This War of Mine: Complete Edition is not a game for the faint of heart. Nor is it a game for those looking for a several hour gaming binge. It is an emotionally challenging game, which makes a lot of sense given the inspiration: the Seige of Sarajevo. Despite being a war game, you do not take on the role of an elite soldier. Rather, you take on the role of an everyday citizen. All of this culminates in a game that pushes players to think about the realities and consequences of war.

Developer: 11 bit studios

Publisher: 11 bit studios

5 hours played // Review Copy Provided // $39.99

The game opens on a scene one would expect from a war-torn city. Three citizens, practically strangers, are scavenging a house for supplies. They are hungry, sleepy, and one of them is even sick. As you search through the house for supplies, the characters’ dialogue begins to clue you in on their various needs. These include disposition, hunger, sleep, and health. So, you will need to make a bed, oven, animal trap, and more in order to survive. To build these things, you need to find supplies.

However, only so many supplies can be found in your humble abode. When night falls, it is time to scavenge. For every character living in your home, you need to decide if they will scavenge, sleep, or guard. With this, the player is forced to make some difficult decisions. Is it more important to ensure a good night’s rest, leaving your home open to raiders? Or, should you prioritize keeping your home safe at the expense of your sleep? Will you scavenge at a relatively low-risk location, which has few supplies? Or, will you risk being sniped for a payout of plentiful food, medicine, and weapons?

Was building a bridge the best choice? What if I built an animal trap?

The difficult decisions never really stop, however. During the day, you need to decide what is most important to build. Should you get a heater for the oncoming winter? Or, would you rather focus on creating a metalworking station? On top of making important decisions in terms of resources, you also need to make sure your characters are happy. If they end up feeling too hopeless, they will leave or even kill themselves.

During my first playthrough, I only made it to the 17th day of the siege. Juggling resource management, character happiness, and home defense was a bit too difficult for me. I did not survive. One of my characters was killed while desperately looking for medicine since one of his housemates was severely ill. Another ran from the house, having given up all hope after the death of her friend. And the last killed himself, realizing he would never see his son again. As I played through This War of Mine, each characters’ bio was expanded upon and my heart ached for them. There are no good decisions in war; it seems there are terrible decisions and slightly less terrible ones.

My first ending was terribly depressing, causing me to put the game down for the evening.

After I finished through my first playthrough, I had to put the game down for the night. It had taken a toll on me, forcing me to really think about the consequences of conflict. So often in videogames, the role of the warrior is one of pride, power, and prestige. Yet, while playing This War of Mine, I found myself frustrated at those with guns, causing a conflict with consequences they couldn’t even understand. In that way, this game is an excellent commentary on the pain and horror of the war. All the while, allowing glimmers of humanity to shine through in small moments, such as when a neighbor gave me food.

Even the art seems to reflect this theme. The grey-scale pencil-esque sketches of the world are accompanied by slow, dreary music. The music was especially evocative, causing me despair during the day and stress during tense scavenging moments. This is altogether appropriate for the content matter.

Much like the art was so-so, I feel that the actual gameplay was thoroughly alright. Load times felt a little bit too long and movement often felt jerky. I would want to answer the door, but the controls would take me downstairs. At first, I thought this was an issue of simply getting used to the controls, however, it happened to me rather regularly. This is a problem in a game that times you; going in the wrong direction meant that I would lose precious time to build resources. Or, in another case, the unintuitive controls made me accidentally start a fight with someone instead of scavenging near them. Obviously, the game is playable and it is enjoyable. However, the controls will likely leave you feeling a little frustrated at times.

This War of Mine is a game about survival narratives.

Despite these issues, the hefty price tag attached to the Switch edition of This War of Mine: Complete Edition isn’t completely outrageous. The classic edition of the game randomly generates a new starting crew everytime you play; this means every playthrough is a unique experience with its own challenges. Beyond that, you can choose to create your own story. Meaning that you can choose your crew, how many days until the ceasefire, and other aspects of the siege.

In addition to these plentiful options, this version also comes with This War of Mine: Stories. These are three unique tales that are a bit more narrative-driven than the classic mode. In the first, you play as a father trying to survive with a sickly daughter. All seems on the up and up, however one night she gets kidnapped. Thus, you are sent on a long search to find her. I personally enjoyed this version more; the clearly defined narratives made me feel a bit closer to my characters.

As a whole, I enjoyed This War of Mine. Though incredibly stressful at times, it is a game with a message about war and humanity. Delivered so eloquently and with such emotion, I found myself moved throughout my time with the game. As such, I’m so very pleased the game found its way onto the Switch.

Not in the mood for something depressing? Perhaps a game with cats will be a bit more enjoyable! If the theme of war is something you want more of, I recommend 1979 Revolution. That said, we’d love for you to come into our Discord and tell us what you think about This War of Mine, if you’ve played it! I need more people to discuss it with! Finally, this is a labor of love; consider buying us a coffee to keep us running ad-free!