Parents' Guide to A Dark Room

App iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad , Android Paid Adventure Games
A Dark Room Poster Image

Common Sense Media Review

Chris Morris By Chris Morris , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 10+

Terrifically imaginative game uses text, not graphics.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 10+?

Any Positive Content?

  • A Dark Room App: Screenshot #1

Parent and Kid Reviews

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age 12+

Based on 2 kid reviews

 

 

See all 2 kid reviews

Privacy Rating Warning

  • Unclear whether personal information is sold or rented to third parties.
  • Unclear whether personal information are shared for third-party marketing.
  • Unclear whether this product displays personalised advertising.
  • Unclear whether data are collected by third-parties for their own purposes.
  • Unclear whether this product uses a user's information to track and target advertisements on other third-party websites or services.
  • Unclear whether this product creates and uses data profiles for personalised advertisements.
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What's It About?

This text-only game requires a lot of screen taps. You start the game by tapping a simple button saying "stoke fire" a few times before the story starts to unfold. You'll eventually begin gathering resources and building shelter, again through screen taps, and keeping tabs on how the world around you is changing via a series of text updates that flash at the top and side of the screen. The game uses a minimalist approach to engage players through story and imagination rather than complicated screen controls or graphics.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say : Not yet rated
Kids say ( 2 ):

A DARK ROOM takes a bold leap of faith in this graphics-obsessed world, using a very old-school text-based interface and relying on the strength of its story, player curiosity, and imagination to tell its tale. It's a leap that succeeds. As with the Web-based text adventure Candy Box, it's a minimalist approach that works.

There's a surprisingly rich story here, but it requires patience. Fortunately, A Dark Room doesn't demand that you stare at the screen to play. Users can walk away and resource gathering will continue, letting them build additional items and venture further into the mysterious world around them when they return hours or days later. Some players may find the clicking to be monotonous. Others may not appreciate the slow pace. But those who stick with the game will be rewarded with one of the more unusual (and entertaining) apps around.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the need to help others.

  • Families can discuss how the best stories are often the ones that unfold slowly.

App Details

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A Dark Room Poster Image

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