This War of Mine

Video games and war. The two seem to go hand in hand with most people conjuring up thoughts of Call of Duty and Battlefield when placing the two together. With first-person shooters dominating the gaming industry, 11 Bit Studios has taken an alternate route, hoping to provide a not-so-typical war game for the masses.

"In war, not everyone is a soldier." That is the slogan of the Polish game developer's up and coming game, This War of Mine. No, players won't be placed smack dab in the middle of a battlefield, looking down the sites of a rifle. Instead, This War of Mine is set on the outskirts of battle, where the civilians of a war torn city are struggling to survive.

Players start with three characters, but hunger, illness and injury can quickly see this number dwindle.

Booting up the survival game brings players to a simple, clutter-free title screen. You have two options: 'survive' or quit the game. Clicking 'survive' sets a narrative in motion, rich with somber music, describing just how susceptible humans are to warfare: "These days war can break out anytime, anywhere. If your city gets under siege, you're not prepared for it." With a slight pause, the game begins at 'Day 1', and players set out to see just how long they can survive.

This lack of preparedness is the meat of the game, bringing three strangers together, united to survive as a team or divided to selfishly find their own way. A brief history of each character is provided, uncovering their occupation, family life and where they were when the violence was unleashed. On top of each individual's personality, every character possesses a certain skill. 'Fast runner,' 'strong but slow' and 'sneaks quietly' are all a few of numerous skills that may help or hinder any situation one of three characters is placed in.

The base camp is full of supplies, but not enough to survive on for long.

The dire circumstances the civilians of This War of Mine are put in are what one would expect from the ruthlessness of war. Hunger, illness, injury and depression are a few of the many struggles these characters must face. Counteracting these problems requires the collection and creation of items. Collect bandages to heal a wound, medicine to cure an illness and canned food to quiet the pain of hunger. Search for wood, electrical parts and other materials to create a bed to sleep in or a woodstove to warm up by, among other things.

Coming by these items isn't as easy as it seems. Under the veil of darkness a depressed man or starving woman must find the strength to venture out of their safe zone, putting themselves in danger to bargain for or steal necessary items. Moreover, others stay behind at camp, left to catch up on sleep and guard the shelter. This can be just as dangerous as often a weaker member of the team is left behind, unable to keep themselves and the loot safe from an enemy's hands.

Finding desired items means scavenging or trading with other civilians. Trading is as easy as finding a friendly individual, and scavenging is as simple as a game of hide-and-seek. However, scavenging can quickly become stealing, a dangerous game when it occurs under the roof of someone else's house.

Leaving the camp unguarded means the possibility of a raid and injuries.

Running into these less than friendly individuals means foul words, fists and gunfire. This is where a character's skill comes into play. One skill seems menial, and it'd be great to see these characters develop more; however, their expertise is not to be taken lightly. A fast runner will be able to quickly escape a dangerous situation but may loudly announce their presence; a strong but slow man will be able to defend himself, yet will struggle to flee danger; and a stealthy woman may be quiet but too weak to protect herself during a fight.

Staying hidden means being quiet, peering through keyholes and being aware of the presence of a potential enemy. Doors may be barred or locked, and hallways can be blocked with clutter. In all hopes, a shovel, lock pick or crowbar has been crafted and brought along on the journey. If so, said item(s) will be stored in a backpack containing a limited amount of storage. The lack of room in the backpack means deciding which items are most important to bring back to camp. Bring back important, key items such as food, medicine and bandages for immediate consumption, or load up on materials to create longer lasting items such as a radio, distillery or oven. Make it back safely and provide for your camp, or die alone, leaving the others to fend for themselves.

A work in progress, 11 Bit Studios is clearly developing a more elaborate storyline.

With each consecutive day the struggle continues. Give your friend the last can of tuna and go hungry, or selfishly survive, keeping only your own well-being in mind? Risk stealing a well sought out item, or bargain with your team's goods, taking the easy route? These are choices that players must make in This War of Mine. In its current state, however, the game struggles to emphasize the consequences of these actions. With the backbone of the game being about human survival, many pieces are missing from the  puzzle. More material covering the game's characters, the war itself and any outlook on a war-free world will make for a richer story and more intriguing game. This is an improvement that will surely be made as 11 Bit Studios are clearly working on expanding the storyline, developing stronger characters and adding further items to interact with.

With no specific release date, This War of Mine is planned to release sometime this fall for PC, iOS and Android devices. At first glance it may seem slow paced, but with an atypical view from a warzone, 11 Bit Studios will be releasing a game that will be an immediate hit.

Megan Bethke (@XboxBetty), NoobFeed