A few days ago, I mentioned that everyone should probably play Neverending Nightmares because it does show realistic mental anguish in the midst of a creepy setting. This is the same for This War of Mine by 11-bit Studios. Why? Because even though it is a war game, it does not glorify war at all.

I’m not really certain what the war is in This War of Mine, but this isn’t the point of the game. Most games that take place in a war are first-person shooters, and you are rewarded for kills. In This War of Mine, you are rewarded for surviving. The premise of the game is that people live in this war-torn house, and they have to use the refuse around them.

Like Neverending Nightmares, there is a monochromatic feel to the game. Instead of line drawings, the main characters look like a product of motion capture. The player starts with three of them, and it is up to them to scrounge the house seeking materials like medicines and tools to make food and other survival essentials. Not only can you make medicines and tools, but alcohol and cigarettes. Yes, this is an odd and gritty yet somehow realistic war game.

I first saw This War of Mine at PAXPrime last summer, and I was surprised that I had never seen a game like it. I have seen errand-running type mini-games before, but this one, the errands are the main conflict, and it has opened my eyes to the reality of war. Sadly, this is what either side does to itself and its enemy when any conflagration occurs. I suppose that we are now seeing video games as not-so-preachy social commentary, and I’m not certain what to think about that. You can play the game on Steam right now if you like, and click here for more information.