no "undo" button for a dead soldier.
What Users Are Actually Asking
People want to know if it’s "fun." Honestly? Not really. It’s "engaging." It’s "compelling." It’s "stressful." But it isn't "fun" in the way Mario is fun.
Another common question is about the length. Since it's in Early Access, the full campaign isn't there yet. Currently, you get a solid 10-15 hours of gameplay depending on how much you agonize over decisions. The developers are adding more chapters, focusing on different years of the war.
Is it historically accurate? Yes, mostly. It captures the feeling of the era better than the exact logistics. For example, the way the stalemate of 1915 is portrayed reflects the genuine frustration of soldiers who felt like the world had stopped moving.
Common Misconceptions
One big mistake people make is thinking this is a base-building game. It’s not. You don't build the trenches. You just live in them. You aren't an engineer; you’re a babysitter with a gun.
Also, don't expect a branching narrative where you can "win" the war for Germany. The ending of the war is fixed. The only thing you can change is who makes it to the armistice and who ends up as a name on a memorial.
Strategy Tips for New Players
If you’re just starting out, here’s the reality check you need.
Don't be a hero. In most games, the aggressive play pays off. Here, the aggressive play gets your squad killed. If an objective looks too dangerous, it probably is. Sometimes the "success" is just coming back with everyone alive, even if you failed the mission.
Rotate your men. Exhaustion is a silent killer. A tired soldier misses his shots and trips over wire. Even if your best guy is slightly fatigued, sit him out. You need a deep bench.
Prioritize Morale. A soldier with high morale can survive physical injuries better than a depressed soldier can survive a scratch. Keep the letters flowing. Let them talk. It seems like a waste of time when there are chores to do, but it’s the only thing keeping the squad from dissolving.
Watch the supplies. Food is more important than ammo. You can't shoot your way out of starvation.
The Verdict on the Experience
All Quiet in the Trenches is a bleak masterpiece in the making. It sits alongside games like This War of Mine or Papers, Please. It uses the medium of gaming to make you feel something other than triumph. It makes you feel responsibility.
The weight of the lives in your hands is a real, tangible pressure. When a soldier you've been managing for six hours gets killed by a random mortar shell while he was just eating soup, it hurts. It’s unfair. It’s sudden.
That is the point.
The game doesn't respect your time or your effort because the war didn't respect the lives of the men fighting it. It’s a bold design choice that might alienate players looking for a power trip, but for those looking for a deep, emotional, and historically grounded experience, it’s unparalleled.
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Actionable Steps for Players
To get the most out of your time in the mud, follow these steps:
- Read the soldier bios: Don't treat them as stats. Knowing their backstories helps you make better narrative choices when they get into arguments.
- Embrace failure: You will lose men. You will fail missions. The game is designed around the idea of "muddling through." Don't reload your save every time something goes wrong; the story is better when it’s messy.
- Check the Roadmap: Since it’s Early Access, keep an eye on the Steam community hub. The developers are very active and frequently update the game based on player feedback regarding the "grind" versus the narrative.
- Focus on the long game: Don't burn all your resources in the first week. The war is long, and the winters are brutal. Save what you can, when you can.