Original War

74%
Game Brain Score Based on 514 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Original War Game Cover
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An American geological expedition, under a UN mandate, assesses the natural resources in a distant part of Siberia, deep in the trackless steppes of Eastern Russia. But instead of oil, they discover a deposit of a hitherto unknown mineral. American scientists working for Department of Defense find out that this mineral is in fact identical to the substance used to power an extraterrestrial artifa…

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

74%
Audience ScoreBased on 514 reviews
story133 positive mentions
grinding3 negative mentions
  • Unique gameplay mechanics that combine RTS and RPG elements, making every unit valuable and irreplaceable.
  • Engaging story with branching paths and character development that impacts gameplay.
  • Still being updated and supported by a dedicated community, enhancing the experience with mods and patches.
  • Outdated graphics and voice acting that may not appeal to modern gamers.
  • Unbalanced difficulty levels that can lead to frustration, especially for new players.
  • Lack of skirmish mode against AI, limiting gameplay options for single-player experiences.
  • story375 mentions

    The game's story is a unique blend of time travel and resource conflict, revolving around the struggle for a powerful mineral called siberite, with players navigating two campaigns from the perspectives of American and Russian factions. Character development is significant, as each unit has unique traits and experiences that carry over between missions, leading to emotional investment in their survival due to permanent character death. While the narrative is engaging and features branching paths influenced by player choices, some critiques highlight its occasional clichés and uneven pacing.

    • “The story is gripping and immersive - however, this game is originally Czech (it was even originally voiced in Czech), and comparing the Czech and English versions, the English version sometimes has a sub-par translation and mediocre dub.”
    • “The story is amazing, and it is also pretty damn hard for casual players.”
    • “The story follows an armed conflict between the world's superpowers, which fight over a control of a newly-discovered natural resource called siberite, with the twist that they sent their soldiers to fight two million years into the past by using an alien-constructed time machine, which uses that same substance they fight for as a fuel.”
    • “I don't know how anyone can recommend this game; the story is plain stupid, missions are completely linear, and there's no strategy at all.”
    • “The story is ridiculous, like a Syfy channel low-budget movie, but if you can just accept the premise and get into it, it's actually pretty funny and not bad inside its own logic and narrative.”
    • “The mission design is terrible; I really can't sugarcoat it.”
  • gameplay145 mentions

    The gameplay is widely praised for its unique mechanics and engaging, strategic depth, blending RTS and RPG elements effectively. Players appreciate the modular vehicle construction, character specialization, and the impact of permanent character death, which adds a layer of tension and decision-making. However, some critiques highlight issues with pacing, micromanagement, and outdated mechanics that can detract from the overall experience.

    • “The mechanics are very interesting, allowing you to pass each mission in different ways.”
    • “Incredible story, amazing gameplay; replaying it even after a decade, it doesn't feel old at all.”
    • “The gameplay is fantastic, both online and offline, with a versatile building system that allows for hundreds of strategies.”
    • “The gameplay is definitely solid, and if you're a fan of RTS games in general you'll probably love this game.”
    • “Gameplay - not fun, a lot of micromanaging, fighting with your own AI, changing roles all the time, running for randomly placed crates.”
    • “The game system is not easy; mechanics are quite complicated.”
  • graphics51 mentions

    The graphics of the game are generally considered outdated, reflecting its 2001 release, but many players appreciate their charm and the atmosphere they create. While some reviews criticize the pixelated visuals and limited color palette, others highlight the game's ability to engage players despite its graphical limitations, noting that the visuals have aged better than many contemporaries. Overall, the graphics are seen as a nostalgic element that complements the strong gameplay and storytelling, making it enjoyable for those who can overlook modern standards.

    • “Despite the years, the graphics perfectly capture the atmosphere that it has to present.”
    • “The graphics are done well and stand beside the newer games with no issue.”
    • “The art style is unique and clever, fantastic music and the concept was innovative.”
    • “Graphics are pretty outdated but it's still a great game.”
    • “The graphics are, to be honest, not good by today's standards.”
    • “Graphics are what you would expect for a 2001 game from a Czech developer (no offense); to think otherwise would be ludicrous.”
  • music18 mentions

    The music in the game is generally praised for its fantastic soundtrack, unique themes, and effective integration with gameplay, enhancing the overall experience. While many players appreciate the variety and quality of the music, some note issues with repetitiveness and limited variety in the soundtrack. Overall, the music contributes positively to the game's atmosphere, though a few users expressed minor frustrations with sound design and looping tracks.

    • “Fantastic soundtrack and setting, cool characters that you quickly learn to love, timeless and unique design, and just rock solid gameplay overall.”
    • “Good music, marvelous voice acting, and old graphics that are still nice to look at.”
    • “The soundtrack is also good and nicely themed - the sort of 'lumberjack style' for us and the typical tunes 'Siberia style' (as we nicknamed them with friends) for Soviets.”
    • “Another thing I didn't like is that you can still hear the music in the background even though I turned it off.”
    • “- limited, uninspired soundtrack”
    • “- sound design: repetitive voices & bland music hardly inspire.”
  • humor12 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely praised for its hilarious, campy dialogue and nostalgic jokes, reminiscent of old action movies. Players appreciate the blend of funny storylines and engaging gameplay, although some note that unclear objectives and AI issues can detract from the experience. Overall, the humor adds a unique charm that enhances the game's appeal, making it enjoyable and entertaining.

    • “It has a great gameplay, great humor in my opinion, great soundtrack, good story.”
    • “Very good game with unique gameplay, funny story and challenging game in 2001 and now is as fresh as it was then.”
    • “The story is ridiculous, like a Syfy channel low-budget movie, but if you can just accept the premise and get into it, it is actually pretty funny and not bad inside its own logic and narrative.”
  • replayability7 mentions

    The game offers high replayability due to its impactful decision-making, which significantly alters the story and outcomes of each playthrough. Players appreciate the varied campaign choices and the extensive dialogue options, encouraging multiple runs to explore different results. However, some users express a desire for additional challenges to further enhance replay value.

    • “High replayability due to the impactful decisions you can make.”
    • “The story is good, and given the choices presented in each mission, there is a good amount of replay value.”
    • “The campaigns in this game have so much dialogue, possible results, and effects with decisions. I have fun messing with the game even after all these years, just repeating missions to find all the dialogue and effects. You can branch them out on each playthrough, and it will save them going from worst to best result; plenty of replayability if you have the patience.”
    • “The campaigns in this game have so much dialogue, possible results, and effects with decisions. I have fun messing with the game even after all these years, just repeating missions to find all the dialogue and effects on a mission. You can branch them out on each playthrough, and it will save them going from worst to best result. Plenty of replayability if you have the patience.”
    • “I only wish there were more challenges on Steam, which would add some replayability value.”
    • “There is a replayability value because (spoilers).”
  • atmosphere4 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its immersive storytelling and cohesive design, effectively capturing the intended mood despite its age. While some may find the graphics and mechanics dated, the overall atmospheric experience remains exceptional and stands out among contemporary titles.

    • “If you approach it with that angle, and focus on story and atmosphere, you will not be disappointed.”
    • “Despite the years, the graphics perfectly capture the atmosphere that it has to present.”
    • “It's quite impressive how all the pieces of the game come together to form one coherent, really atmospheric package.”
    • “Great game, but it feels quite old now. The atmosphere is strong, but the overall experience can be rough around the edges, making it hard to adjust, especially when compared to newer, more user-friendly games.”
    • “The atmosphere is immersive, but it lacks the polish that modern games offer, which can detract from the overall experience.”
    • “While the story and atmosphere are engaging, the outdated mechanics can make it difficult to fully appreciate the game's setting.”
  • grinding3 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly due to limited resources and the consequences of character deaths. While the American campaign is generally more engaging, the Russian missions feel rushed and are plagued by bugs, contributing to a scripted and repetitive experience.

    • “It's an interesting concept, but it's tedious because you have limited people, and if they die, you're kind of screwed.”
    • “It mostly worked in the American campaign, but the Russian missions were more rushed; they are a bit tedious and have bugs.”
    • “There are some missions that are tedious, and the game is highly scripted.”
  • emotional3 mentions

    Players express a strong emotional connection to the characters and plot, highlighting memorable interactions and heartfelt dialogue. However, some reviews note that issues like slow gameplay and poor writing can detract from the overall experience, leading to mixed feelings about the game's emotional impact.

    • “I've played this game since about 2002 on various PCs. I have enjoyed the characters and plot a lot since then and even formed emotional connections to some of the characters.”
    • “It's difficult to find anything to dislike; the RPG elements are unobtrusive, the cheesy dialogue is heartwarming, and with memorable characters such as Colonel Powell and Lisa Lawson (to name but a few), I cannot recommend it enough.”
    • “This turned out to be a pass due to slow gameplay, bad writing, and a boring story. They made time travel boring! That should be a crime! I regret buying this.”
  • optimization3 mentions

    The game's optimization is notably poor, requiring players to make adjustments before starting to improve performance. Additionally, the loss of skilled soldiers impacts gameplay significantly, both in terms of combat effectiveness and emotional engagement with the unit.

    • “If you lose a skilled soldier that has been fighting with you since the beginning of the campaign, not only does this hurt your performance (you no longer have that guy who could clear out a small enemy base by himself), but you also lose a person who talked to you and other soldiers, made jokes, expressed concerns, and otherwise interacted with the entire unit.”
    • “The other big flaw was that it is optimized about as well as the raiders played this year.”
    • “Game is poorly optimized unless you fiddle with it before booting (guide to be found in the Steam game hub).”
  • stability2 mentions

    Users report significant stability issues, noting that the game is plagued by bugs and unresponsive controls, leading to a frustrating experience.

    • “Now, when I bought it, I must play a buggy version.”
    • “Along with that, the controls were often buggy and unresponsive.”
  • character development2 mentions

    The game features engaging character development, with each character possessing unique stats and classes that evolve with leveling, enhancing gameplay variety. Players appreciate the integration of story-altering decisions alongside the traditional RTS mechanics, contributing to a rich and dynamic experience.

    • “The game itself is great too, with interesting character developments, story-changing decisions, base building, and a decent variety of playstyles available.”
    • “Don't even let me start on character development; yes, this is an RTS, but every character has its own stats (speed, armor) that depend on its level and class (soldiers have more armor, are slightly slower, and are better at fighting than scientists).”
    • “Don't even get me started on character development. Yes, this is an RTS, but every character has its own stats (speed, armor) that depend on their level and class. Soldiers have more armor, are slightly slower, and are better at fighting than scientists.”
    • “The character development feels incredibly shallow. There are no meaningful choices or growth paths for the characters, making it hard to feel invested in their progression.”
    • “I was really disappointed with the lack of depth in character development. The characters don't evolve in any significant way, and their abilities feel static throughout the game.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The game's monetization strategy has been criticized for its lack of advertisement, which has contributed to its unpopularity despite receiving high scores from top gaming magazines in the past.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

80% average critic score

Buy Original War

Play time

51hMedian play time
52hAverage play time
23-100hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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