Summary

  • Fans of This War Of Mine enjoy the survival aspect, dreary tone, and impactful decisions in-game characters face.
  • It's impossible to find an exact replica of This War Of Mine due to its unique mechanics, art style, and tone.
  • Players seeking similar experiences can explore games like Sunless Skies, Telltale's The Walking Dead, and Don't Starve.

Fans of This War Of Mine enjoy it for a variety of reasons. Some like the survival and resource gathering, others like the dreary tone, and some like that their actions have more weight and impact on the in-game characters that seem incredibly real.

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Finding a game exactly like This War Of Mine is impossible as there are so many moving parts that make this dark and disturbing game a masterpiece. If players are looking to fill the void through game mechanics, art style, or tone then the following titles could fit the bill.

Updated February 20, 2024 by Ritwik Mitra: The harrowing gameplay of This War of Mine makes for an experience that is both uncomfortable and riveting at the same time. Players must make it a point to try and help their group of survivors live at all costs in the middle of a tumultuous war.

Losing a survivor feels like a slap in the face, and players must make some really tough decisions to ensure that they survive, even if it comes at the cost of others. Players who want to play other tense games with tough decisions and unforgiving gameplay loops will love the sheer wealth of games that scratch this itch.

1 Sunless Skies

Exploration, Combat, And Storytelling Go Hand-In-Hand In A Wonderful Title Where Players Make Many Tough Decisions

sunless skies big ben
sunless skies
  • Platform(s): Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PC, Xbox One
  • Developer(s): Failbetter Games
  • Release Date: January 31, 2019

The sequel to Sunless Sea expands on everything from the first game to make things better, bolder, and more engaging than ever before. The game starts on a rather restrained note before showing its true hand after players spend a few hours in this magical experience.

Exploring colonies, making tough decisions, and forming bonds are a huge part of what makes Sunless Skies tick. It's a step in the right direction for Failbetter Games, who have made a truly riveting title that fans can't get enough of.

2 Telltale's The Walking Dead

An Emotional Tale About Survivors Trying To Make It During A Zombie Apocalypse

lee everett in telltale's the walking dead
The Walking Dead The Game
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Released
April 24, 2012
Developer(s)
Telltale Games
Platform(s)
Android, iOS, PC, PS3, PS4, Vita, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox 360
Genre(s)
Adventure, Horror

The desperation of most people to survive at all costs can be seen in Telltale's breakout game that focuses on The Walking Dead IP. The journey of Lee and Clementine makes for a great time and gets players invested in this bond, which is what makes the conclusion to this title so heartwrenching.

Most people would argue that Telltale hasn't reached the heights set by this game since, which is understandable. The emotions and raw character moments in Telltale's The Walking Dead make it clear that people will do everything possible to survive, no matter how unethical it may be.

3 Fallout Shelter

Manage A Vault And Keep Its Residents Happy In The Aftermath Of A Nuclear Apocalypse

Best Mobile Simulation Games Fallout Shelter people inside the vault
Fallout Shelter
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Simulation
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Released
June 14, 2015
Developer(s)
Bethesda Game Studios, Behaviour Interactive
Platform(s)
Android, iOS, PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One
Genre(s)
Simulation

The Vaults in the Fallout games all had unique stories of their own, some of which seemed like success stories while others featured nightmarish experiments as dwellers were treated like live test subjects in the worst way imaginable. So, the very idea of controlling one's very own vault and simulating the lives of residents in such an environment made for a tantalizing prospect that many players would easily gobble up from the get-go.

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1

The free-to-play nature of this game means that players have to bear some intrusive microtransactions, but that's a minor complaint in an otherwise fun experience. The depth of the gameplay mechanics may be another cause for complaint, but, for what it's worth, it's par on the course with most Bethesda games and can be overlooked as well.

4 Don't Starve

A Gothic Art Style And Tough Survival Gameplay Makes It A Perfect Fit For Fans Of This War Of Mine

Wolfgang Don't Starve
Don't Starve
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Survival
Management
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Released
April 23, 2013
Developer(s)
Klei Entertainment
Genre(s)
Survival, Management

One of the early indie survival games that wowed players with its unique art style and gritty gameplay, the atmosphere of Don't Starve is easily its biggest selling point. The gothic undertones and the sinister vibe of this game become quite apparent at night, with players needing the cover of light and shelter to try and weather the assault of the horrors that plague them when the sun goes down.

Don't Starve can be pretty challenging at times, but players who learn how the game works will be acing the experience after a point. Surviving night after night is a grueling but welcoming affair as players slowly grasp and master the mechanics of this legendary indie game.

5 Disco Elysium

A Story-Driven Detective Game With Impeccable Writing And Many Emotional Moments

abandoned lot in Disco Elysium
Disco Elysium
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Released
October 15, 2019
Developer(s)
ZA/UM
Genre(s)
RPG

Players who are looking for a more "choice-driven narrative" should check out Disco Elysium. This Indie darling from developer ZA/UM gives players a crime-ridden playground filled to the brim with difficult choices and burning questions. Although the gameplay loop is entertaining on its own, the real beauty of Disco Elysium lies in its overarching story. There is a lot to see and do, with many storylines and plots to uncover.

Thanks to the unique skill system present in Disco Elysium, players are free to see and experience things in a multitude of ways, making it feel like a truly rewarding role-playing experience.

6 Sunless Sea

Explore The Unterzee And Uncover The Horrors That Await In Its Haunting Isolation

Sunless Sea birds-eye-view of a small ship with an underwater view beneath
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Sunless Sea
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Released
February 6, 2015
Developer
Failbetter Games
Genre(s)
RPG, Adventure, Indie Games, Shooter

One of the things that makes This War of Mine so enthralling is its dark, foreboding, and isolating tone. Players craving more "alone against the world" style games can turn to Sunless Sea, which does a fantastic job of making the player feel as if they are completely on their own in a hopeless situation. Brave gamers will need to explore the terrifying water-logged surroundings and attempt to find resources to survive.

realistic survival game
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With roguelike elements and a creepy, miserable landscape, Sunless Sea is very entertaining and unnerving to play through.

7 The Long Dark

A Survival Game Documenting The Journey Of An Airplane Crash Survivor In The Frozen Wilderness

The-Long-Dark-man-overlooking-frozen-wasteland-with-wolves-howling
The-Long-Dark-man-overlooking-frozen-wasteland-with-wolves-howling
The Long Dark
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Survival Horror
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Released
August 1, 2017
Developer(s)
Hinterland Studio
Genre(s)
Survival Horror

Survival is the name of the game in This War of Mine. Players will need to do anything and everything they can to keep themselves safe amidst their ravaged surroundings. The idea of surviving all odds can be pretty enthralling and there are a variety of games in the same genre that do a fantastic job of making the player feel as if they're barely clinging to life as they attempt to survive monsters, the elements, and other dangers.

The Long Dark is a great narrative that follows a plane crash survivor as they attempt to navigate a frozen Canadian wilderness. It's isolating, nerve-wracking, and sometimes even frightening.

8 Displaced

A Premise And Gameplay Loop Quite Similar To This War Of Mine, With Many Tough Decisions To Be Made

Displaced
Displaced
  • Platform(s): PC
  • Developer(s): Gamexy
  • Release Date: July 26, 2017

Displaced’s premise has a lot in common with This War Of Mine. The player is tasked with keeping a group of survivors alive as they escape a country that’s been suffering through war. From the very beginning, players are saddled with tough choices as they can only choose five people to help escape the chaos.

From there on out, players must decide where to go, what to hunt, and whether to engage or ignore various scenarios that play out. Will they choose to rescue an unconscious person in a house fire or loot the building and let it burn? There are many hard decisions to make to ensure the team’s survival.

9 State Of Decay 2

Documents The Struggles To Survive In A Zombie Apocalypse

Survivor aiming a rifle at a large zombie
State of Decay 2
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Survival Horror
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Released
May 22, 2018
Developer(s)
Undead Labs
Platform(s)
Xbox One, PC
Genre(s)
Action, Survival Horror

State Of Decay 2 sees a bunch of people struggling to survive the zombie apocalypse. Building a base, gathering supplies, and taking out hordes of zombies is just the beginning. Other survivor groups can help or hinder a player's efforts to keep the colony alive.

State of Decay 2 Juggernaut
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While the State of Decay games aren't as narratively rich as This War Of Mine, the open sandbox can be a welcome change of pace. The player can also incorporate new survivors into their group and slowly work towards taming the hostile undead world.

10 Fear Equation

Help Passengers On A Train Survive Their Nightmares

Fear Equation Phantom Soldier
Fear Equation Phantom Soldier
  • Platform(s): PC
  • Developer(s): Screwfly Studios
  • Release Date: January 15, 2016

Fear Equation is about an engineer trying to keep passengers on a special train alive while their nightmares literally try to kill everyone aboard. The player must understand the passenger’s deepest fears, prepare defenses, and try to fight the darkness.

To make things more complicated, the passengers will form factions and find their own ways to stay alive. Some are helpful, others are not. The result is a tricky strategy game as players fight nightmares, political power grabs, and dangerous beliefs.