Us And Them is a turn-based strategy game focused on Cold War espionage between the United States and the Soviet Union. Players take command of either the CIA or the KGB and compete to spread their ideology across the globe through covert means rather than direct military conflict. The experience centers on building spy networks, managing resources, and responding to historical developments from 1960 onward.
Gameplay
The core loop involves deploying agents to countries around the world and using them to influence governments through actions such as coups, assassinations, bribery, and propaganda. Success depends on careful resource allocation across money, oil, technology, and energy supplies. Each turn requires decisions about where to place spies, assassins, economists, or technical experts while expanding secret networks that support ongoing operations.
Players also advance a space program and develop specialized gadgets to gain advantages in the ongoing rivalry. Nuclear capabilities serve as a deterrent but carry the risk of ending the game if escalation occurs. Historical events appear at random intervals and force adjustments to strategy, while notable figures from the era can be recruited for their specific skills in shifting alliances or providing unique operational benefits.
Special doctrines drawn from the period allow for chain reactions, such as one nation's alignment change triggering others nearby. These elements combine to create a global game of positioning and timing where overt force is avoided in favor of sustained subterfuge.
Game Modes
The game offers two distinct campaigns. One places the player in charge of the KGB and pursues communist expansion. The other assigns command of the CIA and focuses on capitalist influence. Both campaigns begin in January 1960 and share the same underlying systems for agent deployment, resource management, and event handling, though the starting position and available figures differ between the two sides.
Each campaign runs as a single-player experience with no additional modes such as skirmish or multiplayer options. Replay value comes from the random historical events and the variety of recruitment choices that alter available abilities from one playthrough to the next.
Key Mechanics and Systems
Resource management forms the foundation of every decision. Money funds operations, oil supports broader influence efforts, and technology unlocks new agent types or gadgets. Prestige points accumulate through successful actions and serve as the primary measure of progress toward victory.
Agent placement requires global awareness because networks must be maintained across multiple continents. Actions taken in one region can affect neighboring countries through doctrines that reward strategic encirclement or sequential flips. The space race and nuclear posture add layers of long-term planning that run parallel to immediate espionage work.
Is It Worth Playing?
The game receives mostly negative feedback on its primary distribution platform, with 37 percent positive reviews from a modest total of user submissions. Reviewers frequently note its deliberate pace and dated presentation, describing it as reminiscent of a physical board game in digital form. The interface and visual style reflect its 2010 release and have not received subsequent updates or visual improvements.
Those interested in detailed turn-based strategy centered on historical espionage may find value in the campaign structure and the range of agent abilities. The title suits players who enjoy managing overlapping systems of influence and resource allocation without the need for real-time action or competitive multiplayer. Newer audiences accustomed to modern interfaces or frequent content updates are likely to encounter friction with its age and limited polish.
