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Combine this somewhat bleak situation with survival game mechanics and you get a very interesting take on the genre, one that places far more emphasis on the real consequences of the course of action you choose to take. You’re not randomly in a wilderness collecting berries or leaves from bushes or crafting a simple weapon for hunting prey, you’re instead trying to scavenge through buildings, some of which are abandoned and others that very much aren’t. Rather than being afraid of random monsters or beasts at night the fear is of other desperate humans who are likely in just as dire a situation as you. This change in theme completely alters the feel of the genre and can be what makes This War of Mine either extremely compelling or cripplingly depressing depending on how you choose to see it. Whether you play the main mode that’s more random and roguelike or the alternative modes like The Little Ones DLC or the story called The Father’s Promise the same essence of desperation and hard choices is present. What should you prioritize first, what are you willing to trade and what are you most desperate to get, and how much longer can you push your people without proper food, sleep, or medicine before you begin to pay a real price. There are no easy answers or guarantees of success and if you think that arming up and looking to take what you need from others is an answer you’ll find there are real world costs to going that path as well. This War of Mine encompasses most of the difficulties you’d expect from the survival genre and throws on a pretty grim and depressing layer of reality to boot. The tests here aren’t just of your ability to figure out what the best crafting paths or things to prioritize in gathering may be but also of your ability to manage very human problems as well. There will be many ways the game can frustrate you as you try to figure out how to survive in this bleak situation but it’s the glimmers of hope, small successes, and human stories in this horrible situation that also make it memorable.
Justin Nation, Score:Nindie Choice! [8.5]