Draft:The Light in the Darkness
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| The Light in the Darkness | |
|---|---|
| Publisher(s) | Voices of the Forgotten |
| Director(s) | Luc Bernard |
| Producer(s) | Lexy Graves, Chantal Paz |
| Writer(s) | Lexy Graves |
| Engine | Unreal Engine |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC (Steam, Epic Games Store) |
| Release | 2023 |
| Genre(s) | Educational |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
The Light in the Darkness is an educational video game created by French game designer Luc Bernard. It was released in 2023 and focuses on the experiences of a Polish-Jewish family during the Holocaust in Nazi-occupied France.[1] The game is a project of Voices of the Forgotten, a nonprofit founded by Bernard, dedicated to preserving Jewish history through digital media.[2]
Gameplay
[edit]The game blends interactive storytelling with historical accuracy, adding archival material such as photos, videos, and scanned documents, while presenting the events through the eyes of a child. [3] While the game includes dialogue options and mini-games, the outcome remains the same regardless of player input, offering a narrative with limited interactivity designed to reflect the historical lack of agency experienced by Holocaust victims. Bernard describes the experience as “an interactive film,” stating that “there’s no gamifying the Holocaust, there’s no winning the Holocaust.” The game deliberately avoids branching paths or traditional win conditions to reflect the historical reality that Jews had no choice during the Holocaust.[4]
Development
[edit]The game was originally conceived under the title Imagination Is the Only Escape, and later evolved into its current form, with a focus on historical accuracy and emotional storytelling.
As of 2025, a director’s cut is in development and set to release in 2026. [5]
Reception
[edit]The game received attention from major media outlets for its educational approach and emotional storytelling.
- Variety profiled Bernard’s goals to reach young audiences through video games.[4]
- The Economist called the game “a new way to educate young people about the Holocaust.”[6]
- The Independent published an early preview discussing the ethical challenges of designing a game on this topic.[7]
- The Guardian called it “a sobering free educational game that confronts the Holocaust.”[3]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Katherine Brodsky (September 14, 2021). "Can a Game Get Young Players Interested in Holocaust History?". Wired. Retrieved June 21, 2025.
- ^ ""Holocaust Education Should Be Accessible to Everyone": Developer Luc Bernard Highlights Role of Video Games in Teaching Lessons of Past and Fighting Antisemitism Today". Combat Antisemitism Movement. September 13, 2023. Retrieved June 23, 2025.
- ^ a b Simon Parkin (June 10, 2023). "The Light in the Darkness review – a sobering free educational game that confronts the Holocaust". The Guardian. Retrieved June 21, 2025.
- ^ a b "'The Light in the Darkness' Creator Shares How His Video Game Can Educate People About the Holocaust". Variety. October 18, 2023. Retrieved June 21, 2025.
- ^ "The Light in the Darkness: Director's Cut". Voices of the Forgotten. Retrieved June 21, 2025.
- ^ "A new video game educates young people about the Holocaust". The Economist. April 19, 2023. Retrieved June 21, 2025.
- ^ "The Light in the Darkness: Can you make a video game about the Holocaust?". The Independent. February 4, 2022. Retrieved June 21, 2025.