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In war not everyone's a soldier

This War of Mine, a highly addictive survival game that challenges you to manage a group of civilians doing their best to live another day in the middle of a war-ruined city, is available for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux on GOG.com, for $19.99*.

They say that war never changes, I'm not so sure about that. One thing's certain, though - looking at the depiction of war in modern gaming it's safe to say that war games hardly change. Most of them presenting conflicts in a binary world, where it's easy to immediately tell the bad guys from the good guys, the oppressors from the freedom fighters, heroes from villains. Some titles try to present moral ambivalence, some do a pretty good job of it. But all the war games you'll come across have one thing in common. They're all stories of military struggle - be it on large scale or personal level. Stories of soldiers. Well, in war not everyone's a soldier.

This War of Mine lets the player experience the horror of war from a very different perspective. One that of a civilians, struggling day by day and night by night to find food, find shelter, keep themselves warm, keep themselves safe, keep themselves… sane. Survive. In any other game this last word would be soon followed by the cliché "at all cost". This game, however, is different. It dares to raise the question: what cost is too great to pay for your own survival? How much of your morality and humanity are you willing to gamble with in this game of russian roulette with just an off chance of a bullet missing from the gun's chamber. While the gameplay alone is nothing but addictive and fun, putting you in charge of a group of survivors trying to get by in a city ruined in a fictional - yet disturbingly realistic conflict, the tone of the game and the emotional mechanics affecting the characters leave no place for doubt: the experience of war leaves everyone involved scarred. The game, on the other hand, leaves you with a desire to play just one more round, get through another day, and another. And another.

Combining a captivating gameplay full of scavenging, exploration, micromanagement, and tough choices to make at every step, serious tone, and suggestive art style, This War of Mine is a thrilling work of modern gaming that manages deliver great fun back to back with a meaningful experience. Grab it now, for $19.99* on GOG.com.

Want to see the game in action? Here's a recorded stream: [url=http://www.twitch.tv/gogcom/c/5654387]This War of Mine with Quill18, and another one This War of Mine with Unit Lost!


*$19.99 is the price for this title in the US. Other prices will apply in different countries. If you end up paying more than than the US price, we will reimburse the difference from our own pocket, giving it back to you in store credit (this is what we call the "Fair Price Package").
Post edited December 10, 2014 by G-Doc
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zlep: I totally understand people finding the subject matter too confronting, or thinking playing a wartime civilian would be the opposite of fun. Different people are affected by different things. I myself find it uncomfortable to shoot down the dogs in Wolfenstein (I don't think they made a willful choice to commit to Nazi ideology ^_^), and while I love Street Fighter, the fatality moves in Mortal Kombat have always creeped me out.

But it does make me think... for all our squeamishness about "disturbing" subjects, we totally take for granted that it's great fun to commit mass murder in the guise of a soldier, assassin, gangster or random-civilian-who-unexpectedly-gained-superpowers. Why? Is it because killing hundreds of people is so commonplace in gaming that we just see it as a genre convention? Or is it because killing everyone you see plays into a power fantasy, while viewing killing as something with a moral cost attached doesn't make it feel powerful at all?
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MrProsser: I have to admit, i really do not get why people find the subject matter too confronting, for the very reasons you discuss in your second paragraph. I find it very strange that this game makes people squeamish when so many other games put you in the role of people doing terrible things.

I am glad this kind of game is being made, I like the idea of gaming taking on more challenging topics, and not just plopping us down as a hero, or anti-hero, role. I find enjoyment in exploring difficult ideas and situations. Maybe that is weird.
I don't think it's weird and I feel the same way about it.
Slapping this on my wish list after reading some of the reviews...
Looks very interesting, specially after seeing the twitch stream. I find some concept similarities betwen this and the upcoming dead state (despite several things that distinguish them). Will be a fine adition to my library in the near future (current sale is killing me).
the promo for this game is so intriguing and heart felt, I admit it has me hooked. I have put it on my wish list and look forward to taking care of my group of survivors
Hmmm leaving aside the regional pricing....

The game looks interesting, but after reading reviews I'm not convinced it's actually fun(or meant to be for that part),
I think I'll pass.
This war of mine is the war against unfairness, and this game is on the wrong side! XP
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Zoidberg: This war of mine is the war against unfairness, and this game is on the wrong side! XP
Do the math. Games with fair pricing packages end up cheaper, assuming they are not the only games you buy. Buying The Witcher Trilogy in € ends up cheaper than doing so in $.

But why worry about facts when you can complain?
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Zoidberg: This war of mine is the war against unfairness, and this game is on the wrong side! XP
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JMich: Do the math. Games with fair pricing packages end up cheaper, assuming they are not the only games you buy. Buying The Witcher Trilogy in € ends up cheaper than doing so in $.

But why worry about facts when you can complain?
1 = 1 yes indeed. But not when we're talking currencies.

Worry about whatever, I do not seem to care the least bit about that kind of pseudo argument.
Delicious Brie!!!
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Zoidberg: 1 = 1 yes indeed. But not when we're talking currencies.

Worry about whatever, I do not seem to care the least bit about that kind of pseudo argument.
$1 is not €1. But total cost for the 3 Witchers in $ is $19.99 + $9.99 + $53.99 = $83.97 while the total cost in € is €15.89 + €7.99 + €49.79 - €6.90 = €67.77 = $83.80. So the € customer ends up paying $0.17 less than the $ one, with an exchange rate of €1=$1.26. But no, regionally priced games are more expensive for € customers.

Prices do not count any discounts other than the 10% off for preordering TW3.
I hate to be the one saying this, but GOG should really try to push a little harder on the bonus content front. Since this game is regionally priced here as well, there is literally nothing that would persuade me to get it here, rather than another store that also offers a DRM-free installer (and a load of bonus content on top of that).

Just saying...
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fronzelneekburm: I hate to be the one saying this, but GOG should really try to push a little harder on the bonus content front. Since this game is regionally priced here as well, there is literally nothing that would persuade me to get it here, rather than another store that also offers a DRM-free installer (and a load of bonus content on top of that).

Just saying...
Ironically, it's a humble version. :P
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fronzelneekburm: I hate to be the one saying this, but GOG should really try to push a little harder on the bonus content front. Since this game is regionally priced here as well, there is literally nothing that would persuade me to get it here, rather than another store that also offers a DRM-free installer (and a load of bonus content on top of that).

Just saying...
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Grargar: Ironically, it's a humble version. :P
Well, didn't want to say it right out, but yeah...

And it's not just this game: Why is it that there's more soundtracks included in HB releases of new games than in GOG releases? Take games like Gone Home, Luftrausers, Tesla Effect, Always Sometimes Monsters. The latter two you can theoretically get for a cent at the bargain bin at the moment and they have the soundtracks included. I don't really get why they wouldn't include it here as well.
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fronzelneekburm: Well, didn't want to say it right out, but yeah...

And it's not just this game: Why is it that there's more soundtracks included in HB releases of new games than in GOG releases? Take games like Gone Home, Luftrausers, Tesla Effect, Always Sometimes Monsters. The latter two you can theoretically get for a cent at the bargain bin at the moment and they have the soundtracks included. I don't really get why they wouldn't include it here as well.
It's the bundle case. As far as I know, those games don't come with a soundtrack if you buy them directly from the store.
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Grargar: It's the bundle case. As far as I know, those games don't come with a soundtrack if you buy them directly from the store.
Again, that's something I'm completely unable to wrap my head around. Same with the Steam keys they give out: If you buy it in a Bundle, you're free to give them away. Buy the game in the store and that Steam key will stick to you like a pile of dogshit you just stepped on. I don't get it, why treat cheapskates like premium customers?

Oh well, I guess that's Frisco for you...