This new Steam FPS looks like a low-budget Counter-Strike, but I'm begging you to go in blind

When I first saw It Takes A War, I immediately thought of Counter-Strike. From the retro art direction, to the shooting, to the desert town maps, it looked like a pretty shameless rip-off of Valve's classic shooter. But this isn't just an indie take on Dust. Imagine if you were playing through a round of Counter-Strike - or any of the other titles from our list of the best FPS games - and a doorway appeared in front of you. Would you go through it? What would happen if you did? I'm going to try really hard not to spoil this game for you, but there's a whole lot more going on here than immediately meets the eye.

The best description of It Takes A War I've seen is that it mixes Counter-Strike and The Stanley Parable. Yes, the walking simulator. It uses the context of a first-person shooter that we all know and love, and twists it into new dimensions to tell a compelling and unexpected story.

In fact, the game plays its cards so close to its chest that the trailer above tells you nothing about the game. The demo, too, isn't a section of the game but a bespoke creation to give you a sense of the vibes without spoiling anything within. I understand that this makes it hard to paint a picture of it in your head, but it costs less than a fiver, so just try it for yourself.

Players are nearly unanimous in their praise on Steam. It Takes A War currently sits at a 'very positive' rating, with a staggering 93% of its reviews lauding it with praise. That's higher than nearly any other FPS game this year. With admittedly far fewer reviews, it's currently better than Battlefield 6, better than Counter-Strike 2, and closing in on the lofty heights of the original Counter-Strike's 96% rating.

Expect the unexpected in this shooter like no other. That's all I'll say, other than that you simply have to try it for yourself. Don't read the Steam reviews (they're honest, but the less you know going in, the better). Don't look up streamers playing. Play it for yourself and see why it's the weirdest FPS game I've played all year.

It Takes A War is available on Steam now for $5.39 / £4.49. You can buy it here, but I'd heartily recommend the Five-A-Side bundle that also includes Despelote, my favorite game of the year so far.