Syrian Warfare
A real-time tactics game set in the Syrian Civil War.
Syrian Warfare, a real-time tactics game released in 2017, was created by the Russian developer Cats who Play. The game is set during the Syrian Civil War and follows the viewpoint of forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad. It serves as a spiritual successor to the 2008 game Warfare, developed by GFI Russia.
**Gameplay**
The player character, Anwar, leads a squad of soldiers who carry over between missions, gaining experience and better equipment over time. Players choose the squad’s composition, reinforcements, and how gear is distributed. Captured enemy weapons and equipment can also be used. Units lack health bars; instead, damage is calculated dynamically based on the type of equipment. Ammunition and fuel are limited resources. The environment is destructible, allowing armored vehicles or close air support to clear areas. Between missions, players can read Anwar’s personal diary and browse “Social Spider,” a fictional social network similar to LiveJournal. This platform simulates real social media coverage of the conflict, featuring posts from Russian opposition bloggers who predict a repeat of Libya and warn of blowback on Moscow, as well as entries from Syrian refugees fleeing the country.
**Factions**
**Plot**
**Main Plot**
The player controls Anwar Amin (callsign Falcon-4), an officer in the Public Security Police stationed in a quiet town before the war. Initially, the conflict feels distant to Anwar—something he only sees on TV—and he takes leave to visit relatives in Lebanon. When he returns, the war has reached his hometown. Rebel forces, aided by Wahid, a defected police chief from a neighboring town, attack Anwar’s chief, Wazir. Wahid had offered Wazir a chance to switch sides, boasting about foreign funds, weapons, and support, and warning that the government would fall, leading to reprisals against minorities. Wazir refuses and is killed. Anwar and his police squad mount a desperate defense of the station, repelling VBIEDs and technicals until the Syrian Arab Army arrives as reinforcements. From there, Anwar’s squad evolves from a small police unit into a hardened Syrian Army force fighting across major battlefields. Early missions involve small-scale defense and incursions, escalating into combined-arms operations with tanks, helicopters, strike aircraft, and close-quarters battle, including depictions of real-world events.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Syrian Warfare
- Developer
- Cats Who Play
- Genre
- Real-time tactics
- Released
- 21 February 2017
- Platforms
- Microsoft Windows / (Steam / VK Play)
- Modes
- Single-player
- Writer
- Vitaly Shutov
- Director
- Dmitry Babkin
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Syrian Warfare was developed by Cats Who Play, founded in Russia in 2005 by former members of GFI Russia, who had previously worked on titles such as Warfare (2008). The concept originated in October 2015, based on the reporting of military correspondents during the Syrian civil war. Development began in December 2015, with games such as Warhammer: Dark Omen, Combat Mission, Counter Action and Company of Heroes cited as inspiration. The project used publicly available materials and did not employ military consultants. It was funded through Steam Greenlight, Boomstarter, and Indiegogo, and did not receive native ports for Mac OS or Linux due to lack of additional funding.
The game follows Anwar Amin, an officer in the Public Security Police, whose unit evolves from a small police squad into a battle-hardened Syrian Army force. Key missions include anti-insurgency operations in Damascus suburbs, engagements against Daesh, a combat search and rescue for a downed Russian pilot, and the advance on Palmyra. The game features destructible environments, limited ammunition and fuel, dynamic damage calculation, and a fictional social networking service called 'Social Spider' that approximates social media coverage of the conflict. Two DLCs were released: Return to Palmyra (30 October 2017) and Battlefields (22 October 2018), adding new missions, unit types, and enemy mechanics.
Reader's Guide
Syrian Warfare received moderate to positive reviews. Mail.ru included it in their list of best games of March 2017 and rated it 8.0 out of 10, comparing it to Sudden Strike or Blitzkrieg and recommending it for fans of 'man-over-machine' tactics, while noting its difficulty and political tone may not suit everyone. Riot Pixels gave the game and its Return to Palmyra expansion a score of 77/100, praising its use of historical events, attention to detail, and plot, but noting simple graphics, user interface, lack of multiplayer, and minor bugs. In Riot Pixels' 2017 community rankings, the game placed third for best strategy game, and Return to Palmyra placed second for best expansion. Zone of Games praised it as a high-quality real-time tactics game with solid mechanics, despite its political outlook and technical quirks. Sean Couture of Wargamer compared it to World in Conflict, calling it 'an alright tactical wargame' with potential to improve, while noting its Pro-Russian narrative. The game was unexpectedly removed from Steam in March 2017 due to a false copyright claim from the Czech Republic, but was soon restored.
Did You Know?
- The game was written by Vitaly Shutov and directed by Dmitry Babkin.
- Troops and equipment do not have health bars; damage is calculated dynamically based on equipment type.
- The DLC Return to Palmyra added Kamov Ka-52 and Aérospatiale Gazelle helicopters for allied forces.
- The game was released on VK Play for the CIS market in 2022.
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