We Love It's Guide to…
Command Russian-side squads and vehicles in a 2022 Kyiv campaign, using cover, supplies, and tactical orders to complete missions.
Released 31 Mar 2026
Use Cover and Flanks
Capture Enemy Vehicles
Customize Persistent Squads
Ukrainian Warfare: Gostomel Heroes – is a real-time strategy game with a high degree of realism. Relive the Battle of Kiev (2022), a turning point in the Ukrainian conflict. Witness the Untold Story of 2022 Through the Eyes of Those Who Fought.
Developed by Cats Who Play · Published by Cats Who Play
A mission-based real-time tactics campaign set during the opening days of the 2022 war around Kyiv, told from the perspective of Russian forces. You command infantry squads and vehicles through a series of battlefield objectives.
Position troops behind cover, flank enemy positions, assault buildings, and use reconnaissance, smoke, artillery, and air support. Soldiers can become exhausted or lose morale under fire, while vehicle damage affects individual systems rather than a single health bar.
Units and vehicles can persist between missions, and you choose which ones to take forward. Soldiers gain experience and can be equipped with different weapons and gear; you can also capture enemy equipment. Ammunition and other supplies must be managed, especially when units are separated from supply lines.
Players who enjoy the game often highlight its tactical combat, squad equipment and progression, and systems such as cover and morale that reward careful positioning. Some also praise the demanding missions, atmosphere, and music. Reactions to the campaign’s Russian perspective and political framing vary sharply; recurring criticisms include its short length and problems with unit pathfinding or AI.
The planet is full of wars—it’s a painful topic for everyone. After all, the world is structured in such a way that every day, we see the consequences of even distant conflicts. We see them on TV as news, we see them nearby as refugees.
Modern games are not just entertainment—they are another form of media, another way to convey information, often even more effectively than the most detailed analytical articles or news segments. We want to use this medium to show what happened in Ukraine at the beginning of this war, when it was supposed to end in a matter of days but instead turned into a years-long slaughter.
Ukraine has been covered in reports and documentary films. But we want to tell this story through the lens of a game. And don’t let the word 'game' mislead you. This is not a documentary, but it portrays the events of the first days of this war with full seriousness—from the moment of the brilliant Russian airborne assault on the outskirts of Kiev, to the time when the war seemed poised to end with the signing of a draft peace agreement in Istanbul in March 2022.
Gostomel Heroes is:
· A real-time strategy game with a high degree of realism.
· The game does not use "health bars" for vehicles. Damage is calculated module by module, factoring in armor protection and the power of incoming fire. Damage affects the functionality of each module.
· An advanced cover system that drastically improves infantry survivability on the battlefield, adding tactical depth to flanking maneuvers.
· The game simulates soldiers' physical and moral condition—their behavior on the battlefield and combat effectiveness depend on these factors. Troops must be withdrawn for resupply and rest.
· Realistic war logistics: Equipment and ammunition require replenishment. Units cut off from supply lines risk annihilation.
· A high-quality physics-based destruction system for buildings and objects (beyond just visuals, this heavily impacts mission tactics, especially in urban combat).
· Persistent squads and vehicles that carry over between missions.
· Experience progression: Soldiers and crews gain experience, improving their effectiveness over time.
· Player choice in unit selection: You decide which squads and vehicles advance to the next mission.
· Between-mission customization: Equip and reward soldiers, change infantry weapons.
· Capture and use enemy equipment.
· Diverse tactical options: Smoke screens, airstrikes, artillery support, building assaults, reconnaissance drones, and large UAVs. The game realistically replicates military tactics from the first half of 2022
Witness the Untold Story of 2022 Through the Eyes of Those Who Fought!
| Platforms | Windows |
|---|---|
| Achievements | 35 |
| Age ratings |
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| Controller required | No |
| Demo | View demo on Steam |
| DLC / extras | 2 listed on Steam |
| AI disclosure | Artificial intelligence was utilized to translate the game's description page into multiple languages besides Russian. |
| AI disclosure categories |
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