This War of Mine Review

Creating games about war can be a difficult task; more often than not developers seem to glorify the idea of it. This War of Mine is an accurate and honest adaptation of what it’s like to be caught in the middle of a war, just struggling to survive. Developed by 11 Bit Studios and inspired by the horrors of the Siege of Sarajevo, this dark survival title is seen through the eyes of civilians, not those fighting the war. Players begin with a randomly selected party, and must scavenge what they can from their current shelter; once night arrives, you must determine what character you wish to send on a supply run, and whether or not you wish to have the remaining characters either stay on guard or sleep. Given the fact that the city is bombarded with snipers, nighttime seems to be the most effective time to run.

Each night, new areas open up for players to venture through and loot. When choosing a location, players must pay close attention as to what sort of supplies can be found at that particular spot (e.g. medicine, food, tools). In addition, you need to pay even closer attention to the danger level for each spot, because more often than not you’ll come across other looters who may be carrying weapons. What’s interesting about this survival title, is that everything you do has consequences. Members of your party may fall ill, and you may be faced with the choice to steal or to not steal from a semi-functioning hospital. Times may get even harder, and you may need to take food from other survivors just to get by for the night. Players must take this precautionary warning when making decisions: your party won’t always agree with you, and your actions will elicit varying emotions from them (both good and bad).

The biggest part that you need to remember about This War of Mine is that, like war, the very outcome of it is unpredictable. Party members may fall ill, where there’s nothing you can do. Other members may grow tired of the very effort of surviving, and fall into a ‘depression’ of sorts. You need to do your best with watching your members’ emotions and needs, and don’t be afraid to talk to them when they’re feeling down, just like a proper leader.

The main premise of the game is survival; players need to get by day to day. The farther along you progress, the more materials you acquire, and in return the more improvements you can build for your shelter (stoves, beds, furnaces, etc). The scavenging aspect of the game is the most interactive part, being displayed in a sort of platforming stealth mode.

Players can sort through rubble, loot boxes, and take from fridges-the choice is ultimately between you and your conscious. My first time through, I stole from everyone and kept all supplies for my party and I (yes, I pulled a Robin Hood). My second time through, though, I learned not to do that unless desperate, because a number of my party members became angry with me, and several up and left in the middle of the night (the developers were not kidding about that consequence thing). Eventually, outsiders will come knocking at your door for your help, to barter, or to possibly shack up with you. Remember: every choice has its consequence. So, if you decide to help another group for the night, then that’s one less person to guard your shelter, and looters will come and rob you on occasion if not defended properly.

This War of Mine also has a great soundtrack and a unique art style which I believe to be very fitting for the game’s theme. Moreover, pretty much everyone will be able to play the game on their PCs (Mac Os & Linux are both supported, by the way) due to the low system requirements.