This War of Mine

 PC
User Score
8.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1106 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 867 out of 1106
  2. Mixed: 169 out of 1106
  3. Negative: 70 out of 1106

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. nsuki
    Jul 5, 2020
    9
    A very different way of telling dramatic stories. 2.5D provides a good combat mechanic. Especially, considering emotional consequences before acts leading you to pretend as a civil-war survivor.
  2. williamornelas
    Oct 10, 2020
    9
    I loved the game concept, mechanics, story, just pretty much everything!!! The only thing is that after a while, things get repetitive, so it kind of takes all of the positive points a bit down.
  3. Fallconex
    Dec 17, 2020
    9
    At the same time a simple and ingenious game about the survival of civilians in the conditions of war and blockade.
  4. Torgall
    Dec 13, 2020
    9
    Interesting take on survival game, with quite sad and depresing feeling because of the setting. I played quite a lot an generaly if you stick to being a good guy trade/producer things get easy.
  5. Memberry
    Mar 31, 2021
    9
    Ugh, the entry to the game sure is steep. But once you figure out the confusing interface the game only gets deeper and deeper. Has this unique "slav" smell around. Like Stalker. Something dirty yet strong. And well - war has ever been the subject of many games. But I dare to say - nothing told the story of what war really is - better than this one. Bravo 11bit.
  6. Rnoviok
    Dec 4, 2021
    9
    A very good game showing the hardships of civilians in wartime
    We have to survive in a city where shootings are going on, get food and make difficult rash decisions
  7. Mariusz_FCK_PTN
    Mar 6, 2022
    9
    Отличная трогательная игра. Спасибо за помощь Украине.
  8. sh4dow
    May 30, 2015
    8
    It's an excellent game regarding its mechanics and basic concept. However, I find it falls short when it comes to various social commentary. Unless the social commentary you want to make is that even in war time, people behave like spoiled little brats. Because while horrible people all around are robbing, raping and killing, the biggest problem for my survivors was "We have no coffee" orIt's an excellent game regarding its mechanics and basic concept. However, I find it falls short when it comes to various social commentary. Unless the social commentary you want to make is that even in war time, people behave like spoiled little brats. Because while horrible people all around are robbing, raping and killing, the biggest problem for my survivors was "We have no coffee" or "We have no cigarettes". It made them sad most of the time. Boohoo. I purposely never gave them anything for being such damn cry babies. And when I killed a bunch of psychopaths who had mutilated corpses lying around and were about to attack my scavenging survivor and I took their stuff (Because why not? They were awful people and they're dead...), one of my survivors got depressed, the others who weren't sad yet got sad. I find the game very lacking in these regards because it made me feel increasingly detached from the moral dilemmas it portrays. Which I found to be the best thing about this game when I first started playing. Anyway... until one full play-through is accomplished, it is at least something interesting, refreshing and challenging.… Expand
  9. drlowdon
    Sep 21, 2015
    8
    In This War of Mine you play as a group of civilians trapped inside a city torn apart by war and have to try to keep them alive as they struggle with lack of food, medicine and the constant danger of hostile soldiers and civilian scavengers. With character deaths being permanent and tough choices having to be made constantly it provides a completely different perspective on war from theIn This War of Mine you play as a group of civilians trapped inside a city torn apart by war and have to try to keep them alive as they struggle with lack of food, medicine and the constant danger of hostile soldiers and civilian scavengers. With character deaths being permanent and tough choices having to be made constantly it provides a completely different perspective on war from the usual shoot first, ask questions later gameplay of other video games and makes for a tense and enthralling experience.… Expand
  10. Halefire
    Nov 30, 2014
    8
    This game is not fun.

    Now as your mouse moves toward that "Helpful? NO" button, wait. This game is not fun, but it *does not try to be fun*. In fact, it SHOULD NOT be fun. This game is about survival during a war, and survival is NOT fun. Anne Frank is not famous because her diary was a fascinating epic with interesting fleshed out characters, it is famous because it was a stark,    This game is not fun.

    Now as your mouse moves toward that "Helpful? NO" button, wait. This game is not fun, but it *does not try to be fun*. In fact, it SHOULD NOT be fun. This game is about survival during a war, and survival is NOT fun. Anne Frank is not famous because her diary was a fascinating epic with interesting fleshed out characters, it is famous because it was a stark, unfiltered slice of World War II from a civilian standpoint. This War of Mine is a compelling experience for the same reason.

    You will be struggling for most of this game, and you will fail many times in your attempt to survive the war. Most will never succeed in actually "completing" the game. Food is a constant struggle, and moral quandaries abound. Stealing will upset most of your characters. Sacrificing time or supplies to help those who show up to you door appealing for help will make them more content, *sometimes*. Your survivors will constantly be hungry, tired, sick, and more. None of them are trained killers--having to kill someone has serious, serious consequences on their psyche, and they can even commit suicide if it gets to be too much.

    Ultimately this isn't a game I sit down to "enjoy". It's not a game I pull up when I'm looking to blow off some steam. It's a game that I play when I've got time and energy set aside to have a simply memorable experience.    … Expand
  11. Aeryx
    Sep 10, 2017
    8
    Thoroughly enjoyed this one. This War of Mine is masterful at creating an atmosphere of sadness and desperation. This game has a very tough learning curve, and every mistake you make will progressively make the game more difficult down the road. Deaths are permanent. Everything is in short supply and no, you can't craft your way into a producing infinite amounts of resources. ThisThoroughly enjoyed this one. This War of Mine is masterful at creating an atmosphere of sadness and desperation. This game has a very tough learning curve, and every mistake you make will progressively make the game more difficult down the road. Deaths are permanent. Everything is in short supply and no, you can't craft your way into a producing infinite amounts of resources. This desperation forces you to do bad things just to survive. My scenario ended at Day 48 and it was a remarkable experience. It made me rethink of how I take trivial things for granted.… Expand
  12. Fishersam
    Dec 3, 2014
    8
    There is no way around it. This War of Mine is fun. Until it isn't anymore.

    The game is unique. I had tons of fun for a while. My only issue with the game is that I wish they put a little more work into it. The buildings I could raid/explore were limited. Having to feed your party gets tedious. They might as well have made the gamer have to relieve the survivor's bladders. Waiting for    There is no way around it. This War of Mine is fun. Until it isn't anymore.

    The game is unique. I had tons of fun for a while. My only issue with the game is that I wish they put a little more work into it. The buildings I could raid/explore were limited. Having to feed your party gets tedious. They might as well have made the gamer have to relieve the survivor's bladders. Waiting for the days to end was tedious. Having to start with three random party members was unnecessary as it just causes the gamer to have to create constant new games until they get the party they desired.

    In short. The game is fun but it felt kind of beta-ish. The devs need to add more options/items/locations. I'd honestly value this game at $10 - $15 the way it currently stands.    … Expand
  13. contropiede
    Jul 6, 2015
    8
    Not boring to be played repeatedly. The number of characters with different backgrounds and levels of difficulty which is quite difficult. Initially I thought this game would be boring, but it did not. Often we made should choose in difficult situations.

    I have finished the game three times and finally tried the story itself. hohoho. Buy this game there are funds allocated for victims    Not boring to be played repeatedly. The number of characters with different backgrounds and levels of difficulty which is quite difficult. Initially I thought this game would be boring, but it did not. Often we made should choose in difficult situations.

    I have finished the game three times and finally tried the story itself. hohoho. Buy this game there are funds allocated for victims of war, so you can play while charity.    … Expand
  14. iddqd4
    Mar 19, 2018
    8
    Отличный выжывач, время от времени ставящий тебе интересные моральные дилеммы.
  15. demondred79
    Aug 9, 2015
    8
    After hitting an initial wall in the first three hours, I initially wanted to write a scathing "F@#$ You" type negative review but I stuck with it....and i'm glad. It's an incredibly well balanced game and rewarding, but you have to push the brutality to the side and just roll with it. Don't let it get personal or it's going to get you down because it took me a third restart to finallyAfter hitting an initial wall in the first three hours, I initially wanted to write a scathing "F@#$ You" type negative review but I stuck with it....and i'm glad. It's an incredibly well balanced game and rewarding, but you have to push the brutality to the side and just roll with it. Don't let it get personal or it's going to get you down because it took me a third restart to finally nail it.

    Problems: The fact that you can't cleanly save/exit when doing a night scavenge is frustrating. The fact you can't cleanly save/exit while back in your shelter is pure BS as well. And to make it worse, every time you load up the game it randomly generates a new condition in your shelter (raided, wounded, loss of bullets, theft, etc). This, oddly enough, is both a flaw and an exploit since you can exit/reload repeatedly until you get a favorable outcome.

    Secondly, there were times when i was hiding from bandits and they got stuck in a twitchy pathing issue and wouldn't move. This is likely to cost you a character and needs to be fixed since every scrap counts BIGTIME. These issues (and there are a few more that i'm not going to harp on) need to be fixed, and is why it got some points removed.

    Protip: Use a tablet or pen/paper to keep track of your nightly scavenging runs!! Upgrade and board up your shelter as a top priority. If it's too hard, choose to "write my own story" and you can setup a MUCH easier game for yourself.    … Expand
  16. J4MESOX4D
    Dec 30, 2014
    8
    This War of Mine is an interesting take on the popular but packed survival genre and it really stands out as a game that's unique, ambitious, atmospheric and touching despite being played out on a 2D side-scrolling backdrop. It's a very impressive title for what is a very simple concept.

    The game sees you taking control of a three-man team planted in a safehouse in the middle of a    This War of Mine is an interesting take on the popular but packed survival genre and it really stands out as a game that's unique, ambitious, atmospheric and touching despite being played out on a 2D side-scrolling backdrop. It's a very impressive title for what is a very simple concept.

    The game sees you taking control of a three-man team planted in a safehouse in the middle of a war-torn and depressing city. The house is your safe haven away from the dangerous outside world. In the daytime; you control your characters to craft, sleep, scavenge and protect the property but when the night arrives; the game comes alive as you will prepare and take one of your team into the world to loot for supplies and liase with fellow surviors of the war. The map contains several locations you can visit from other houses, schools, churches, warehouses, hostpitals and even brothels. On your travels, you must use your time wisely to search for essential items and make tough decisions on stealing and possibly having to harm fellow humans in the same position as you. Bandits also lurk in these vast locations so you have to approach each situation and location with considerable care for your character.

    If you survive your trip; you complete a 'day' in the game and return home to distribute your collected loot including medicine, crafting items, food, drink and other goods. Your character may be extremely tired so you can put him/her to bed and take control of a different person to sift through your scavenged stuff and prepare for the next night's trip. This is just one typical day of an ongoing cycle in which you must scavenge, survive and maintain the well-being of your team physically and mentally. As the days pass; loot can be harder to find, your characters may become more and more disillusioned with the trials and tribulations of war and keeping them alive within the difficult conditions and in respect to bandits roaming can get tougher and tougher. It all makes for a truly absorbing and challenging title.

    This War of Mine isn't without it's problems though - there is no 'endless' mode so on completion; you may not feel motivated to play again as you've essentially beaten the game. The items available and crafting probably doesn't go deep enough either. The combat can be a bit cumbersome and in terms of the locations available to visit; there probably isn't quite enough. It is a big game that could keep you occupied for many hours but there is a chance you could have seen it all very early on in terms of everything on offer. Replayability is certainly questionable at this time.

    Overall; this is a fantastic game at a very generous price. It's a survival game that distances itself from the typical zombie-oriented titles that plague Steam these days. Not only is this centralised around war as opposed to an outbreak; the artistic 2D backdrop is a truly unique setting along with the basic but easy to use mechanics. Longevity and content may be an issue but even if you get 10 hours out of this game; it's a fantastic purchase and a great concept.    … Expand
  17. blade01
    Nov 29, 2014
    8
    I rarely give a better score than 7 because most new games annoy the **** out of me!Said that, "This war of mine" is the most entertaining game in 2014 for me.Like any games here and there are flaws, but thats nitpicking.Lets look into it:

    Visuals:Not much to say.For me personally the artdesign is just great.Everything blends into one unique style.This is not a bad looking game i    I rarely give a better score than 7 because most new games annoy the **** out of me!Said that, "This war of mine" is the most entertaining game in 2014 for me.Like any games here and there are flaws, but thats nitpicking.Lets look into it:

    Visuals:Not much to say.For me personally the artdesign is just great.Everything blends into one unique style.This is not a bad looking game i think.Its dark with some spots of colour here and there.The mood of the game is really well presented and you feel and see when something changes.Youll see snow falling or rain for example your characters react to the situation differently.For example you can see when they are really tired or sometimes youll see them reading a book and stuff.Great!Some of the backrounds are really great!

    Sound:Pretty nice!Not that much but i dont think thats because the developer is lazy.Its because it suits the situation.When there is music its always suitable and really nice.Nothing disturbs you from what is happening and the heavy things you are gonna have to do to survive.

    Gameplay:The gameplay is simplistic and maybe you can bring up some critic!First of all, the movement is nice.You sneak with a single click or run with a double click.Running makes more noises, attracts bandits and stuff.Nicely done.What is really nice is the fact you can choose different paths of actions.For example you could shoot your way through a bunch of bad guys, maybe sneak around them on various paths or you use stealth to kill them off one by one.Great!!!Unfortunately the close combat is a bit of a pain in the arse.You need to click on a icon and with the weaker weapons the enemy will be pushed around instead of being killed instantly.That makes is hard to hit this button sometimes.On my first playthrough i lost a character this way, simple missclick.Besides that there are some levels with nice ideas.For example a map with a siper in the backround.You cant eliminate him as far as is know so you have to move from cover to cover and time your runnings to his (hopefully)missshots.Good ideas.
    I have some complaints about certain tools.Some are overpowered, others are useless.On 2 playthroughs i NEVER used a shovel really long.I tried the shovel, you safe time but for the materials you lose you could have build something usefull.The axe on the other hand is mighty as thors hammer!!
    You build the axe and you kill many opponents instantly while you can hack things to pieces and salvage wood and materials.I never run out of things to burn for the oven because of that.Another thing that i think should be rebalanced is the amount of things you need to upgrade you workstations.Sometimes its so expensive that the **** you can build after the upgrade will be less valuable than you think because you spend so much **** on the upgrade itself.On my playthroughs i never run out on things in the longterm.Every now and then youll find stuff that is useless for you, you can trade it in.Sometimes this is the better option.As far as i know many things are random when you start the game.Problem is, on my first playthrough i encountered some events in a quick succession and my characters were really sad in the early stages.There were kids that want medicine(i had none) and a beggar that wanted food(had non either).Both events had a really drastic impact on my team.On the second playthrough i was lucky, nearly nothing happened.So there is a bit of luck involed with these things.Its good for replayability but if you just want to play 1 or 2 times this can be frustraiting.

    Final verdict:Great game!!!The best i played in 2014 so far.The things i mentioned are more or less nitpicking, they dont have a great amount of impact on the fun youll have.Or, and maybe thats the point, youll have no fun at all!!!!This game is not really about fun.Its about surviving and harsh decisions.Will you rob an elderly couple and let them starve to death afterwards?Think about the possible consequences.Will i help the woman that is about to get raped by a military?Think about the possibe backlash.I like that, 8/10 because of the minor things i didnt like.    … Expand
  18. TheWaffle
    Nov 22, 2014
    8
    This game is a really great experience. It is dark, bleak, and honest. You must balance your group's very limited resources to survive, whether through violence, bartering, or stealing you need to do whatever you have to in order to keep going. Each group member brings a different skillset to contribute to the group and the random starting characters is a nice setup. It will take anThis game is a really great experience. It is dark, bleak, and honest. You must balance your group's very limited resources to survive, whether through violence, bartering, or stealing you need to do whatever you have to in order to keep going. Each group member brings a different skillset to contribute to the group and the random starting characters is a nice setup. It will take an initial play through to understand some of the mechanics, I wasted more than a few resources building an herb garden and a heater several weeks before I ever needed them. And some of the craft items are of very dubious usefulness, the cost of building an herb garden, plus the cost of fertilizer, and tons water will only yield a handful of herbs which then cost components to build junk cigarettes. So there's definitely a little bit of balancing improvements that could be made there. The game is easy to grasp and it lands the sweet spot, it's challenging but not aggravating (much unlike the brutal and similar title Gods Will Be Watching). The artwork is beautiful, but a little bit laggy, I had to lower the graphics setting even on my 2014 Mac desktop. This game is definitely worth the time and money. I hope to see more, and I think with a bit of extra work this could go from a solid game to a classic.

    Like most minimalist style games there are more than a few vague interactions and my characters have paid a price for several misclicks. It's not always clear why I can open some boarded doors with a crowbar, but not others. And it would help if the various scavenging locations were randomly generated, right now they seem to always have the same basic floor plan, which limits replay-ability.    … Expand
  19. RMDsilva
    Nov 30, 2015
    8
    Great ambience!
    Game mechanics are addictive enough, with tough decisions all around in what location to explore, what loot to bring back, what to trade, etc.
    Characters have some life, it is fairly important to know how to use the team you have. Their stories are not that impressive, but you fill in the blanks fairly well from their comments and interactions (namely when they fight    Great ambience!
    Game mechanics are addictive enough, with tough decisions all around in what location to explore, what loot to bring back, what to trade, etc.

    Characters have some life, it is fairly important to know how to use the team you have. Their stories are not that impressive, but you fill in the blanks fairly well from their comments and interactions (namely when they fight each other)

    It gets old quick once you figure out what everything does.
    It's my problem with survival games, either there's a wiki or there's absolutely no information. The internet becomes an annoying compromise that gives neither ambience nor clear answers.

    It also, thankfully, doesn't try to get overly complicated. Which means that relationships between characters and the outside world are limited, as is interaction with objects. Makes it a simple good game. Not an excellent one.    … Expand
  20. zombiechan
    Feb 11, 2015
    8
    Nice to see a game in a war setting where you play as a regular person trying to survive. This War of Mine is a fun little game where you need to gather supplies, help people out, try not to get killed, and just generally survive through the war. Things get hard when people get depressed, sick, or bandits come in during the night and take your stuff.
  21. Protp
    Nov 16, 2014
    8
    Graphics, gameplay/choices and story wise is amazing. Truly good game that deserves the money. More fresh and more polish that a lot of AAA out there. 1000% recommended
  22. Tomle1202
    Jan 19, 2016
    8
    This War of Mine does not show you the typical super soldier who can regenerate health after being shot at. Instead, it shows an aspect that is usually forgotten in video games, seeking answers for survival and humanity in wars.
  23. Rollie
    Nov 29, 2014
    8
    This game hit me right in the feels, like totally direct impact!

    It leaves you with mixed feelings, asking yourself "What would I do in this situation" (IRL of course). You have to do whatever to survive by all means necessary, people will approve of your actions, others will disapprove. You can easily be guilt tripped in this game, it comes to something when the AI actually makes me    This game hit me right in the feels, like totally direct impact!

    It leaves you with mixed feelings, asking yourself "What would I do in this situation" (IRL of course). You have to do whatever to survive by all means necessary, people will approve of your actions, others will disapprove.

    You can easily be guilt tripped in this game, it comes to something when the AI actually makes me feel really guilty because of what I have done.

    You start off with minimal supplies, a big part in this game is scavenging and obviously the key essential is survival of the fittest, people will leave you and die on you, this all will make an impact on your characters mental state (possibly even yourself).

    Make sure you have plenty of food, water and heat! It's not nice to die from hypothermia.

    Each playable character has their own unique "trait", make good use of it! I completely recommend this game to anyone who likes survival games, this one is different from your usual "survival" genre.

    "During war, there are no good or bad decisions; there is only survival. The sooner you realize that, the better."    … Expand
  24. Apolsc
    Nov 21, 2014
    8
    This is a great game, with many things in common with other rogue-like games in the line of dont starve. But with an amazing Serbian civil war environment. It s all about scavenging to make a better refuge for your characters that will describe it in some kind of diary.
    As a i read different reviews i see most of them focus on the sad outcome of the story. Characters who die, others that    This is a great game, with many things in common with other rogue-like games in the line of dont starve. But with an amazing Serbian civil war environment. It s all about scavenging to make a better refuge for your characters that will describe it in some kind of diary.
    As a i read different reviews i see most of them focus on the sad outcome of the story. Characters who die, others that get depressed or ashamed for robbing. But that is not all there is. In my second experience i was able to make a comfortable refuge and the characters response is always about hope and escaping the horrors of war.    … Expand
  25. CancerIncarnate
    Nov 19, 2014
    8
    Very interesting and thought provoking game. It provides a different perspective to war which was lost on many war related franchises along the way. But don't mistake it, this game is definitely not a fun one. It's very high on morals and often times, it can be quite depressing to see how your dudes react to it.

    If i'd have one complaint it would be that ending the day should have a    Very interesting and thought provoking game. It provides a different perspective to war which was lost on many war related franchises along the way. But don't mistake it, this game is definitely not a fun one. It's very high on morals and often times, it can be quite depressing to see how your dudes react to it.

    If i'd have one complaint it would be that ending the day should have a message pop up to confirm you want to skip, many times i accidentally clicked on it when i tried to give my dudes a command.    … Expand
  26. xPhasmatis
    Nov 20, 2014
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Having read some of the reviews below, specifically the negative and mixed, I can't help but feel people are making a misconception of this game. I find that countless have pointed out the "lack of realism" or "quirky logic" behind how the game is played and survival is achieved. The past two days have been entirely dedicated to This War of Mine; specifically whenever I had the free time to get on my laptop and give it a whirl. You'll be pleased to know that I do not regret a single minute spent. There are several things I would like to clarify regarding the game, specifically points made that I consider invalid in the negative reviews by fellow players. I'll also give my reasoning as to why (and why not) this is a worthwhile game I score at a solid 8.

    Having been a fan of survival-sandbox games even before they became an official genre, I have always fancied the idea of a post-apocalyptic hardcore survival game where decisions mattered. I often found myself looking towards The Walking Dead as a fix, since it gave me at least half of what I was craving, and even in games like Project Zomboid and State of Decay I found they were lacking everything I was looking for. TWoM, however, gives me what I wanted and more. While it is not in fact post-apocalyptic, it is a game which pioneers in a whole new theme: War. In my experience as a gamer, I have only ever stumbled upon survival games which either take place in the untamed wilderness, the ruins of a world ravaged by zombies, or as far back as the middle ages to the unknown future ahead of us. Instead, this game throws you into the perspective of survivors (who have feelings as normal human beings would) caught in the crossfire of a devastating war. It brings me back to learning about the siege of Leningrad in World War II, where people were boxed in by the military for years and suffered tremendously as a result. TWoM does a very good job at throwing your emotions into the mix, often pitting you against your own morals to make ends meet (it sure as hell did for me). In fact, my paranoia drove me to murder two innocent families, both of which included at least one elderly person in poor health that begged I let them go, to fetch supplies I thought I desperately needed (but in the end found out were unnecessary for my survival). That brings up another point: Unlike all other survival games I have played, there is an actual end-game goal to TWoM: You can survive the war. But it's not all that peachy, as the epilogue will find a way to make you feel just as bad for your characters as you did before (often sad stories as to their lives following the war) and giving you a sometimes painful recap of what decisions you've made, negative or positive.
    Now, I have noticed a lot of people picking at the realism behind TWoM. One complaint was, "Why would you need to filter rainwater? Can't you just boil it?" To my understanding, this would be a yes and a no. Think about the rainwater: The city is under siege, the skies smoldering with smoke and shrapnel. The pollutants that are surely in the air, as well as the trace amounts of toxic substances in the rainwater as a result, would need to be processed to some extent before becoming truly clean. Another complaint was the "constant need" to produce tools that would, realistically, be readily available for a longer time than the game represents; a crowbar, for example. However, if you think about the fact that the crowbar, hatchet, and shovel are pieced together from common household goods (components: duct tape, nails, scrap, etc.), it's miraculous that these tools even last you as long as they do. If you want to talk about realism, it'd make more sense that these tools broke somewhat sooner than they really do, because you'd think a crowbar fashioned from these goods would snap under the stress of prying open only a single locker or two and not the generous eight or so uses you're given. Another complaint was the combat, which while generic is reasonably so. The lack of complexity almost makes it charming, and forces you to think on a more basic level as these people would. You're no commander from XCOM, you are a survivor. There are no flashbangs, overwatch shots, or variations of cover: There is life or death, fight or flight. Some have complained of crashing, but even on a low-end laptop I have not experienced this on the highest settings (which looks rather beautiful for what its worth).
    My only complaints regarding the game are how easy it is for NPC's to misjudge a move you make, such as the Central Square traders for some reason accusing me of a hostile action and shooting me the first time I entered, therefore banning me from those resources. Another complaint is how much ammo is wasted when you are raided and leave some behind back home: oftentimes 7-10 bullets a raid, more than you usually make from a single run. Aside from that and it's replay value (maybe 1-3 replays for me), it's a solid game.    … Expand
  27. Chris31515
    Dec 11, 2014
    8
    In modern war… you will die like a dog for no good reason. The game begins with this quote from Hemmingway and perfectly sets the tone for this entertaining survivalist game. Made by 11 bit studios This war of mine gives the player a unique view of war, instead of running in guns blazing destroying everything in sight, you control a group of survivors in a war torn city struggling toIn modern war… you will die like a dog for no good reason. The game begins with this quote from Hemmingway and perfectly sets the tone for this entertaining survivalist game. Made by 11 bit studios This war of mine gives the player a unique view of war, instead of running in guns blazing destroying everything in sight, you control a group of survivors in a war torn city struggling to survive amongst the damaged mess. Granted we’ve seen more than a few survivalist/crafters lately but this war of mine has atmosphere, game play and storyline which sets it leagues apart from its competitors.

    Beginning the game you fade into your shelter, a partially destroyed multi level building and your 3 or 4 survivors. The atmosphere of the game is dark and has a cold feel to it as you would expect in such a situation. You begin to quickly realize time is of the essence and set your survivors to work scavenging amongst the rubble and searching rooms for supplies before night comes. When night does fall the snipers who make venturing out during daylight too dangerous sleep and you get your chance to explore beyond your shelter to broaden your search for more supplies and equipment. Wood and tools will help you build workbenches, beds and other furniture to improve your shelter while food and medical supplies will keep your survivors alive and kicking not to mention firearms and ammo for defense.

    The game encourages you to take care of your survivors because one wrong step while searching for supplies will leave you with a dead group member and having no save/load game option the choices you make are permanent and this adds a crucial dynamic that makes you take the game a bit more seriously, which after helplessly becoming a bit too much emotionally invested in my survivors and loosing a couple I began learning lessons very quickly, not to mention the negative morale effect this has on your other survivors as does most decisions you make, for instance your choice to rob people or turn away people seeking your help. Some will agree with your choices while others won’t, it can be difficult pleasing everybody and managing depression amongst the group can be a time consuming task.

    My first attempt lasted around 9 days I’ve found the game can become a touch repetitive after around my 20th day but it’s usually broken up with a new survivor seeking shelter or gaining enough supplies to craft a new type of workbench opening up more options to create or build, for instance a certain type of workbench will allow your survivors to roll cigarettes which are valuable and can then be used for trade or smoked, depending on the smoking status on some of your group members. You also begin to realize at roughly this point the supplies you’re looting may not last forever and try to make your shelter a bit more self-sustainable.

    Guiding my survivor in the stealth phase of night salvaging I loot what supplies I can carry, which is limited by the size of my backpack more often than not finding enough supplies to haul away my survivor. Marko is my professional scavenger so he is able to carry more supplies than others in my shelter. I click to the location I wish for him to move e.g. A doorway where I can peer through a keyhole, doing so will pierce the charcoal sketch effect which is the games fog of war, very artistic and refreshing compared to a simple black or greyed out area.
    In the distance I hear the familiar sound of war, the games ambient sound is spot on, gun shots an explosions ringing out in the background keeping me reminded of my situation, and music blends very well with the relevant situation you’re in. The control interface is a point, click and scroll, which blends well with the 2D layout.

    I’ve found that after 5 or 6 decent slogs at this war of mine you begin to get the feeling you may be too much of a master survivor for the game. However it is accomplishing and satisfying to see that after a few games your progress of achieving certain milestones improves, what used to take me 14 days to achieve now takes me 7. Every new game seems to start you off with a randomly generated group of survivors although this doesn’t really change the basic strategy of the game.

    Conclusion.

    This War of mine is an addictive game that will unsuspectingly bleed hours from your life However when the apocalypse does finally roll around you’ll be glad you’ve got some experience under your belt from this highly entertaining title.
    Although based around resource management the atmosphere of this war of mine makes the experience so much more. The game will place you in situations and force you to make decisions that almost make you feel as though you’re in the situation yourself. Also 11 bit studios have teamed up with war child a charity that helps protect children from the effects of war together creating a fundraising partnership. A worthy cause, which gamers can get behind. For more information on the charity go to http://www.warchild.org.uk    … Expand
  28. Bboygamer
    Dec 28, 2014
    8
    Intense and random, this game is rewards and punishes you with great magnitude. The atmosphere and immersion was fantastic. Not my kind of game so a 8
  29. spageopriya12
    Jan 11, 2015
    8
    This War of Mine is a survival-themed strategy game where the player controls a group of civilian survivors in a makeshift shelter in a besieged, war-torn city. The main goal of the game is to survive the war with the tools and materials the player can gather with the characters they control. Most of the characters under the player's control have no military background or any kind ofThis War of Mine is a survival-themed strategy game where the player controls a group of civilian survivors in a makeshift shelter in a besieged, war-torn city. The main goal of the game is to survive the war with the tools and materials the player can gather with the characters they control. Most of the characters under the player's control have no military background or any kind of survival experience, and will require constant intervention by the player in order to stay alive. It is the player's responsibility to maintain their characters' health, hunger and mood levels until the declaration of a ceasefire, which occurs after a randomized duration.… Expand
  30. Dal_ReviewedDat
    Feb 10, 2015
    8
    Wow. What a bitter, relentless and overwhelmingly depressing game. Full of heart and character, but totally against what I've always been fed as gaming experiences to date. I loved it.
    There's something about it, when my last player commits suicide, depressed and alone, I still find myself starting again immediately. A sign of a great game.
    The game is in essence a    Wow. What a bitter, relentless and overwhelmingly depressing game. Full of heart and character, but totally against what I've always been fed as gaming experiences to date. I loved it.
    There's something about it, when my last player commits suicide, depressed and alone, I still find myself starting again immediately. A sign of a great game.
    The game is in essence a war-time-'The-sims' with a great atmospheric design and very well scripted characters. My first 5 - 10 play through s I didn't last long, choosing to instinctively steal & fight, paying the heavy consequences as my people started to resent what they'd become and especially those players that had murdered others. It's war I figured, and it's a survival game - think of number 1. In later play-through's I learnt the game plays on a fine line of balance and control. Don't take what you don't need, and when your back is up against the wall, only then harm the status quo.
    Also, later run through's I pushed my crafting much further, and it's greatly rewarding. But even with all the weapons and armour you can dream of, fighting soldiers still remains a decent challenge and tactical headspinner.
    The game has a few flaws, such as waiting for people to sleep off their tiredness can sometimes leave you watching 3 people in bed snoozing for 5 real-time minutes, but this seems a small price to pay for those fantastic nights of scavenging and stealing from under the enemies noses.
    If you see this game on sale - dont hesitate to buy it. I'd like to see an IOs and android release in the future as mentioned pre-release... as it's a game I could pick up for a train journey here n there    … Expand
Page:

Awards & Rankings

31
#31 Best PC Game of 2014
30
#30 Most Discussed PC Game of 2014
19
#19 Most Shared PC Game of 2014

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
83

Generally favorable reviews - based on 63 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 58 out of 63
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 63
  3. Negative: 0 out of 63
  1. Impulsegamer
    Dec 11, 2019
    100
    For the price it is… I wouldn’t even say wait for a sale, I’d just say buy this game… it will challenge you, it will pull at your heart strings… but I think, especially in this day and age, we need games like this to remind us to care for one another and to point out what is really important.
    Read full review
  2. Dealspwn
    Mar 22, 2015
    90
    A deeply atmospheric, emotionally compelling game that manages to treat war as a serious topic and examines the hard choices made by those caught in the middle of conflict.
    Read full review
  3. Hyper Magazine
    Feb 9, 2015
    80
    Not many games can claim to be "edifying." I think this one can. [Issue#257, p.75]
See all critic reviews »