By Joseph Luster

Originally released for PC in 2021, World War II real-time strategy game War Mongrels is officially available for more players to dive into on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S. The isometric game from Destructive Creations focuses primarily on the eastern front of the war, which the team previously cited as an aspect that has been receiving less attention in the gaming world in recent years. War Mongrels strives to ride the line between inspiring stories of courage and the evidence war provides of the “darkest parts of the human character,” resulting in a campaign inspired by a mix of history and original storytelling inspired by these historic events.

The story centers on a pair of Wehrmacht soldiers who start out fueled by propaganda. Before long, they find their new purpose in fighting back against the expanding Nazi forces that got them into their regrettable situation in the first place, opening their eyes to the horrors of war along the way and eventually meeting other like-minded soldiers that have their own unique skills to bring to the table. The variety of attributes at hand are ideal for a real-time strategy game, delivering plenty of opportunities to mix up tactics and choose what works best for each situation, from those who specialize in sneaking and distraction to others who are more action-oriented guerrilla fighters.

The characters of War Mongrels don’t just grow in terms of realizing their purpose, they also evolve in the way they carry out their own acts of war as the campaign progresses. While they started out simply hoping to get away from the war entirely, their goal changes to one of prevention and preservation when it comes to the unnecessary deaths of innocents who tend to get caught in the crossfire. The team at Destructive Creations worked hard to put together an appropriately grim storyline, from the overall subject matter to details such as the bodies that remain in the trenches long after each skirmish has ended.

Even if the names aren’t attributed to real soldiers who served in the war, there are plenty of true stories highlighting the history behind it all. It’s not just about the events, dates, locations, weapons, and units scattered about the game; players will also find in-game historical articles and other artifacts of the time, keeping even the most intense of showdowns grounded in real circumstances. Moves like these are a great way to keep games in the genre from coming off as purely sensational or exploitative. War Mongrels doesn’t want its players to forget that its events all have a basis in reality, they’re just shown through a narrative lens unique to this particular outing.

If you already have a couple years of War Mongrels under your belt, you won’t find too much in the way of incentive for hopping aboard these console ports. If you’re just looking for a new place to play, or if you haven’t had a chance to check it out for yourself yet, these ports seem like a great place to start. If you’re not sure and have access to a PC, you can always download the demo on Steam to see if it’s your cup of real-time tea before committing to a console purchase.

Publisher: Destructive Creations, All in! Games SA
Genre: Strategy
System: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series

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