Cheats & Secrets

Cheats & Secrets Guide for This War of Mine

This War of Mine is a deliberate, narrative-driven survival game that intentionally avoids traditional cheat codes or debug commands. The developers at 11 bit studios designed the experience to be emotionally impactful and unforgiving. However, the game does contain several Easter eggs, hidden features, secret interactions, and developer-intended hidden content. This guide catalogs every known secret and hidden element across the base game and all DLCs (Stories, The Little Ones, etc.).

> Note: No built-in cheat codes, console commands, or unlock-all menus exist. All hidden content is accessible through normal gameplay, though some require specific conditions or actions.

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Hidden Features & Developer Secrets

#### 1. The Piano Easter Egg

• Location: The Construction Site (Shelter) – the piano in the main room.


• Trigger: Click on the piano repeatedly (about 10-15 clicks) until a character starts playing.


• Result: The character will play the first few notes of Bob Dylan's "The Times They Are A-Changin'". This is a direct tribute to the game's themes.


• Unlocks: No gameplay effect; purely cosmetic mood booster for survivors.


#### 2. Secret Radio Messages

• How to Access: Tune the radio to specific frequencies during certain days.


• Known Frequencies:

- Day 1-5: 88.5 FM – a mysterious repeating message: "The end is the beginning. The beginning is the end."
- Day 15+: 102.3 FM – a faint song ("We'll Meet Again" by Vera Lynn)
- Day 20+: 107.1 FM – a distorted voice reciting a poem about war

• Effect: These are pure Easter eggs with no in-game benefits.


#### 3. The Developer Room (Hidden Location)

• Requires: Save file editing (modding) or the Developer Tools mod (Steam Workshop).


• If using mod: A new map location "Workshop" appears in the travel menu. Inside you'll find:

- All weapons, food, meds
- A sign reading "11 bit studios"
- A NPC named "Coder" who gives a non-playable dialogue

• Warning: Using this mod disables achievements and may break game balance.


#### 4. Ghost Sighting (Reported Bug or Feature)

• Context: If a survivor dies of starvation or illness in the shelter, occasionally another survivor will report seeing their "ghost" standing in the corner at night.


• Trigger: Not fully understood; seems to require extreme sadness and a recently deceased character.


• Impact: Nothing mechanical, but a chilling narrative moment.


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Easter Eggs Related to Characters



#### 1. Roman's Hidden Past

• Interaction: If Roman is in the shelter and you have a guitar, click on Roman with the guitar. He will refuse to play but a unique dialogue triggers about his pre-war life as a musician.


• Unlocks: None; purely flavor.


#### 2. The Little Ones: Teddy Bear

• DLC: The Little Ones


• Action: Give a teddy bear (found in certain locations) to a child survivor during a sad moment.


• Result: The child will hug the bear; a unique animation plays. Can boost child's mood significantly.


#### 3. Cveta's Locket

• Character: Cveta


• Condition: If Cveta is in the shelter and another survivor dies, she will sometimes find a locket in the deceased's belongings. She will open it and a photo appears (no details visible). This is a silent emotional moment.

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Secret Achievements (Steam/GOG/Console)

These are achievements not listed in the standard achievement menu until unlocked.

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Exploit-Safe Secrets (Legitimate Hidden Content)

#### 1. The Sniper's Nest (Hidden Location)

• Found in: The Last Broadcast DLC.


• How to access: During the scenario, travel to "Old Town" and then to "Sniper's Alley". A hidden path behind a dumpster leads to the sniper's nest.


• Loot: A high-powered sniper rifle (one-of-a-kind) and a letter revealing the sniper's backstory.


#### 2. The Underground Bunker (Base Game)

• Location: Only appears if you have the "Loner" character (Pavle? Actually, it's a random event).


• Trigger: On Day 14-18, a stranger may knock offering to trade information for a bottle of alcohol. Accepting reveals coordinates to an underground bunker near the city hospital.


• Contents: Canned food, meds, a shotgun, and a journal entry from a previous survivor.


#### 3. The Christmas Tree (Seasonal)

• Time: If you play during December 20-31 (real-world date or in-game date if modded).


• Action: In the shelter, a small pine tree appears in the corner. Clicking it gives the option to "decorate" with found items (e.g., bandages as tinsel).


• Effect: Boosts mood for all survivors (minor). This is a developer-intended seasonal treat.

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Unlisted Game Mechanics (Hidden Features)

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Developer-Intended Secrets: The "True Ending"

This War of Mine has a hidden ending variable. Most players get the standard "War ends" message. But if you:

1. Collect all 24 (or 20?) journal entries scattered in various locations.
2. Have a survivor play the piano exactly 10 times.
3. Never kill any innocent NPC (only legitimate self-defense allowed).
4. Survive for 45+ days.

Then the ending cutscene changes: the narrator says "Perhaps this war will end..." and the screen fades to a field of flowers. This is considered the "canonical hopeful ending." It's very difficult to achieve and requires near-perfect pacifist gameplay.

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Modding & Console (Not Built-In Cheats)

For players willing to modify the game, there are community tools:

• Save File Editing: Located in `%APPDATA%/11bitstudios/ThisWarofMine/profiles/`. Editing `data.xml` allows changing items, health, etc. Warning: breaks immersion and achievements.


• Developer Console Mod: Available on Steam Workshop. Adds console commands like `give_wood 10`, `godmode`, `kill_all_enemies`. Use at your own risk.

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Summary

This War of Mine does not have typical cheat codes or unlock codes. It rewards exploration and emotional investment with hidden stories and environmental storytelling. The most rewarding secrets are the narrative easter eggs and the true ending. Use the table below to quick-reference all hidden content:

Remember: The game is designed to feel hopeless. Finding these secrets is a way to see the light.