This War of Mine: The Little Ones

This War of Mine: The Little Ones for PC, PS4 and XONE is an extended version of the unique, award-winning survival game, This War of Mine, which was initially released in 2014. It was developed by 11 bit studios, a Polish development studio that created the well-received Anomaly series, among other titles. The production was published by Deep Silver.

Gameplay

Instead of focusing on soldiers and other parties that actively participate in combat, the developers allow us to control a group of civilians, surprised by the outbreak of war, trying to survive in a besieged city at all costs. More often than not, they will be forced to make morally questionable decisions. In the game, we will have to deal with things like hunger, lack of medications, or the threat of sniper fire.

The cycle of day and night plays an important role in the game. Coming out of shelter during the day means certain death, therefore before the sun goes down, we focus on activities that involve repairing and improving our temporary home. We may manufacture weapons, tools, furniture, or distill alcohol with the items we gather. It is also vital to take care of our group’s mental and physical condition. Under the cover of night, we leave our shelter and roam the streets in search of things that can be useful in our everyday existence.

The developers did their best to make sure the players feel the atmosphere of constant uncertainty and fight for survival. More than once, we have to sacrifice a civilian for the good the whole group, and the consequences of our deeds are reflected in their physical and mental condition. The biggest novelty of This War of Mine: The Little Ones is the introduction of playable children, who play an incredibly important role in the on-screen events. Initially, the youngest survivors will stay in the shelter and, for example, produce toys or decorate environments. With time, they will learn many useful skills from their adult guardians, proving themselves to be invaluable during missions later on.

Technology

Thanks to the procedurally generated levels and characters, the game offers a large variety of challenges and unique locations in which we operate. Despite the fact that This War of Mine: The Little Ones for PC, PS4 and XONE is made in full 3D, the action is observed from side (just like in classic 2D platformer titles). The interactions with the environment are carried out via various icons that allow us to perform different activities. The atmosphere of war is emphasized by the dark, grim style of the game’s graphics based on strong contrasts.

Last updated on 16 May 2023