An important factor in providing a brutal experience is for game developers to inject a sense of realism into their games. Realism can be polarising of course, just look at the proliferation of unpopular eating mechanics in games. However, what the games on this rundown prove is that well implemented well, realistic decisions – no matter the wider context of the game at hand – can be punishing. And punishment isn’t just in death, but in the consequences survival has on mental wellbeing.
This War of Mine
A game to endure rather than enjoy, This War of Mine paints a harrowing picture of survival inside a war-ravaged city. Overseeing a small band of survivors you’ll take sanctuary from the chaos outside during daytime, cooking, crafting tools, healing, and upgrading your hideout. Under the cloak of night time darkness your survivors must venture out in search of materials, resources, and medicine, encountering NPCs both friendly and hostile. Whether you choose to trade, rob, or kill those you meet depends on the desperation within your group; all morals go out the window when you’re besieged, fighting for survival. This War of Mine tells an intimate tale laced with guilt and shame, with the mental wellbeing of your survivors just as important as the food in their bellies and roof over their head.