WARDOGS
WARDOGS
Game
Game2014
This War of Mine
Developer 11 bit studios
This War of Mine is a 2014 war survival video game developed and published by Polish developer 11 Bit Studios. The game, inspired by the siege of Sarajevo among other conflicts, differs from most war-themed video games by focusing on the civilian experience of war rather than frontline combat. Characters have to make many difficult decisions in order to survive everyday dangers. There are various endings for each… From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
396 reactions from 3 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Mastodon) · newest Nov 5, 2026 · last updated Nov 5, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
87
LovedLoved
230 positive · 35 negative
95% range 82–90%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 230 | 35 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 42 | 3 | 73 |
| Mastodon * | 4 | 0 | 9 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
25,345 of 27,515 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
87% recommend · 201 yes, 30 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 231 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Very Positive (91,857 of 97,903 positive).
Players describe the game as a profoundly emotional and bleak experience that forces them to confront the horrors of war from a civilian perspective. [1][2][3] Many reviewers praise its realistic portrayal of survival and moral dilemmas, calling it a must-play for understanding war's true cost. [4][5][6] Some players find the gameplay loop repetitive or the emotional weight too heavy, leading to mixed feelings about replayability. [7][8][9]
Liked
Representative posts
- [7]
First off, I know this game is, at this point, quite old. I have waited to write my review in order to see if anything changed and from what I can see, it has not. Given that, I'll write my review from my perspective and those who read it can take it or leave it. There's no argument to be had; it's why it's called "my review" and "my opinion." Would I recommend this game to anyone? No, I can't say that I would. Is …
- [1]
I murdered a family that was defenseless. I quit the game, looked at myself in a mirror. Cried, hugged my kids. Never opened the game again. 10/10
- [2]
The game that broke me a little and helped me heal at the same time. This War of Mine didn’t really leave when I closed it. There was a night where I had to choose who gets the last food. I stared at the screen longer than I’d like to admit before clicking. The first time someone died in my shelter I didn’t reload. I knew I could undo it. I just sat there for a moment and left it the way it happened. After a while …
- [5]
In this day and age, this game is a must. A welcome and gentler reminder, for those of us fortunate enough not to experience war first hand, about what war really entails for most of those who get embroiled in it. You get to witness people starving to death, girls being rounded up by shady military personnel for unspeakable ends, kids running from snipers to ensure their grandma can receive the medicine she needs to …
- [3]
This is not just a game; it's a profound emotional experience. Unlike most war games that focus on soldiers and glory, This War of Mine puts you in the shoes of the forgotten ones—the civilians. It shows the brutal, depressing reality of trying to survive in a besieged city. Every day is a struggle for food, medicine, and warmth, and every night is a terrifying gamble for resources. The atmosphere is so thick and …
Summarised from 34 of the 324 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 9, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
Players who liked This War of Mine talk about emotionally impactful and immersive storytelling; those who didn't talk about gameplay can become repetitive over time. Which matters more to you?
Critics, per Wikipedia
The iOS version of This War of Mine received "universal acclaim", while the PC and console versions received "generally favorable reviews" according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. The Digital Fix gave the PC version nine out of ten and said, "Whether you choose to perceive it through a moral lens or not, there's a great tactical survival mechanic driving this game beneath the didactics. Although the events it depicts are depressing to contemplate at length, I found myself coming back again and again to try and get it right somehow, beat the odds, and save my people." The same website also gave the PlayStation 4 version of The Little Ones eight out of ten and said, "While…
From the “Reception” section of Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Critic context only — not part of the audience score.
Reactions
60 of 396 · most liked firstAnyone fetishizing civil war should play the game This War of Mine. That’ll change your outlook real quick.
positive · AI labelView post →First off, I know this game is, at this point, quite old. I have waited to write my review in order to see if anything changed and from what I can see, it has not. Given that, I'll write my review from my perspective and those who read it can take it or leave it. There's no argument to be had; it's why it's called "my review" and "my opinion." Would I recommend this game to anyone? No, I can't say that I would. Is it because the game is just horrible and bad? Not at all. As a survival premise,…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I murdered a family that was defenseless. I quit the game, looked at myself in a mirror. Cried, hugged my kids. Never opened the game again. 10/10
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The game that broke me a little and helped me heal at the same time. This War of Mine didn’t really leave when I closed it. There was a night where I had to choose who gets the last food. I stared at the screen longer than I’d like to admit before clicking. The first time someone died in my shelter I didn’t reload. I knew I could undo it. I just sat there for a moment and left it the way it happened. After a while you stop thinking about winning. It turns into smaller questions. Who needs…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game should be required play in schools. In our time where the horrors of war are often romanticized by political propaganda, This War of Mine offers a rare and brutally honest portrayal of the unbearable realities of war.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Since it came up in the chat - I was reminded of the hilarity of Abridged Vegeta's attempt at playing "This War of Mine." Yes, I imagine if I played it the game would be utter misery... which is why this video is so wonderful. @lanipator.bsky.social www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsU5...
neutral · AI labelView post →I can't wait. 🔥 The Alters, the next sci-fi game from @11bitstudios.bsky.social (This War of Mine, Frostpunk 1 & 2), and the game I'm most looking forward to, is coming on June 13 across PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S! It will also be available on Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass.
neutral · AI labelView post →This War of Mine is a game with something to say that would very much like you to know that it's said it, and doesn't really care how it says it. This game would like to bludgeon you over the head with the idea that war is awful and being in a war is awful (a fact apparently considered profound to the world of 2014). It does this by placing you in the shoes of a group of survivors working out of a safehouse and having to operate with limited resources in harsh conditions and surroundings.…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Turns out surviving a war mostly involves rummaging through rubble, burning furniture for warmth and feeling bad about every decision you make. The Final Cut adds some nice extra content and polish, which is great, because now I can feel guilty in even higher fidelity. Bleak, gripping, and surprisingly hard to put down, like emotional sandpaper, but the premium kind. Would I recommend it? Yes. Would I play it to relax? Absolutely not. [8.5/10]
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Some good videogame to Board game adaptations: Slay the Spire Frostpunk This War of Mine Wilmot's Warehouse Stardew Valley Dorfromantic XCOM Sniper Elite Deep Rock Galactic Dead by Daylight Bloodborne Anno 1800 What did I miss?
neutral · AI labelView post →[Upcoming space game] The Alters (2025) by @11bitstudios.bsky.social (This War of Mine, Frostpunk 2) "We regret to inform you that your scheduled departure has been delayed beyond Q1 2025, with a revised launch window set for later in the year." Don't worry, take as much time as you need 👍
neutral · AI labelView post →I've had this game on my wishlist for some time it's made by the same studio that did This War of Mine and the Frostpunk games, which I really enjoyed! I'm going to spend my evening finally diving into this one. The concept seems really interesting and unique Happy Saturday all
positive · AI labelView post →I stole from an old couple to feed my starving group. Then felt guilty and restarted the game. Then stole again. Immersive.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Fun! Its cool how your characters react certain ways depending on choices you make. It is a little annoying though starting out. If your characters get to upset then it makes it pretty difficult
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's a damn shame, I remember years ago when I first started playing on PC and they posted on Reddit going "Hey, our game This War of Mine is out and here is a link to The Pirate Bay if you can't afford to buy it" and it made me go and buy a copy to support the devs and now seeing they do this shi.
positive · AI labelView post →I've loved what @11bitstudios.bsky.social has been doing for a long time. I've played a LOT of This War of Mine, Frostpunk 1 & 2, and The Invicible (which they published). This one feels like they took everything they'd learned and applied it to a sci-fi context. They made a game for me. It's kind!
positive · AI labelView post →This War of Mine is a very good game about surviving in a war-torn city under siege and it absolutely does not manage to avoid this trap. I ended up with all the food and a perfectly comfortable house with four roommates.
neutral · AI labelView post →In this day and age, this game is a must. A welcome and gentler reminder, for those of us fortunate enough not to experience war first hand, about what war really entails for most of those who get embroiled in it. You get to witness people starving to death, girls being rounded up by shady military personnel for unspeakable ends, kids running from snipers to ensure their grandma can receive the medicine she needs to survive, even though she might die the next morning. Bleak, sure... but you…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I didn’t pick up This War of Mine because I was looking for a good time. It was cheap, it had a reputation, and I had a feeling it might be something… different. Something heavier. Still, I wasn’t prepared for how uncomfortable it would make me. Not loud, not shocking. Just this slow, constant pressure that builds the longer you play. And again, the strange part is… I respect the hell out of it. This game doesn’t put you in the role of a hero. There’s no glory here, no big moments where you…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I’ve actually been curious about This War of Mine for a long time, but only recently got the chance to play it, and well... it surprised me in ways I didn’t expect. The game completely shifted the way I see war and conflict. Instead of focusing on soldiers or heroic battles, it forces you to experience everything through the eyes of ordinary civilians who are just trying to survive. Every in-game day feels heavy. It’s not just about finding food or medicine, but about holding on to your…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Awaken Realms were the reason i first backed a game on kickstarter. This War of Mine. Capitalism in a nutshell is how that success from creating something unique and interesting has led them down the path to automated factory line junk, reprints with plastic and AI art. Sad, but feels inevitable
neutral · AI labelView post →I grew up playing RPGs, so i fuckin loved game stories from jump. But I never got “systems as story” until I played Papers Please, This War of Mine, and The Witness in grad school Just had to broaden the ole horizons!
positive · AI labelView post →If you enjoyed the survival game This War of Mine and like zombie games, I'd recommend trying the Steam demo for Into The Dead Our Darkest Days Also, it says it's unsupported on Steam Deck, but it actually works perfectly 👌🏻
neutral · AI labelView post →Games that I love 💛 🎮 Final Fantasy X 🎮 This War Of Mine 🎮 Expedition 33 🎮 Diablo 3 🎮 Resident Evil 🎮 Final Fantasy VIII 🎮 South Park 🎮 Last Of Us 🎮 Overlord 🎮 Lost Odyssey 🎮 Shadow Hearts 🎮 Spiderman Miles Morales 🎮 Overwatch 🎮 7 Days To Die + Many More 💛
positive · AI labelView post →This War of Mine is a masterpiece. I made it my game of the year in 2014. That's what makes this so disappointing. It's not some shovelware company.
positive · AI labelView post →Have put a ton of hours into this game. Very much enjoy the various scenarios and survivors. It's a good variety of base management and then scavenging at night. The stress of winter is real. Since the most recent update the game now runs smoothly once again so it is once again safe to purchase!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Good morning after so many June game showcases posts. Started playing This War of Mine and had multiple crashes on NS2 until I discovered it is not compatible with it yet. 🫠 Bought it on Stream sale now. Finished one more game and two anime which I will mention soon. Some silly me pics below! 😆
neutral · AI labelView post →This game is amazing, but be warned: Its also quite depressing. I had to stop play it cause it just made me miserable; still, its a good lesson for people of countries such as mine, that has been spared the suffering of war. If a game makes you this miserable, what´s reality like? I can only imagine. Gonna give it another go now a few years later. Peace out!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Frost Protocol is an atmospheric survival strategy game and a mix of This War of Mine, XCOM, and Starcraft. Manage the needs of your survivors, explore and expand your outpost, and defend against deadly creatures. #indiegame #indiedev #gamedev #ScreenshotSaturday #gaming #game
neutral · AI labelView post →I LOVE THIS GAME / I LOVE 11BIT STUDIOS / YOU NEED TO BUY ALL EXPANSIONS AND PLAY THIS Full Explanation: This War Of Mine is loosely inspired from the siege of Sarajevo, a brutal battle that claimed the lives of thousands with children even being deliberately targeted by sniper fire many times during this conflict. With the siege of Sarajevo as a loose inspiration, This War Of Mine hammers home the reality that, in war, no matter which side is 'right' it's the innocent caught in between the…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I understand why this game gets so much praise. And I also understand why some people bounce off it immediately. This isn’t something you play to relax. It’s something you experience… if you’re willing to sit with it. I don’t “enjoy” this game in the traditional sense. But I respect it. A lot. And I’ll probably go back to it… even if part of me really doesn’t want to.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I've mentioned the demo for this game a couple of times. It's basically like This War of Mine meets zombies set in the 80s I don't often get early access stuff anymore since I prefer to wait for a full release, but this will be an exception. They killed it with the trailer and their own song too
neutral · AI labelView post →If you make a game with solid vibes, a post-apocalyptic setting, base management & community permadeath, all wrapped around a This War of Mine feel, you got my attention. I don't do early access so I'm not checking it out yet, but I'll definitely grab Into the Dead once 1.0 is out.
neutral · AI labelView post →The game's atmosphere and premise are very well-crafted and immersive but the gameplay loop of scavenging and cooking food isn't really that interesting to me. It gets stale quickly and one mistake can pretty much end your run which sucks quite a bit.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Random shoutout time! I know I gushed about this game on the other app but sorry folks, I need to do it here too! This War of Mine won't be for everyone. But its incredible art style, grim war-torn apocalyptic setting, addictive loop and difficult choices make it such a unique, compelling game.
positive · AI labelView post →An absolute emotional blender that forces you to make gut-wrenching survival choices while civilian life crumbles around you. Scavenging for canned food at night while dodging snipers makes every single victory feel depressingly hollow. It’s a brilliant, heavy-hitting masterpiece that I can only bring myself to play when I want to feel thoroughly devastated.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Ths game is outright depressing.. Which is a good thing. Outside of watching (just) for the typical stats like Hunger and health of your survivors you also have their mood.. The game feels very human on every step - You encounter other survivors that need help, supplies or food - refuse to help them and your character will feel guilty, sad and depressed (and so will you) My first play I thought of it as just another survival game - Kill or be killed, eat or get eaten but NO this game…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is not just a game; it's a profound emotional experience. Unlike most war games that focus on soldiers and glory, This War of Mine puts you in the shoes of the forgotten ones—the civilians. It shows the brutal, depressing reality of trying to survive in a besieged city. Every day is a struggle for food, medicine, and warmth, and every night is a terrifying gamble for resources. The atmosphere is so thick and heavy that you can truly feel the desperation and the weight of every choice…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Forget the glory of war. This is about the hunger, the cold, and the impossible choices you have to make just to survive another day. This version adds so much polish to an already perfect game. It’s bleak and it’s stressful,play it if you want an experience that actually stays with you long after you turn off your PC. 9,5/10
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is devastating A$$ F@CK! Amazing story. You can literally feel like you're in a war zone. This tottaly broke my heart and i enjoyed every minute of it. 10/10
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I don't know how many days have passed, I've lost almost all my people, there's no food, we're sleeping poorly, the siege is still going on, we're driven only by fear... fear that we won't be able to survive until the end of the blockade...Now about the game, it's good and emotional
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Honestly, narratively and in terms of immersion, there is a reason this game was an actual part of certain Polish school curriculums. While the game and game devs now are an adamant supporter of Ukraine, the game itself has a very sympathetic view of individuals in a conflict that emulates much more the perspective of Russian speaking denizens of the Donbass rebel controlled areas. Said areas now, annexed by Russia and are fundamental to the thesis of the entire war narrative for the Russian…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →[Game] This one I think I will say I finished it. I did see credits in one playthrough... I am talking about This War of Mine which was another game from the 12 Challenge. Yes, I am still working on that! 😁 It was recommended by @datvivar.bsky.social and it is a very intense game, maybe too real.
neutral · AI labelView post →This War of Mine is an interesting and engaging game that shows the horrors of war from a civilian perspective, something I had never experienced in a game before. Instead of being a soldier, you manage a small group of survivors trying to endure everyday life in a war-torn city. The gameplay focuses heavily on resource management and tough moral decisions. These choices can be genuinely difficult, and losing a member of your group is not only punishing gameplay-wise but also emotionally…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This War of Mine presents the survival strategy genre from an unusual perspective for a war-themed game. You are forced to play as a group of ordinary civilians trying to survive a siege. It’s an intense, emotionally heavy experience that focuses on the human cost of war and suffering. Pros Atmosphere The setting in a war-torn city is realistic and done really well. Just looking at your dark refuge is depressing yet serene and somewhat relaxing, knowing it's the only place where you're…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →An absolute gem worth every penny you'd spend on it. Gameplay-wise, it's great. One of, if not the best base manager I can think of. Tough, but fair early game, where you don't rely on RNG to find the necessary goods, you're just barely surviving by design. Mid-game is lovely, since there's always something requiring you to think hard about what you'll do, as winter is coming, bandits will get bold and start raiding you more often, the fightings between rebels and soldiers will become more…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Don't get me wrong, I really really like the idea to make a war-game in the eyes of civilians, but this game doesn't executes this idea very well. Although it's kind of a hot take to call it “not real” towards a real scenario, as someone who lived in a country during war but not in a warzone, I can at least safely say that if you are in an active warzone, you definitely feel the ongoing war. In this game you not only don't feel it but also after a while you even forget it that a war is going…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Back on #twitch now with a new Science Fiction game from the developers for This War Of Mine! Human drama and survival on an alien world… sounds like a recioe for some Science FRICTION! twitch.tv/rasgueado
neutral · AI labelView post →This War Of Mine. Not the most thematically fun game on the planet, but I pull this one out at least a couple of times a year due to it's excellent solo narrative. Easy to run but punishingly difficult - I've only ever won this once. #boardgames #boardgamesky
positive · AI labelView post →I think I needed this break, a very short game, narrative-focused since This War of Mine was not compatible with NS2 and I had started playing it on Steam, but already made so many bad decisions. 😭 Also, after the Sony physical gaming news, it helped me feel more light and less sad.
neutral · AI labelView post →A war game that doesn't take place on the battlefield, but rather explores the struggles of everyday people
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Earthborne Rangers is an excellent one. Spirit Island - one turn from the land being overrun, a spirit generates enough fear to send the invaders packing - one of the finest experiences of the soul of a board game. This War of Mine and Black Orchestra are two more.
neutral · AI labelView post →In general, this is a good game. Its strengths lie in the atmosphere, music, and art style. The missions are quite solid, and it’s nice that you can optimize them to some extent. My negative opinion is based on a number of small issues. The most important one is the lack of a proper tutorial and the odd way the game teaches you its systems. You end up spending too much time just figuring out what everything does and how it works. You basically have to lose a few times just to understand the…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This War of Mine in #boardgames tonight.
neutral · AI labelView post →Todays #RandomGameSaturday is the XB1 release of This War of Mine which included the Little Ones DLC. A game that is all about just surviving as a civilian in a war zone.
neutral · AI labelView post →As if Frostpunk is not depressing enough.. 😢 This War of Mine is a board game adaptation of the video game inspired by the siege of Sarajevo during the Bosnian war, focusing on the civilian experience of war. ☠️ #boredollie #boardgames #boardgaming #boardgamegeek #thiswarofminetheboardgame
neutral · AI labelView post →For its 10th anniversary the soundtrack to war survival game This War Of Mine is getting released on vinyl by @blackscreenrecords.bsky.social and it is up for preorder now: blipblop.net/black-screen...
neutral · AI labelView post →#BGalphabet R is for... Robinson Crusoe. No surprise here. I do love survival games. And if/when everything falls apart it won't completely rip my heart out like This War of Mine.
neutral · AI labelView post →Gave this game two chances but still, I couldn't enjoy it. There is not much to do outside of repetitive scavenging and preparing food. Sometimes we will build some tools or furniture but variety of it is so small and resources so scarce that I end up waiting days to collect some of it to build anything. Also, not many events happening during playthrough makes overall experience really boring.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →a game about the famine that treats the sensitive subject with the care it deserves is possible, like the board game version of This War of Mine we discussed in another thread as an example of a careful approach to the topic of genocide, but it's not the one using fake "oirish" accents in ads
neutral · AI labelView post →
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