Many of the best wartime strategy games on PC are about bombast and conquest, or defying greater odds to claim noble victory. This War of Mine is not. Inspired by conflicts such as the siege of Sarajevo during the Bosnian War in the '90s, you control a small group of civilians doing their best to stay alive under extreme circumstances. If you've never experienced its punishing brand of survival, you can now try it as a free game on Steam through this weekend, with the ability to buy it at a huge discount if you like it.
In strategy game, but an incredibly compelling one in its relentless portrayal of life inside a warzone.
Going outside during the daytime means almost certain death, so that's when you'll look after your survivors, trade with nearby neighbours, or craft more gear to help you keep going. At night, you can send someone out to scavenge for goods – but you'll have to face your own conscience as decisions of impossible weight arise.
Do you steal from another family to feed your own? Should you try to bring in a lost soul and keep them alive, knowing how limited your resources are but with the potential to gain another pair of hands? In the throes of desperation, would you rob from those who are just trying to get by the way you are – or even kill them to help your own chances of survival?
Remastered for its fifth anniversary with a big free update including new characters to meet and interact with, additional locations to explore including those from its story DLCs (even if you don't own them), and another potential outcome to your tale, you can play This War of Mine as a Steam sale, meaning you can get a copy to keep without breaking the bank.
This War of Mine is available to play as a free game on Steam through Monday January 29. If you decide you want to play past that, it's also on sale for 85% off until Thursday January 1, meaning you'll pay just $2.99/£2.51 for the base game or $3.93/£3.33 with its collection of four extra DLC story scenarios, each focusing on a different perspective on war.
Alternatively, we've rounded up the best war games on PC.
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