Launched in 2014, This War of Mine is an independent game that drew attention to its combination of themes and mechanics. In the midst of a war that devastated the civilian population of one place, you had to control survivors and ensure that they would have enough resources and food to survive a family environment that became quite hostile.
History, which did not necessarily follow a definite path, was full of hard choices. Do you prefer to act selfishly and steal old people's medicines to survive or prefer to look for what you need elsewhere? Are you going to get away from conflict or can you cope with murder in your record? Is it better to have a large group or live alone in a conflict? Those were just some of the questions the game was asking you to face.
Three years later, the developer 11 bit studios is back in the game in the form of This War of Mine: Stories, DLC that brings together three previously unseen stories in their universe. The first of them, Father's Promise, has been available since November 14 and has a short but very remarkable story.
Emotional appeal
Father`s Promise tells the story of Adam, a father who tries to protect his daughter from the horrors of war. Not only is the child sick, but the loss of his mother has caused her to stop talking in the last few days - her mission is to ensure their survival in the midst of a destroyed city besieged by military forces who have no problem in torturing and impose restrictions on the civilian population.
Featuring a more targeted storyline than the original game, the first part of the DLC makes some mechanics and items not as important as before. You will still have to explore environments in search of resources and create some survival mechanisms, but you no longer have to worry so much about improving or repairing certain structures.
However, you still need to cook and rest so that your character does not go crazy or die. The weaker Adam is, the more difficult it is to take actions such as wrecking the path and dealing with aggressive NPCs - or fleeing areas that present threats that can not be dealt with at the moment.
Difficult choices
More than the mechanical part, what drew attention in Father's Promise was the story: the way things happen makes you really feel the protagonist's despair and the pain of going through those situations. I often found myself making hard decisions not because the game forced me to do so, but because I saw them as the only way to reach my goal.
This War of Mine
As much as the characters, the scenarios of the game are essential to tell the story. Abandoned schools and hospitals are inhospitable environments that, even when abandoned, are menacing enough to make you worry about every step you take. Especially when you're sure there's a close foe, it's easy to get caught wondering if it would not be best to just get out of there instead of making progress.
By prioritizing the health of Adam's daughter, it is easy to act more selfishly and take more violent action. Needing food to figure out important information, I did not think twice about killing a more aggressive NPC who protected his items from strangers - something I probably would not do if I just had to worry about my survival.
By prioritizing the health of Adam's daughter, it is easy to act more selfishly and take more violent action.
Without going into spoilers, the weight of my decisions really did show up at the end of the story and get a general picture of everything that's going on. It's not unusual for a game to leave me thinking so much about its story hours after I left it aside, but Father's Promise did so even offering an experience of approximately three hours.
This War
The DLC experience is made to be played only once, having as its main force the revelation of its end. However, this - unlike the buggy I encountered - is no defect: sold for less than $ 5, additional content is an excellent reason to re-install This War of Mine on your computer.
9.5 / 10
"Father's Promise is a sentimental and engaging addition to the universe of This War of Mine"
STRENGTHS
A sentimental and engaging story
Very good atmosphere
Survival mechanics that require difficult choices
NEGATIVE POINTS
Somewhat steady bugs
The combat systems are somewhat clumsy
