US and THEM

About

US and THEM is a single player strategy game. It was developed by Icehole Games and was released on March 18, 2014. It received negative reviews from players.

"Us and Them" is a turn-based strategy game set during the Cold War, where players can choose to be CIA or KGB. The goal is to expand territorially and destabilize the enemy's countries through espionage, sabotage, and manipulation of resources like money, oil, and technology. Players must strategically place units and gather intelligence to carry out attacks and achieve their objective.

Genres & Tags

Strategy

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

28%

Audience ScoreBased on 71 reviews

humor3 positive mentions

gameplay4 negative mentions

The game offers an interesting concept centered around Cold War espionage and strategy, allowing players to engage in political and economic manipulation.
It features a variety of agents with unique skills and personalities, adding depth to the gameplay and strategic decision-making.
The game can provide hours of entertainment for those who enjoy turn-based strategy and historical themes, especially with its focus on the Cold War era.

The user interface is poorly designed, making navigation and interaction cumbersome, especially with smaller countries on the map.
The game is plagued by technical issues, including resolution problems, crashes, and a lack of proper tutorials or instructions, making it difficult for new players to understand.
Gameplay can feel tedious due to excessive micromanagement and unskippable cutscenes, detracting from the overall experience.

gameplay
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
63%
21%
The gameplay of the game offers a unique blend of historical detail and strategic depth, appealing to both history enthusiasts and strategy fans. However, many players find the mechanics lacking, with a steep learning curve and a frustrating interface that detracts from the overall experience. While there are engaging elements and random events that add variety, the execution often leaves players feeling overwhelmed and dissatisfied.
- “Ensures hours of addictive gameplay, whether you're maneuvering diplomatic relations, engaging in covert operations, or navigating delicate balances of power.”
- “I really like this game because it has a simple design and a depth in the gameplay as you need strategy in order to win.”
- “In any case, the game features a unique and original gameplay that I have never seen in any other game; it is also the only serious PC strategy game about the Cold War.”
- “The gameplay is deeply unpleasant, the graphics are ugly to the point of hurting my eyes, the forced resolution is absurdly low and makes everything fiddly and awkward, and the interface is possibly the worst ever conceived.”
- “The gameplay and game mechanics are difficult to grasp, and the amount of number crunching involved is enough to give Spock a headache.”
- “Horrible interface, tedious gameplay.”
graphics
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
62%
19%
The graphics of the game have received largely negative feedback, with many users citing issues such as poor UI, low resolution, and graphical bugs that hinder gameplay. While some appreciate the retro aesthetic and find it acceptable for a budget title, others describe the visuals as ugly and unplayable due to their limitations. Overall, the consensus suggests that significant improvements are needed in the graphical department to enhance the gaming experience.
- “This game is amazing, very understated graphics that allow you to focus more on the fading voice of the tutorial speaker.”
- “Complaing about graphics in this is like yelling at the sun for setting.”
- “Games like Civilization V have comparatively advanced graphics including waving flags, hammering workers, and wavy oceans, so it’s okay if it doesn’t scroll as quickly as you’d hope.”
- “Horrible UI & graphics, game not stable.”
- “Though it looks extremely fun, the fact that it doesn't adjust to fit screens, and you have no graphics adjustment controls... this game is altogether unplayable.”
- “The gameplay is deeply unpleasant, the graphics are ugly to the point of hurting my eyes, the forced resolution is absurdly low and makes everything fiddly and awkward, and the interface is possibly the worst ever conceived.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the humor in the game to be a significant highlight, with many enjoying the unexpected comedic elements, such as the amusing spy gadgets research. Additionally, the mix-up with the game's thumbnail adds an extra layer of humor to the experience. Overall, the game is praised for its entertaining and funny moments.
- “The hilarious thing about this is that Steam has the wrong thumbnail for this game, so I thought I was going to be playing something else entirely.”
- “For me, another huge plus of the game is that it has a lot of humor.”
- “All the spy gadgets research part is hilarious!”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
67%
The game's replayability is generally viewed as moderate, with some players noting its simple gameplay and alternate history elements as appealing factors. However, others find it somewhat short and lacking in depth, leading to mixed feelings about its overall replay value. The price-to-fun ratio is considered reasonable, but it may not offer extensive replay incentives.
- “Overall, simple gameplay, the replayability factor is a B+/B, short for casual play, and alternate history at a budget price.”
- “As I am not entirely sure about the replayability of this game, the price vs. fun ratio of the game is reasonable in my opinion.”
- “A bit short and not that much replayability.”
- “Overall, simple gameplay, replayability factor of a B+/B, short for casual play, and alternate history at a budget price.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from significant stability issues, including frequent freezes and a buggy interface that restricts resolution options. While the concept is promising, these technical problems detract from the overall experience.
- “I experienced freezes during some of my turns.”
- “As much as I'd like to recommend this game, the concept is great, but the game is buggy as hell.”
- “The interface is buggy and locked to non-widescreen tiny resolutions, and the way the game plays does not feel very well thought out.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
33%
The game's atmosphere is enhanced by a well-crafted tech tree and the inclusion of grainy Cold War-era propaganda videos, which serve as both an introduction and a reward for players. This nostalgic aesthetic effectively immerses players in the themes of the space race and nuclear arms development, despite the absence of direct nuclear gameplay.
- “The game features grainy Cold War-era propaganda videos that enhance the atmosphere, serving as both an introduction to the game and a reward for a well-played session.”
- “The atmosphere is immersive, with a well-crafted environment that draws you into the game's world.”
- “The sound design and visual elements combine to create a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere that keeps you engaged throughout the gameplay.”
- “The game features a decent tech tree featuring tools that make your agents more effective, the space race and nuclear arms development (no, you don’t get to actually use nukes at any point). Grainy Cold War era propaganda videos add to the game’s atmosphere and serve as both your introduction to and reward for a game well played.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, often exacerbated by a poor interface that detracts from the overall experience.
- “Horrible interface, tedious gameplay.”
- “The grinding feels endless and monotonous.”
- “It's frustrating how much time you have to invest just to make any progress.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews suggest that the character's loyalty significantly impacts their performance, indicating that optimization in gameplay may be tied to moral choices rather than technical aspects.
story
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The story emphasizes the importance of strategic decision-making, warning against assigning characters to challenging missions or placing them in less developed countries, which could hinder their success and overall experience.