About six months ago, a colleague shared a game called "Project Winter" during a meeting and introduced its game type and gameplay. It's somewhat similar to an interactive version of Werewolf. I was attracted to its low-poly style and snowy mountain scenes, but at that time, I didn't have a game console, so I kept it in mind. Recently, I finally got a game console and bought this game on Steam.
This post is a record of my impressions so far (although I've only played for three days XD, so I'll probably have more experiences later).
Game Introduction
The game is set in a cold snowy mountain, where 8 players must find a way to cooperate, gather materials, repair the generator, and call for a helicopter to escape. In addition to the natural elements such as animals, coldness, and hunger, there are also other unexpected events.
This game has some elements of Werewolf, but it's different from the purely conversational Werewolf game as it includes other game elements. Survivors need to guess who the traitors are, and their goal is to successfully escape. Traitors, on the other hand, try to hinder the survivors' actions through various means, such as secretly discarding materials, sabotaging the generator, sowing discord, or killing all the players.
The game is mainly divided into two factions:
Survivors: The survivors' goal is to survive and find a way to escape from the snowy mountain. Within a certain time limit (usually 30 minutes), they need to gather materials, repair the power station, and call for the helicopter. Due to the challenging conditions, this game heavily emphasizes cooperation among players. If someone acts independently or doesn't communicate throughout the game, there is a high chance of losing.
Traitors: Their objective is to hinder the survivors' actions within the given time, such as secretly discarding materials, sabotaging the power station, sowing discord, or assassinating players.
This game supports voice chat, and the design ensures that only nearby players can hear each other (or through radio communication). This creates a great atmosphere while playing. The character and scene designs are in my favorite low-poly style, and the landscapes are beautiful! Everyone should definitely give it a try!
Impressions
My feeling so far is that there are very few players from Taiwan in the game. Most of the players are either friends playing together or Chinese players. There are also many players from Europe and America, so I mostly play with Japanese players. Now, let me share some thoughts.
Japanese players are so warm-hearted in the game!
In the game, Japanese players are generally very kind and enthusiastic, which is quite different from their real-life personas! Although my colleagues in the workplace are also very gentle, our conversations mostly revolve around work topics, and we rarely talk about things outside of work. But in this game, I can hear Japanese players making jokes or engaging in casual conversations.
They often share things like "Is the coldness okay?" or "I have berries here" or "There are pancakes in the box." It's really heartwarming. Although there are sometimes a few unfriendly Japanese players towards foreigners, the majority of them are very kind.
Super advanced practical Japanese conversations
Although Japanese is mostly used in the workplace now, sometimes my colleagues intentionally speak slower because of me. Additionally, in the workplace, everyone mostly uses polite language, which I find challenging.
But in the game, everyone hardly worries about such things and says whatever they want. And since there is no slowing down or using polite language, it's like a battlefield of practical conversations. I have learned many Japanese expressions through this game.
Japanese players in the game are really different from how they are in real life. It's like saying, "If they are so interesting in the game, I want to see that side of them in real life too." It's really great to be able to see another side of Japanese people through this game.
Training communication skills
As mentioned earlier, communication and teamwork are essential factors for winning in this game (regardless of being a survivor or a traitor). Acting alone or not communicating with others will undoubtedly lead to defeat.
Sharing information about what to do now, what materials are needed, what everyone has in their hands, and other details is crucial. Without such communication, there is a high possibility that everyone will end up doing the same thing, collecting the same materials, and ultimately reducing efficiency.
Now, thinking about it, it's the same principle in the workplace too! If you don't say anything and work alone, even if you achieve good results, it's easy for other team members to misunderstand or not know what you are doing, resulting in taking a detour. For a foreigner like me, it's excellent practice.
Technical skills are also important
As for me, I haven't mastered the game's techniques yet, such as familiarity with the map, weapon usage, or melee combat tactics. Communication alone is not enough. Technical skills and communication are two complementary abilities.
In this game, you can create weapons, traps, landmines, poisons, and more. The gameplay is truly diverse. If you have strong technical skills, perhaps you can excel in this game even without much communication.
Guessing the opponent's actions
I am someone who finds it challenging to lie, and I'm not very good at guessing the opponent's actions. As mentioned earlier, although the game has elements of Werewolf, it's not entirely focused on that. The ultimate goal for survivors is to escape the snowy mountain, not to identify the traitors.
Moreover, since all communication is in Japanese, it becomes even more difficult. Currently, I mostly follow the general direction and act together with everyone, hoping to discover more tactics in the future.
I feel that it's the same in the workplace too. People have different perceptions and expectations of each other, making it unlikely to completely understand or meet each other's expectations. Finding a balance can be considered an art, or perhaps it doesn't even exist.
Conclusion
Although it may seem strange to suddenly shift from the game to the workplace topic, I really recommend this game. You can simply enjoy it as a game, practice a foreign language, practice effective communication, or enjoy the interaction between people (although it can be a bit sad when betrayed, it's also fun to secretly cause mischief!). It can be said that this game is very enjoyable!
Finding people from different countries to play together and discovering ways to communicate with each other is also another kind of joy!
