It Takes a War

About

It Takes a War is a single player tactical shooter game. It was developed by Thomas Mackinnon and was released on November 6, 2025. It received very positive reviews from players.

From the creator of THE CORRIDOR comes It Takes a War - a team-based shooter with VISCERAL gunplay and RELENTLESS action. Throw yourself into RELENTLESSLY VISCERAL combat where survival is entirely dependent on communication. There is no 'i' in 'team', but there is in VICTORY! A devastatingly real depiction of the battlefield. You won't believe your eyes (or ears)! Define your plays…

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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93%

Audience ScoreBased on 471 reviews

story34 positive mentions

optimization3 negative mentions

Unique and innovative storytelling using a Counter-Strike style multiplayer shooter as a framing device to explore complex themes of friendship, social dynamics, and online relationships.
Strong emotional impact with moments that resonate deeply, evoking reflection on personal experiences with friendship and loneliness; praised for its sincerity and relatable narrative.
Creative use of meta and fourth-wall-breaking techniques, including integration of Steam friends list and real-world hardware elements, enhancing immersion and delivering unexpected surprises.

Gameplay is intentionally clunky and underdeveloped, with poor gunplay and AI behavior that can feel tedious or frustrating; shooting mechanics and weapon balance receive criticism.
Short length (about 40-60 minutes of playtime) leaves some players feeling the narrative and ideas could have been developed more thoroughly, resulting in a rushed or uneven pacing.
Technical issues reported including crashes, performance drops, UI problems, and inconsistent audio timing; some narrative elements and voice acting considered cheesy or unpolished, reducing immersion.

story
122 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
67%
5%
The story is a short, emotionally impactful, and uniquely told narrative that resonates with many players through its relatable themes of friendship, social anxiety, and human connection, often using the game's clunky shooter mechanics as a deliberate storytelling device. While some find it profound and innovative, others note its minimalist execution, occasional tonal inconsistencies, and a rushed or unclear ending, but overall, it is praised for its sincerity and ability to provoke reflection despite its brevity and simplicity.
- “It's a $5 game that tells a short, emotional story that might make you think, might make you cry, might make you evaluate your own relationships.”
- “The game has a really poignant story that spoke to me in a way few other games have.”
- “An intimate, introspective and deeply personal short story of a game ripped from a specific era that rings wonderfully true.”
- “At the end of the day it felt like the story was more interested in being about the concepts it presents "on paper" rather than actually developing its characters into believable people and immersing you properly into the situation.”
- “Firstly the story is kind of a mess, the characters are shown to have tensions in their friendship, and then strange elements occurs in game which makes them go into an argument?”
- “Voicelines are more goofy than anything, I can't understand how they got convinced when hearing the final product. Moreover, they took the "educational" route, trying to give you a message at the end, but this just makes it cringe with that storytelling quality.”
gameplay
43 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
54%
16%
The gameplay receives mixed feedback, with many noting its intentionally rough, simplistic, or even bad design as a deliberate choice to emphasize storytelling and thematic elements rather than traditional mechanics. While some appreciate unique twists and a solid foundation for the narrative, others find it frustrating, unpolished, or lacking depth, especially compared to genre standards. Overall, the gameplay is seen more as a narrative vehicle than a satisfying standalone experience.
- “The gameplay loop revolves around anticipating enemy actions, fortifying positions, and timing maneuvers carefully.”
- “The experience is driven primarily by systems and mechanics rather than character arcs or dramatic cutscenes.”
- “One of the most interesting uses of interactive gameplay to tell a story I've seen in a while, kudos to the dev!”
- “To play about 30 rounds of scripted CS 'gameplay' is way too much.”
- “Gameplay is basically a walking simulator with bad gunplay.”
- “Could have been interesting, but the whole design/package/gameplay is just meh.”
emotional
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game delivers a short yet powerful emotional experience that resonates deeply, especially with themes of fleeting human connections and online friendships. Players describe it as touching, relatable, and sometimes heartbreaking, evoking strong feelings ranging from nostalgia and guilt to genuine sadness. While not always uplifting, its heartfelt storytelling and unique approach leave a lasting impact.
- “It's a $5 game that tells a short, emotional story that might make you think, might make you cry, might make you evaluate your own relationships.”
- “Short, sweet, funny, nostalgic, and heartbreaking in many ways.”
- “My point is this story was very touching, and hit home in a lot of ways.”
graphics
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
42%
25%
The graphics feature a retro, minimalist aesthetic that emphasizes readability over spectacle, which some players appreciate for its nostalgic charm and clear visuals. However, others find the visuals dated and reminiscent of early 2010s mobile games, with occasional inconsistencies in art style that detract from the experience. Overall, while not cutting-edge, the graphics support the gameplay adequately and suit fans of retro-inspired design.
- “I love the retro aesthetic and great gameplay!”
- “Visually, it takes a war adopts a minimalist aesthetic that prioritizes readability over spectacle.”
- “Great game with amazing graphics and realistic gameplay!”
- “Most of these could be quickly remade in Blender in about 20 minutes, and they would match the intended artstyle far more.”
- “Graphics look like some early 2010s ripoff mobile games, the ones that were under 100MB to run on crappy phones.”
- “Still, that message is a little belated and comes across just as dated as the graphics it's portrayed in.”
humor
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
91%
9%
The humor in the game is a mix of nostalgic, heartfelt, and occasionally cheesy moments that balance genuine emotional impact with playful satire. While some tropes feel overused, the game effectively blends funny, surprising, and absurd scenes that both entertain and deepen the story. Overall, the humor resonates well, especially for those who appreciate the developer's unique comedic style.
- “Short, sweet, funny, nostalgic, and heartbreaking in many ways.”
- “Gameplay is hilariously bad, as it's meant to be, really driving your attention towards the overarching story.”
- “There is an important message that really is what this game is all about, but within that, there are a lot of funny moments, and I quite appreciated Thomas's approach to this game a lot.”
- “Poor quality game, it's not funny and very short on content.”
optimization
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
37%
38%
The game suffers from notable optimization issues, with significant FPS drops and performance inconsistencies, especially in demanding scenes. Controls and gameplay feel awkward and detract from the experience, highlighting a lack of polish despite the game's passion and genuine effort.
- “The fact my PC wasn't maximally optimized for this game, especially in the penultimate scene, really made me wish I played it under more ideal conditions.”
- “Bit unoptimized though.”
- “The game's optimization is lacking, with my FPS dropping from around 160 to just 20 in certain situations.”
- “Framerate suffered at times; I imagine certain scenes are just a little unoptimized.”
- “The fact my PC wasn't maximally optimized for this game, especially in the penultimate scene, really made me wish I played it under better conditions.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music evokes mixed feelings, with some segments featuring overly dramatic tunes that can feel cheesy, while the credits song is widely praised as a standout and memorable highlight. Overall, the soundtrack contributes significantly to the game's emotional impact and atmosphere.
- “Credit song is worth it alone.”
- “Plus, the ending song is a banger.”
- “Great voice cast and a cracking credits song from a band I wasn't familiar with before but will definitely look into.”
- “All throughout, you're forced to listen to a terrible song (likely the dev or his friend's band) that drones on and on.”
- “I kinda felt something during the maze segment where the characters are having the big argument, but the overwrought sad music behind it made the scene feel cheesy.”
- “The ending song is catchy, but the music overall does not enhance the experience.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
The game offers a short, linear experience with low replay value, primarily appealing to those interested in its story and art rather than repeated playthroughs. While some players may find hidden easter eggs worth revisiting, overall it lacks depth for extended replayability.
- “This game's replay value is incredibly low because it tells one cohesive and linear story throughout around an hour of playtime, which concerns me not because I think the game is too short, but because by nature of Steam's refund policy, any game that you have under 2 hours of playtime of can be refunded, no questions asked.”
- “I don't mean to be harsh but even thirty flights of loving has more replay value than this.”
- “It's a relatively short game without much replay value, unless you're like me and don't pay attention on your first or fourth playthrough and miss some of the easter eggs that spark achievements.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game exhibits occasional stability issues, such as glitches that tie into the storyline and initial map texture loading problems. However, these bugs are generally minor and can be resolved with a quick restart, allowing gameplay to continue smoothly.
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Grinding is widely seen as monotonous and repetitive, leading to a tedious gameplay experience.
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users appreciate that the game focuses on dedication rather than relying heavily on microtransactions or aggressive monetization, valuing a more genuine gaming experience over big-money strategies.
- “This, at least for me, is the dedication keeping the gaming medium running at its heart, not all the big money made with microtransactions and the like.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere authentically captures the vibe of a nearly abandoned FPS community, highlighting the lingering banter and the dedicated few players maintaining the game's life.
- “It nails the feel of an old, nearly abandoned FPS community — the banter, the atmosphere, the handful of players keeping the game alive.”