Thank you 11 bit studios for sending us a review code!

This War Of Mine was originally released in 2014 with rave reviews and this is my first time playing the game. The complete edition includes all three narrative driven scenarios, The Little Ones DLC, and of course, the base game, This War Of Mine Final Cut.

At first, you can only play This War Of Mine Final Cut. This War Of Mine Stories is locked until you make progress in the base game. In This War Of Mine Final Cut, you can create your own scenario or play a randomized one. By creating your own scenario, you can set the length of time to survive, how soon winter comes, as well as its length and harshness. You can also choose your starting civilians with pre-defined attributes or create your own.

Each civilian has a backstory about their life before the war. Some of them are tragic. For example, multiple characters have lost loved ones like spouses or parents and are trying to carry on without their support. The civilians also have different traits that will come in handy like being able to hold more inventory when scavenging or being a good cook.

When your campaign begins, your first order of business is to sort through the piles of rubble in your “base”. Chances are that you’ll find some materials and food to hold you over. Hopefully, you’ll have enough materials to build a bed to get some decent rest in and a stove to cook raw food. A radio is handy to see what’s going on in the outside world to see what items are hard to come by and better for bartering as a result. The radio will also give you a heads up if the war is about to end.

A metal workshop is necessary for handy tools like crowbars, lock picks, and shovels. Weapons will come in handy for when you have to scavenge dangerous areas. Heaters are a must for the wintertime. Rainwater filtration is necessary for capturing water for cooking and making booze with. Alcohol is great for trading.

Everything uses resources and by upgrading your workshops, you can make more advanced and fuel-efficient items. If you want to build and repair guns, you’ll have to upgrade your metal workshop. Until then, you’ll be limited to knives.

Each person in your shelter has some physical needs like food and rest. Mental health also plays a part and children need attention and entertainment to avoid depression. Adults can also get depressed if you make them rob hospitals of life-saving medicines or defenseless civilians of their food. Scavenging through garbage piles is harmless, but as the war drags on, you’ll to have make some difficult decisions or venture out into dangerous territory to gather necessary food and resources. While you have a scavenger roaming the streets, your encampment may be targeted, so make sure you also have someone on guard and armed!

Occasionally, a trader may knock on your door offering their wares. This is a great way to stock up on items provided you have decent loot to offer in exchange. Sometimes a neighbor may share some extra food; it’s great to see some kindness during these tough times. You may get a knock on the door from someone wanting to join your group and they can usually provide a valuable service, but in exchange, they will need food and ideally a bed.

During the night, you can send your scavenger out to gather materials. A map will appear with possible locations, what loot to expect along with the level of danger. The map will also keep track of places you have already visited. Merchants will be at some locations and if you steal their personal property, they will violently retaliate. To provide food for their children, mothers will offer their bodies in exchange for nourishment.

War isn’t pretty. Even though civilians are not on the front lines, they are impacted just as severely in some hot spots. Death and violence is everywhere as humans show their true colors in times of affliction. What will you do to survive?