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

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  1. Roombastic
    Nov 14, 2014
    10
    Being a journo I got my final copy two days ago. Been busy with it ever since! At first I took this game as a gimmick, knowing about a concept since maybe April I perceived it as a very nice twist with a huge question mark for gameplay, replayability and actual story. While I still think that the devs a bit exaggerate their 'grieve' approach to war, casualties and such, I must say theyBeing a journo I got my final copy two days ago. Been busy with it ever since! At first I took this game as a gimmick, knowing about a concept since maybe April I perceived it as a very nice twist with a huge question mark for gameplay, replayability and actual story. While I still think that the devs a bit exaggerate their 'grieve' approach to war, casualties and such, I must say they have delivered an addictive game with strong mechanics. You've got crafting here, you've got exploring, time management, character developing so to speak, you've got resource management and a bit of randomness that adds a nice spice to the mix. So after a while you tend to forget all this bleak and suffering, and just enjoy your achievements, make bonds with characters, just immerse in the world and enjoy it. Especially I liked how the story is told: not to fast, you really focus on details, sharpen your attention, and enjoy small carefully polished details of the concept. Well done 11 Bit!… Expand
  2. jmhoffer
    Nov 19, 2014
    0
    Like every other survival game out there, I have to give this game a nil score.

    How, exactly, with a simple metal working station did I make a shovel and crowbar? Think about it for a few minutes. It's not physically possible. I need forging equipment to do that. Tools don't last long enough and should be something you look for and find, not something you have to constantly make and    Like every other survival game out there, I have to give this game a nil score.

    How, exactly, with a simple metal working station did I make a shovel and crowbar? Think about it for a few minutes. It's not physically possible. I need forging equipment to do that.

    Tools don't last long enough and should be something you look for and find, not something you have to constantly make and replace. That makes zero sense. Has no one ever used a crowbar before? In my time as a renovator I met people that had bought crowbars thirty years ago that they were still using, and they were using them a hell of a lot more than what you do in this game.

    Why, exactly, does my rainwater - CLEAN WATER - need filters? Why would I need to set up the collector every time for this? You would just set it up once and let it collect as much as possible. This doesn't make sense. If the argument is that it is from a contaminated source, a filter doesn't do anything unless it is chemical contamination (which generally will not be a problem). The more pressing issue is biological contaminants, which means boiling, not filtering.

    Why can't I use a brick, piece of wood or rubble as makeshift weaponry?

    Are none of these books guides on how to make simple traps that don't require manufacturing?

    I could go on ENDLESSLY. I have yet to test to see how the hunger mechanics work, but in real life it takes THREE WEEKS before your body shuts down from lack of food. Vastly more important? Water; without which you will go into kidney failure in three days.

    The makers claim to have lived through a warzone? Sorry, I'm not buying it. There is far too much that makes no sense for that to be true. I'm a practiced survivalist and this game made zero sense to me.

    How is it that you can't go outside during the day, but some random idiot that wants to trade can?

    Why are people showing up at my door and NOT telling me what makes them useful in order to convince me it's a good idea to let them in?

    Why can only one guy go scavenging at a time, even though in real life that would be nearly suicidal?

    I just don't see it. I didn't feel like I was in a war zone: I felt like I was in a bad game made by people who have zero understanding of survival. The fact that this game gets a good score shows the ignorance of the gamers and the reviewers. This is not an immersive game nor even a good game. This is a bunch of pandering and nothing more. I read a claim that the makers had actually been in a warzone. I'm calling BS. If they had been, they'd know everything that I'd just questioned over the immersion.

    This game is, like all other survival games I've tried, absolutely terrible and a prime example of why I don't pay for video games until after I've tried it. This game was so bad that I should have been paid money to play it.    … Expand
  3. JayLightBar
    Feb 9, 2015
    7
    I'll keep it short. Beautiful? Completely. The 2.5d style is nice, and the visual style they use is something that reminds you of the grey and grim of war. The music is so good. It really helps set the mood. I love the over all gameplay. Is it fun? No. But there is a firm belief that a game does not need to be fun, it needs to be compelling. And This War of Mine is the perfect example ofI'll keep it short. Beautiful? Completely. The 2.5d style is nice, and the visual style they use is something that reminds you of the grey and grim of war. The music is so good. It really helps set the mood. I love the over all gameplay. Is it fun? No. But there is a firm belief that a game does not need to be fun, it needs to be compelling. And This War of Mine is the perfect example of just that.… Expand
  4. Bosqa22
    Dec 9, 2014
    10
    #Soundtrack#
    Nothing to add...very realistic game. Something like'Sims but in this game I felt what those people fell !
    ...and now , when everybody know , the war is close ... Its good guide for us how to survive when everybody dies !
  5. JimCorbett
    Feb 14, 2015
    7
    This War of Mine isn't the masterpiece that so many people claim it to be. However, it is definitely an enjoyable game. It's a relatively simply survival game where you play a civilian trying to survive amid a war. By day you build up your base and deal with the issues among your group of survivors and by night you go out and scavenge what you need. It's one of the few times that I reallyThis War of Mine isn't the masterpiece that so many people claim it to be. However, it is definitely an enjoyable game. It's a relatively simply survival game where you play a civilian trying to survive amid a war. By day you build up your base and deal with the issues among your group of survivors and by night you go out and scavenge what you need. It's one of the few times that I really felt like I was playing a survival game. You'll constantly be needing something and you won't find yourself coasting along easily at any point in the game. The gameplay is very basic, you just click on screen to where you want to go, click on items to loot them or upgrade and build things. There's nothing complex or no deep gameplay for you to get addicted to. This War of Mine's claim to fame is different. It adds an emotional state to the game. Your actions will affect your survivors. Stealing and killing will have cause your survivors to drop in to depression and there may be heartfelt dialogue that pops on screen about you just did. If this is something you don't really care for then you probably won't like this game no matter how big of a fan of survival games you are. If this sounds like something that appeals to you then you should definitely try this. The game however lacks replay value. There is a random element to the game; you can get different survivors with different traits. You safe house can look different and the places you go to scavenge may be different but that's it. After 1-2 playthroughs you will have seen most there is to do in the game and you'll become proficient at it. With that said, I did enjoy my time and feel like it's definitely worth a look for anyone looking for a moral side to their game.… Expand
  6. GodModule
    Nov 28, 2014
    10
    Without a doubt, This War of Mine has been one of my favorite games of the year. I purchased this with absolutely no expectations; I saw it on Steam for $20, thought it was an interesting concept, and decided to give it a go. After playing it for probably 10 hours in the past 3 days, I have to say that it's probably the best $20 I've ever spent!

    The first thing you notice when you start    Without a doubt, This War of Mine has been one of my favorite games of the year. I purchased this with absolutely no expectations; I saw it on Steam for $20, thought it was an interesting concept, and decided to give it a go. After playing it for probably 10 hours in the past 3 days, I have to say that it's probably the best $20 I've ever spent!

    The first thing you notice when you start this game up is the very minimalistic design. The game plays out in very simple 2D environments that look almost like pages from a sketchbook. If you're anything like me, this might take you aback. Call me shallow, but graphics are important to me! They're not everything, but they go a long way in immersing you in the storyline. As the game unfolds, however, you realize that the simple, drab art actually matches the "survivors in a war-torn city" theme quite well. Before long, you're completely lost in this world.

    Like the art, the gameplay mechanics are simple to grasp but far deeper than they appear at first glance. You start out in your shelter--a dilapidated, abandoned house--and you notice icons over the various things you can interact with. Click on a pile of rubble, and you find some wood and nails. Open a cabinet and you find a few pieces of jewelry and a lockpick. You'll need all of these things. This isn't like Skyrim where half the stuff you find is junk, and it isn't like Fallout where you can beat the game without even dealing with the crafting components. Here, everything you find has a purpose that can save your life. Those old electrical components will be used to construct a radio that will clue you in to what's going on in the city; that empty pill casing can you be used to make critical medications later in the game. Even stuff like old books are useful. Your characters can read them to stay entertained and happy (more on that later), you can burn them for fuel to stave off the chill of winter, or you can trade them for things you need. The challenge comes in choosing what to take with you. As the game progresses, you must venture out into the city to scavenge supplies, and your squad members have very limited backpack space to carry things in. Do you bring back the the gunpowder to make the bullets you'll need to clear out the bad guys in another area, or do you pick up the food that's as scare as it is critical? Finding the right balance is essential, and you'll likely have to start over a couple times before you know what works best.

    No matter what style of play you choose, the game is always challenging. That's a good thing! In other games, you might just kill everyone you see and take their possessions until you build up enough wealth to coast through the game. Better them than you right? Not so here. Killing innocent characters or even stealing from them will cause your squad to suffer guilt. You'll see little thought bubbles appear of their head sharing their lament with you: "Those patients at the hospital are probably going to die because of me." Kill too many non-bad guys and one of your squad members may even commit suicide. Most other reviewers are using the term "pulls no punches" a lot, and that's definitely true.

    The only drawbacks are in the minimalistic design. While it works well, you can't help but imagine how much better the game could have been with a little more depth. Since emotions play such a big role for your characters, it would be nice to have some kind of dialogue system you could use to cheer each other up, or maybe even ask for help from other non-team members. Also, there's a lot of room for the storyline to really develop and add to the emotional impact you feel. Even lacking this, however, this is still a great, challenging game. If you have $20 to spend and don't mind getting sucked into it for awhile, give it a shot!    … Expand
  7. Dragz
    Mar 9, 2015
    9
    This War Of Mine is an amazing game. This game is sad and depressing.
    It's a survival game. So you're trying to survive in war and not fight in it.
    It has a great replayability and the atmosphere is really good. You can craft things like shovel, crowbar etc... At night you go to scavenge to find supplies. You can steal from other people, kill them, but you will probaly feel bad about    This War Of Mine is an amazing game. This game is sad and depressing.
    It's a survival game. So you're trying to survive in war and not fight in it.
    It has a great replayability and the atmosphere is really good.
    You can craft things like shovel, crowbar etc...
    At night you go to scavenge to find supplies. You can steal from other people, kill them, but you will probaly feel bad about it.

    I really recommend this game. As I said it's amazing!    … Expand
  8. ragnavirus
    Jan 27, 2015
    9
    Thank you developers for giving me such a wonderful experience.A must buy for sure.

    Pros:Beautiful , choices really matter , hard ,makes you wonder about the suffering of civilians, stable game without bugs.

    Cons:Should be random.After 3 tries you know which house harbours what , the dangers , etc.. and it becomes predicable.

    Make room for mods!!This game has a lot of hidden potencial
  9. Overvulture
    Nov 9, 2015
    9
    Intensely serious and dramatic, built on top of a game whose mechanics are very simple and mostly adequate. Taken as a pure game, it's nothing fancy, and arguably resembles a mobile game in just how simple it is to play. But with its rich sound and stark visuals, it really deserves to be played on a full monitor. Like many indie games, it doesn't set out to be a fun and addicting game, butIntensely serious and dramatic, built on top of a game whose mechanics are very simple and mostly adequate. Taken as a pure game, it's nothing fancy, and arguably resembles a mobile game in just how simple it is to play. But with its rich sound and stark visuals, it really deserves to be played on a full monitor. Like many indie games, it doesn't set out to be a fun and addicting game, but rather to create an experience and make you feel "there". It does this very well, with a sense of overarching dread and impending doom made worse by every little mistake. You never quite have enough food, or if you do, enough medicine, or supplies, whatever. No playthrough will ever be perfect and you'll be left to decide just what you can afford to sacrifice.

    Combat is something you're generally supposed to avoid, though that's no excuse for how awkward is actually is. Seeing as the game autosaves whenever you do much of anything, you may end up losing a survivor to the strange mechanics, which is a frustrating experience. Other than that though, this is a bleak and depressing survival sim that's nonetheless very enjoyable to play even though it left me feeling pretty devastated. Most importantly, it portrays a situation that's all too real in the world, and is very good at inspiring empathy in the player that may well translate to real life. That the only DLC is a donation directly to children affected by war just reinforces the solid intentions of the developers.    … Expand
  10. st0rm_91
    Dec 25, 2015
    10
    This War of Mine - одновременно простая и гениальная игра про выживание мирных граждан в условия войны и блокады.

    Плюсы: + Погружение в атмосферу войны. + Сложные моральные дилемы. Сможете ли вы дать лекарства для детей, когда этажом ниже на кровате отдыхает ваш товарищ? Или же помочь незнакомцу, которому нужно очистить завал в доме? + Простая и интуитивно понятная система крафта. +    This War of Mine - одновременно простая и гениальная игра про выживание мирных граждан в условия войны и блокады.

    Плюсы:
    + Погружение в атмосферу войны.
    + Сложные моральные дилемы. Сможете ли вы дать лекарства для детей, когда этажом ниже на кровате отдыхает ваш товарищ? Или же помочь незнакомцу, которому нужно очистить завал в доме?
    + Простая и интуитивно понятная система крафта.
    + Несколько вариантов начала игры: 2 дома и совершенно разные группы персонажей численностью от 1 до 4 человек. У каждого персонажа в игре присутствует своя история и биография, а также они обладают своим уникальным характером. Так же вы можете создать своих персонажей.
    + В игре присутствует хардкор. Очень сложно грамотно распределять еду и правильно вести добычу ресурсов ночью.
    + Идеально подходящее под тематику данной игры графическе исполнение. Игра выполнена в тёмных тонах, с использованием эффекта карандаша.

    Минусы:
    - Всё же в ситсему крафта можно было добавить больше предметов, а так же больше случайных событий в сам игровой процесс.

    10/10    … Expand
  11. Watersson
    Jul 18, 2015
    10
    It's a huge piece of great game. I've never played any survival games before but I know one thing- this one is extremely amazing. In "war games" we usually used to be soldiers. In This War of Mine we are civilians and we are trying to survive. Very good and fresh idea. Game has got really simple but nice crafting system. What about storyline? Well. There isn't any storyline! We areIt's a huge piece of great game. I've never played any survival games before but I know one thing- this one is extremely amazing. In "war games" we usually used to be soldiers. In This War of Mine we are civilians and we are trying to survive. Very good and fresh idea. Game has got really simple but nice crafting system. What about storyline? Well. There isn't any storyline! We are creating it by ourself and each one of us could make something different. Such a beautiful thing... Graphic... As for me- 10/10. Of course it's not like like Witcher 3 or GTA V but does it mean that it's bad? NO. It's charming. Really charming. Just play this game ;)… Expand
  12. Klewer
    Nov 10, 2016
    7
    I found this a hard game to rate. The game looks great, has great ideas and mechanics as well as a very interesting message due to the games setting. However it does feel a bit grindy and repetitive at times. Combat is also quite frustrating and average. Still worth having a look at though.
  13. strav
    Dec 20, 2014
    10
    This War Of Mine is a harsh, unforgiving and absolutely delightful game (easily among my top 3 of 2014).

    You begin with a small group of ordinary people, each having their own skills and weaknesses and try to survive through a civil war that has left you with barely no resources. At it's core, the concept of the game is quite simple (yet innovative for all I know): during the day, you    This War Of Mine is a harsh, unforgiving and absolutely delightful game (easily among my top 3 of 2014).

    You begin with a small group of ordinary people, each having their own skills and weaknesses and try to survive through a civil war that has left you with barely no resources. At it's core, the concept of the game is quite simple (yet innovative for all I know): during the day, you must make the best of what you have to organize your shelter in order to tend to the needs of your group while at night, you go scavenging for the resources you are in dire need of.

    Where all this really takes off, is how the game mechanics have been fine tuned so that each and every day, the stakes are to the max. As it is the case for any realistic survival situation, every bits of food and material is vital and must be carefully managed, every step you make while scavenging can be deadly and have irreversible consequences - this is a rogue-like game: you cannot save and everything you do generally have irreversible consequences.

    For instance: you must have water to cook food (per the game's mechanics, raw food is less nourishing) and given a group of four people, you hence might need a certain amount of water to feed them well. Let's say one day you forget to tend to your water collector, the raw food you have might then not be sufficient to nourish everyone in your group. Being malnourished, someone might get sick so that, on your scavenging night, instead of simply having to find a little amount of food, you now must find water, lots of food and some meds. Meds are usually rare and chances are you'll have to sneak your way in some dangerous place to find some (and perhaps even kill someone if you get caught stealing), all this because you forgot to tend to your water collector!

    Add to this mix a bunch of unexpected, random events such as kids begging for meds at your shelter, a friendly neighbor offering you a batch of vegetables, your well crafted survival plans can easily go south in the blinking of an eye. This is, in my opinion, what makes this game so addictive, intense, frustrating and yet deeply enjoyable.

    On the technical side, there are very few bugs. The graphics are a perfect fit to the game's spirit; the environments are diverse and not repetitive and while the music themes can be a bit repetitive they do create a very good atmosphere.

    In all, if you like survival games for the sense of vulnerability and intensity they provide, if you appreciate rogue-like games such as FTL, you will definitively love This War Of Mine.    … Expand
  14. sgy0003
    Jan 24, 2015
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. If you like a post-apocalypse game, or a game that makes you managed limited supplies that has perma-death mechanic, this is a game for you.
    TWOM has you manage the survival of three people. At first, you'll only have very little amount of supplies in your base. But during night, you can go on a raid to loot crafting supplies, foods, medicine, etc. Some decision will be hard to make, mostly baed on humanity vs. your survival. For example, there was a one instance where i had to rob from old couple that wanted nothing but peace, and begged me to not take their stuffs. I decided to take only a little and leave a lot for them. Also, two children came knocking on our doors asking for the only bottle of medicine to help their sick mother. This was a tough decision for me, giving away the only bottle of medicine i had.

    There's also trading with other npcs, and you'll have to decide how much of your supplies will you trade for things you want.    … Expand
  15. Axlyss
    Dec 2, 2014
    9
    The game makes you think of morality will you rob and pillage to support your survivors or will you bargain and trade? The game is very unforgiving and will make you feel like **** because some people live in these situations where they live day to day running from bullets and hiding from snipers.

    The game can be hard but simple planning and being smart about your actions will save you.
  16. phbz
    Jan 24, 2015
    9
    War is probably the darkest aspect of the human nature. Not that violence is exclusive to our race, but its the scale and perversity have no match in the animal kingdom. So it feel always bizarre the way as mainstream games tend to paint it in such a frivolous way. Spec Ops: The Line previously made a somewhat successful attempt on dealing with the serious of the matter without digging tooWar is probably the darkest aspect of the human nature. Not that violence is exclusive to our race, but its the scale and perversity have no match in the animal kingdom. So it feel always bizarre the way as mainstream games tend to paint it in such a frivolous way. Spec Ops: The Line previously made a somewhat successful attempt on dealing with the serious of the matter without digging too deep, or deep enough. This War of Mine takes things some steps further and put you in the most important, and conveniently ignored, role in a war - the civilian.

    Mechanically TWOM it's just your regular survival/strategy game, with a straightforward crafting system. With night and day distinctly separating the way you play. During the day you manage your base and after night falls you scavenge the city.

    What makes TWOM excel it's its heavy theme and the way as it makes your action relevant. There's no sugar-coating to war and the game implements brilliantly the repercussions of your actions. Murdering and robbing can apparently be the easy way out, but how will your characters emotionally react to that? And you? When you get into a situation where you have to decide between stopping a rape or face the risk of getting wounded or killed for doing so, how will you react after your decision? And if you enter a family house and after things get out of control you end up killing the family, how will you feel? In war there's the bad and the horrible... and TWON makes sure you understand that.    … Expand
  17. MorbidAngel
    Dec 3, 2014
    9
    This game is an absolute gem. Not only is it an absolutely great survival game in and of itself, it is furthermore the one and only true anti-war game with a really strong message I have so far run into. It is really challenging too, different more or less every time you start a new game and does give you many options to play your save and not right out making you fail just cause the gameThis game is an absolute gem. Not only is it an absolutely great survival game in and of itself, it is furthermore the one and only true anti-war game with a really strong message I have so far run into. It is really challenging too, different more or less every time you start a new game and does give you many options to play your save and not right out making you fail just cause the game was written in a way that certain stuff does not work. Granted, certain stuff DOES not work indeed ^^ but the fact is, that's just normal - there definitely is a thinking progress involved which adds a very nice touch to the overall experience.

    Personally, I so far sank around 50 hours into the game (lotsa failures, there is no tutorial by design and I have np with that) and I can't get enough of it. All the various approaches to playing this game, one I only paid 17€ in total for on an aside, are simply put amazing.

    What else can I say? The graphics suit the grittyness of the experience absolutely fine and the only little nitpick I would have is that the combat itself could be a little more fleshed out. That however is perhaps something to also think about again - while this is a war survival game, you're NOT controlling trained soldiers or so but civilians trying to survive in a war torn city. So even that can be overlooked for the most part (not that I'd like this to get some more dev love down the line).

    Overall, like I said I can't get enough of the game and This War of Mine is simply a mature take on the topic war, no more, no less. This game is simply put amazingly fresh air to a very old game topic (war) and I hope we'll see more, much more of it down the line! I'll buy additional stuff in an instance!    … Expand
  18. Phobius
    Jan 31, 2015
    10
    Really good game didnt expect at first as more and more survival games get released, but this one is different and in a good way. It gives a nice feeling of character growth but also the feeling that u are never overpowered so it keeps the tension intact. I would recommend it to any pc game fan.
  19. 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
  20. Vzhik
    Aug 31, 2019
    8
    Я не знаю как, но у авторов получилось сделать так, что за персонажей переживаешь, беспокоишься. Все их драмы воспринимаются как личные и действительно веришь что люди умирают с голоду, уходят не попрощавшись. Какое-то мистическое сочетание музыки, стиля, картинок и текстовой истории.
    Разворачивающиеся меланхолия, неизбежность развязки и неспешность повествования отлично сочетаются с    Я не знаю как, но у авторов получилось сделать так, что за персонажей переживаешь, беспокоишься. Все их драмы воспринимаются как личные и действительно веришь что люди умирают с голоду, уходят не попрощавшись. Какое-то мистическое сочетание музыки, стиля, картинок и текстовой истории.
    Разворачивающиеся меланхолия, неизбежность развязки и неспешность повествования отлично сочетаются с грустным настроем и просто захватывают сразу же. Кто ценит качественную грусть рекомендую. 8/10.    … Expand
  21. bhai
    Mar 7, 2015
    10
    I am not a fan of survival games, but then I downloaded this game to play something different concept. First when I downloaded, I didn't believe this game, but then this game has given me a lot of relaxation. Thanks to the developers. I will ask developers to develop this game for android too, because I am eager to play this game in my galaxy note 2 ..
  22. hawkenfox
    Apr 7, 2015
    9
    This game what can I say gave me a reason to write a review which I seldom do. It must be one of the
    best war game ever made. It made war comes alive in a real way, the suffering of civilians in war. When I
    first got the game , I saw the review and thought it cant be this good ... must be some sort of paid / controlled advertising. With that as I got into the game, did a few turns and    This game what can I say gave me a reason to write a review which I seldom do. It must be one of the
    best war game ever made. It made war comes alive in a real way, the suffering of civilians in war. When I
    first got the game , I saw the review and thought it cant be this good ... must be some sort of paid /
    controlled advertising. With that as I got into the game, did a few turns and died a few times .... made it
    challenging and interesting. I honestly wish the game could go on for much longer with more events that
    could occur during a war.

    I did not expect the game to be so engaging and challenging ... very simple concept but very well design
    and executed. It's a must play even if you don't like such genre. You wouldn't regret it and the score is
    true.    … Expand
  23. Kojak0
    May 16, 2015
    9
    First of all, forget that this is a game. It's a story being told.

    The game was inspired by the siege of Sarajevo during the Yogoslavian civil war during the 90's (1400+ days of siege, the worst in history) and as such you take control over a number of civilians who are trying to survive in this hellhole. That is the goal: survive. Forget trying to become rich or save a princess -    First of all, forget that this is a game. It's a story being told.

    The game was inspired by the siege of Sarajevo during the Yogoslavian civil war during the 90's (1400+ days of siege, the worst in history) and as such you take control over a number of civilians who are trying to survive in this hellhole. That is the goal: survive. Forget trying to become rich or save a princess - getting out of it still breathing is your only priority.

    The game does an immense job of creating an immersion into this world, even if it just is a side-view game - the music, sounds and even pencil-scetch graphics makes the world look bleak, horrifying and washed out. It's perfect.

    So the game is about survival, and how you must send one person out each night to look for food and materials to increase your chances. And this is a pain, but a good pain, because anyone you send out can't carry everything. The people you have at home are hungry, cold, and one of them is sick, so what do you take? All the food? Any medicines you've found? But if you do, will you be able to carry home any wood you need to make firewood so people won't freeze to death? It's a constant struggle to try to keep up with the demands of the people back at your shelter.

    Add to that that you can be raided, wounded or even killed. It's a hard life living in a war zone.

    It'sa fantastic, amazing game, and it became even better after they included the possibility to add your own characters and in some way, make your own map from the premade locations. That added a lot of value.

    Now, the thing with the game is that it doesn't teach you anything. You have to discover everything yourself, and that is also something that adds to the first-time experience - even more so since you only have one save slot. And that is how it should be - if you leave all people asleep as you take one person out to find food, you might come back to a very nasty surprise, that you have been raided, things have been stolen and people been wounded. It can be a real gut-punch. And that goes for the characters as well, as they can become psychologically affected as well.

    I mentioned at the beginning of the review that this is a story, not a game. And it is. However, the only reason I can't give it a 10 is because the combat is too damn hard (it's fast and unforgiving) and dependant on that you can swing a mouse well and precisely - the slightest the mouse gets stuck, you'll pay for it. However, avoiding combat is encouraged and the best way to survive.

    All in all, I highly recommend this game, and also to give a few bucks to the charity War Child.

    Because even if this is a game for you, it's reality for a lot of people.    … Expand
  24. AndersMorales
    Feb 27, 2017
    8
    I find myself drawn to the kind of atmosphere this title provides, insofar that it - and games like it - is able to capitalize on survivability as a feature well enough to give environmental dangers a nearly personified pressing and looming quality. The war and its dangers soak your continuous play sessions. Winter is always circling like a hammerhead. Everything is broken or dissected,I find myself drawn to the kind of atmosphere this title provides, insofar that it - and games like it - is able to capitalize on survivability as a feature well enough to give environmental dangers a nearly personified pressing and looming quality. The war and its dangers soak your continuous play sessions. Winter is always circling like a hammerhead. Everything is broken or dissected, elemental. It's a point-and-click craft-a-thon through a splintering and loose narrative with lots of access that ultimately seems to achieve a sum larger than its individual parts to deliver a shuddering 2.5D gaming experience.… Expand
  25. Mezmer
    Oct 27, 2016
    9
    This game takes so much emotional investment from the player. As you play, day by day, helping your characters survive, you begin to grow close to them. You worry, because any of them might die from injury, the cold, or disease. Your characters can become depressed, suicidal, and can leave at any time. This game, called "This War of Mine" is by far one of the best games I've laid my handsThis game takes so much emotional investment from the player. As you play, day by day, helping your characters survive, you begin to grow close to them. You worry, because any of them might die from injury, the cold, or disease. Your characters can become depressed, suicidal, and can leave at any time. This game, called "This War of Mine" is by far one of the best games I've laid my hands on. It puts you in the point of view of those affected by war- the civilians, not the military. It isn't action packed, it has no combat sequences or explosions. Instead, its the pure anxiety and emotional turmoil of trying to make these people survive for as long as you can. You scavenge for supplies by night, and by day, you make improvements to your house. You are constantly at risk for being robbed during the night, and have to put people on guard. When you venture out into the world, you can have the choice of robbing and killing people for supplies, making trade, or even taking people in. Its kill or be killed sometimes. The fact that this game has a DLC that donates to the War Child charity makes it even all the more better. If you like story driven emotional games, grab yourself a copy of "This War of Mine".… Expand
  26. mwfischer
    Nov 19, 2014
    10
    Absolutely fabulous. It's war. It's depressing. Civilians feel the worst. There is no magic, zombies, or witchcrafts. The only thing that is unreal is the aggression and panic of others trying to survive (and barely). This is the most depressing copy of The Sims you'll ever play.

    The UI can be a little weird at time and the first patch fixed most of the little quirks. I hope there    Absolutely fabulous. It's war. It's depressing. Civilians feel the worst. There is no magic, zombies, or witchcrafts. The only thing that is unreal is the aggression and panic of others trying to survive (and barely). This is the most depressing copy of The Sims you'll ever play.

    The UI can be a little weird at time and the first patch fixed most of the little quirks. I hope there are expansions.    … Expand
  27. KrakenAttack
    Nov 15, 2014
    10
    This game is a breath of gritty depressing fresh air. This War of Mine is one of a kind emotional survival game roller coaster. You really do get attached to your characters and are forced to do morally questionable things that make you feel bad. The game does a great job at guilt tripping you for robbing the innocent elderly couple living in a quiet cottage of all there food and medicine.This game is a breath of gritty depressing fresh air. This War of Mine is one of a kind emotional survival game roller coaster. You really do get attached to your characters and are forced to do morally questionable things that make you feel bad. The game does a great job at guilt tripping you for robbing the innocent elderly couple living in a quiet cottage of all there food and medicine. Or turning those children away from your door step asking for your help to save there dying mother. Survival of the fittest is the theme and this game shows the consequences regular people get to experience in there country in times of civil conflict. Mechanics wise the game reminds me of the crafting of Terraria, character management similar to The Sims and a little but of Don't Starve meets State of Decay. I hope to see content updates and mods for sure! Must buy.… Expand
  28. wolf-mvp
    Dec 11, 2014
    10
    10 из 10. Просто 10 из 10.
    Одна из лучших survarium-игр.
    Приятно, что разработчики не приплели зомби-составляющую или еще какую ахинею.
    Только крафтинг и выживание, только хардкор.
  29. Masterions
    Nov 19, 2014
    10
    Innovative, dynamic, realistic and heart-breaking, these are the most visible characteristics of this game. You start as a group of civilians who only struggle to survive during the German and Russian oppression on Poland. I won't lie to you, the game is difficult, it will force you to make some decisions which you might regret ... first time I stole food from an old couple I started toInnovative, dynamic, realistic and heart-breaking, these are the most visible characteristics of this game. You start as a group of civilians who only struggle to survive during the German and Russian oppression on Poland. I won't lie to you, the game is difficult, it will force you to make some decisions which you might regret ... first time I stole food from an old couple I started to feel awful but what made it worse is the feeling of guilt that our "squad" had. Hardly ever has any game moved my heart so much and I still remember that moment after you rescue "the guy" in the sniper place ...

    Personally, I believe this game deserves an award for the best indie game of this year hands down!    … Expand
  30. Silence89
    Nov 20, 2014
    9
    well i admit the game has issues, some can be fixed and others cannot, bet i cannot help but try to encourage the dev here, in hope of promoting indie games and somehow fight back AAA generic repetitive titles.
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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]
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