(mini-review)

A beautifully sombre and gripping piece of independent art that forces the player to make harsh choices in a war-ravaged, unrepentant landscape. Lovingly designed and well-executed, the game is nonetheless extremely difficult both in morality and gameplay, forcing players to choose between eating, keeping warm and remaining safe. Created by 11 Bit, famed for their award-winning iOS titles like Anomaly and Anomaly 2, This War of Mine reminds us that gaming can not only be a sophisticated and cerebral affair but a profoundly mature and saddening experience. My only complaints are the brutal difficulty, the lack of replayability and comparatively high price.

In fact, I'd probably have purchased this game on iOS for its lower mobile price had the release dates coincided.

Recommended.

8/10.

(mini-review) A beautifully sombre and gripping piece of independent art that forces the player to make harsh choices in a war-ravaged, unrepentant landscape. Lovingly designed and well-executed, the game is nonetheless extremely difficult both in morality and gameplay, forcing players to choose between eating, keeping warm and remaining safe. Created by 11 Bit, famed for their award-winning iOS titles like Anomaly and Anomaly 2, This War of Mine reminds us that gaming can not only be a sophisticated and cerebral affair but a profoundly mature and saddening experience. My only complaints are the brutal difficulty, the lack of replayability and comparatively high price. In fact, I'd probably have purchased this game on iOS for its lower mobile price had the release dates coincided. Recommended. 8/10.