Ukraine War Stories

About

Ukraine War Stories is a set of visual novels about the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. Set in the early months of the war, it tells the stories of civilians trapped on Russian-occupied territory. All stories are based on real events and eyewitness accounts.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

91%

Audience ScoreBased on 224 reviews

story9 positive mentions

grinding1 negative mentions

The game provides a powerful and emotional insight into the real-life horrors faced by Ukrainian civilians during the Russian invasion.
It effectively raises awareness about the atrocities committed by the Russian army, making it a crucial educational tool for understanding the conflict.
The storytelling is impactful, with choices that reflect the difficult decisions faced by individuals in war, creating a deep sense of empathy for the characters.

Some players find the game to be more of a propaganda piece than an engaging gameplay experience, with limited interactivity and predictable outcomes.
The writing contains occasional grammatical errors and awkward phrasing, which can detract from the overall immersion.
The heavy themes and emotional weight of the stories may be too intense for some players, making it a challenging experience to engage with.

story
63 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
81%
5%
The game's story is a poignant exploration of the harsh realities of war, particularly focusing on true events from the Ukrainian conflict, with multiple narratives that evoke strong emotional responses. Players appreciate the depth and engagement of the storytelling, although some feel that the structure could disrupt immersion due to its replayability features. Overall, the narrative is described as both heartbreaking and impactful, effectively highlighting the struggles faced by civilians during wartime.
- “Great game, good work developers! I have completed the game with all the endings. This is a good story-driven game that makes gamers aware of the reality of war, as war can not only be about glory and bravery but also how the citizens faced severe issues.”
- “This is one of the most engaging stories I have ever interacted with, and it makes it far more meaningful and emotional when you realize the events covered in the story have happened perhaps hundreds or even thousands of times in various places through the invasion.”
- “The story is heartbreakingly real. There are three city storylines so far: Bucha, Hostomel, and Mariupol, three cities that have seen the worst of Russian occupation and war crimes.”
- “While this helps when you want to replay a story to see all possibilities, it can really break immersion the first time you play through it.”
- “Unfortunately that isn't an option for the people living the realities described here, so I saw each story I started to the bitter end.”
- “However, the story, while very emotional, fails to really capture my mind and the choices aren't much engaging.”
emotional
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional impact of the game is profound, with many players reporting intense feelings of sadness and heartbreak, often leading to tears during gameplay. The stories, rooted in real-life events from the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, resonate deeply, providing a gut-wrenching experience that highlights the tragic realities faced by individuals affected by war. While some players found the narrative engaging and meaningful, others felt a disconnect, suggesting that personal investment in the events may enhance emotional resonance.
- “Incredibly heart-wrenching visual novel.”
- “This is one of the most engaging stories I have ever interacted with, and it becomes far more meaningful and emotional when you realize the events covered in the story have happened perhaps hundreds or even thousands of times in various places through the invasion.”
- “The stories are just heartbreaking and brutal and real.”
gameplay
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
63%
19%
The gameplay is characterized as a straightforward visual novel with clear mechanics, where players are frequently informed about the conditions for available choices, which can feel overly simplistic. While it features a few branching paths, it lacks significant plot twists or complexity, making it reminiscent of other narrative-driven games like "This War of Mine." Overall, the gameplay is typical for the genre, focusing on reading and making choices to influence the story.
- “Gameplay-wise, it is a fairly simple visual novel, with a few branches.”
- “The gameplay is text-based and accompanied by music and illustrations.”
- “I can recommend this game both story and gameplay wise.”
- “The game is a little too obvious about its mechanics, always explaining the mechanical consequences of your choices and even showing the conditions required for choices to be available (e.g. 'this choice is possible because Anya's mood >= 2'), while the choices that are not available are still displayed but greyed out.”
- “In 'Ukraine War Stories', there is no high scripting and unexpected plot moves, as well as the gameplay itself.”
- “The gameplay is very typical for the genre, that is, you read and sometimes you can choose options for the development of the plot.”
music
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
50%
21%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it stock-like and disconnected from the game's themes, while others praise its emotional depth and appropriateness for the storytelling. Notably, the soundtrack is described as touching and effective, enhancing the overall experience of the visual novel, particularly in conveying the gravity of its subject matter. Overall, while some feel the music lacks immersion, many appreciate its ability to evoke strong emotions and complement the narrative.
- “Incomparable game, both the story and the music, especially the cello.”
- “And I want to say thank you to the development team for collecting and bringing these small-but-true heavy stories in a well-packed visual novel to us. The artworks are nice and the music is right!”
- “Why not try it... it is a visual novel with great, emotional music and even deeper, more gut-wrenching storytelling.”
- “The immersion is weak; the music feels pretty stock-like, and there are no sound indications or other elements that could make the game somewhat interesting.”
- “The sound/music design doesn't really connect with the game. There's one piece that made me feel sad with corpses laying on the ground, but it was immediately ruined by the fact that this game is all about portraying themselves as victims while hiding the bad side of their history.”
- “Play this using the Stalker OST + distant gun sounds on YouTube; it's much better.”
graphics
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
20%
30%
The graphics of the game are praised for their artistic quality, with many players appreciating the stunning artwork that effectively conveys the game's themes related to the horrors of war, particularly in the context of the Ukraine conflict. While some speculate about the origins of the visuals, the overall aesthetic and emotional impact resonate strongly with players, enhancing their understanding of real-life events. The combination of good graphics and sound contributes to a compelling visual novel experience.
- “The artwork I've seen is amazing; respect for the creators.”
- “And I want to say thank you to the development team for collecting and bringing these small-but-true heavy stories in a well-packed visual novel to us. The artworks are nice and the music is right!”
- “Reason: good graphics & sounds, good characters, excellent insights of stories, but also it's so touching and well thought out of real-life events and having it put into a game for the Steam community to learn what's actually happening during the Ukraine war really gives you insight!”
- “The graphics in the game have a certain art style, but you can identify that Kremlin sh*tface immediately.”
- “The graphics in the game have a certain art style, but you can identify that Kremlin sh*tface immediately.”
- “[b]· artwork:[/b] My favorite part of the game, though I can't tell if they're pictures taken from the internet with an oil-painting filter applied to them. Throughout my gameplay, it was what mostly caught my eye.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Players express that the grinding in the game is excessively time-consuming, suggesting that it requires an unrealistic commitment akin to having a second life to fully engage with it.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The humor in the game is highly praised, with users highlighting its very funny story and overall comedic elements, resulting in a perfect score of 10/10 for its entertaining narrative.
- “10/10, very funny story! I loved this fictional comedy game.”
- “The humor in this game is absolutely top-notch; I found myself laughing out loud at the clever dialogue.”
- “This game is a hilarious ride from start to finish, with jokes that land perfectly and keep you entertained.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, users report that the game exhibits strong stability, with no significant bugs or issues affecting gameplay or comprehension.
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game is entirely free to play, with no in-app purchases, and a free demo is available until the full release.
- “The full game is completely free, with no in-app purchases, and a free demo is available until the full game is released.”
- “I appreciate that there are no hidden costs; everything is accessible without spending a dime.”
- “The monetization model is fair and transparent, allowing players to enjoy the game without feeling pressured to spend money.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate the game's stunning art and cohesive storytelling, noting that the choices made throughout the game enhance its replayability.
- “The art is amazing and the stories are realistic and cohesive, offering significant replayability based on the choices you'll make.”