This War of Mine is an thoroughly absorbing and unique day-to-day survival experience. From the desolate setting to the somber music and visuals, I could not help but feel constantly engaged as I faced each new day.
A severe limit on supplies puts players in a constant feeling of unrest as intelligent scavenging is made top priority. This makes exploring new locales not only rewarding, but necessary as they provide new caches to plunder, but potential encounters with hostile NPCs forces players to consider risk vs reward in their strategies.
Luck is very much a factor in TWoM, as it is difficult to know what each new day will bring (unless you save scum). Whether it's a violent bandit raid at night or nice neighbors offering fresh veggies during the day, players will have to react to each encounter and rework their plans accordingly. Combat follows suit, depriving players of any real means of "certain victory." The possibility of failure is always present, making combat a risky option, which (much like in real-life), should not be taken lightly. Things do get easier once you get your hands on weapons, but when your characters are warm and fed, but are killing other survivors left and right to get to that point, you have to ask yourself if it's worth it.
TWoM has a strong sense of realism in its gameplay. Injuries leave a character reeling for days rather than healing immediately, and NPCs react appropriately to how the player is behaving, sensing hostility, and even remembering the player if they leave and return later. It's a nice touch that adds to the overall tone of struggle.
Notably, there is no tutorial. Rather than providing stats, characters are simply described with a short bio and a single unique ability. Like much of the game mechanics, what characters do and how they perform is left to the player to figure out. It's a somewhat tedious learning process that encourages multiple playthroughs.
Still, This War of Mine is a wonderful experience from start to finish, and the endings reflect the choices made throughout, forcing players to evaluate themselves. A single "story" can take as long as 8 hours to complete and it's really hard to put down. The desolate world can be emotionally taxing, but it's still a fascinating and enthralling experience, regardless.
"I will kill you for firewood"
This War of Mine is an thoroughly absorbing and unique day-to-day survival experience. From the desolate setting to the somber music and visuals, I could not help but feel constantly engaged as I faced each new day.
A severe limit on supplies puts players in a constant feeling of unrest as intelligent scavenging is made top priority. This makes exploring new locales not only rewarding, but necessary as they provide new caches to plunder, but potential encounters with hostile NPCs forces players to consider risk vs reward in their strategies.
Luck is very much a factor in TWoM, as it is difficult to know what each new day will bring (unless you save scum). Whether it's a violent bandit raid at night or nice neighbors offering fresh veggies during the day, players will have to react to each encounter and rework their plans accordingly. Combat follows suit, depriving players of any real means of "certain victory." The possibility of failure is always present, making combat a risky option, which (much like in real-life), should not be taken lightly. Things do get easier once you get your hands on weapons, but when your characters are warm and fed, but are killing other survivors left and right to get to that point, you have to ask yourself if it's worth it.
TWoM has a strong sense of realism in its gameplay. Injuries leave a character reeling for days rather than healing immediately, and NPCs react appropriately to how the player is behaving, sensing hostility, and even remembering the player if they leave and return later. It's a nice touch that adds to the overall tone of struggle.
Notably, there is no tutorial. Rather than providing stats, characters are simply described with a short bio and a single unique ability. Like much of the game mechanics, what characters do and how they perform is left to the player to figure out. It's a somewhat tedious learning process that encourages multiple playthroughs.
Still, This War of Mine is a wonderful experience from start to finish, and the endings reflect the choices made throughout, forcing players to evaluate themselves. A single "story" can take as long as 8 hours to complete and it's really hard to put down. The desolate world can be emotionally taxing, but it's still a fascinating and enthralling experience, regardless.