At the heart of every firefight in Cost Of War lies a choice: stand and trade bullets, or move in the shadows and strike from the side. Our team wanted players to feel the electric tension of that split-second decision, to taste the dust of a narrow alley and hear the enemy’s heartbeat in their earpiece. Welcome to Flanking 101—a behind-the-scenes look at how we engineered one of our most immersive and consequential tactical tools.
The Art of the Unexpected
From day one, our narrative designers insisted that flanking shouldn’t feel like a crutch—it had to be an art. We wrote scenes where a single soldier creeping along a crumbling wall could alter the fate of an entire village. That sense of dramatic impact drove every decision: from the way light spreads across ruined courtyards at dawn, to the quiet rattle of a magazine dropping on concrete. Cinematic, yes—but rooted in the unforgiving realities of modern warfare.
To capture that feeling, our level architects carved twisting routes through bombed-out marketplaces and half-collapsed apartment blocks. Every doorway, every shadowed corner serves a purpose: it might shield your approach, or it might conceal an AI spotter waiting to call in artillery. We wanted each flank to feel like a gamble—you trade safety for opportunity, and that risk must pulse in your veins.
Building Tension in the Shadows
Sound design emerged as our secret weapon. We layered distant gunfire with close whispers: the scrape of boots on metal, a muted grunt behind a shattered L-shape wall. When you edge around that corner in-game, you hear more than footsteps—you hear your own heartbeat. That heartbeat syncs with the player’s, raising stakes so that each cautious breath becomes a narrative beat.
“”We wanted the silence before the strike to speak louder than any exploding shell.””
— Audio Director, Cost Of War
Our music composer built dynamic tracks that hold back until you’ve slipped behind enemy lines. The result: a moment of pure dread, then the rush of percussion when your squad storms in. It’s a pulse-pounder from first flank to final radio call.
AI That Sees Around Corners
We invested months refining AI flinch and reaction patterns. Enemies will no longer remain glued to fixed patrols; they reposition, stack behind cover, and call for reinforcements if they sense movement. But if you catch them off-guard—if you exploit a narrow blind spot—they’ll break formation, panic, and become vulnerable. That vulnerability is your opening.
Technically, we built a layered awareness system. Each AI unit maintains a “cone of attention” but also shares intel in real time. When a squad mate gets flanked, they’ll shout coordinates, forcing you to stay adaptive. It’s a chess match of sightlines and audio cues, and every move counts.
Moral Weight of a Silent Approach
Flanking isn’t just a gameplay mechanic—it’s a storytelling device. In one mission, you bypass a lone sentry watching over civilian refugees. Do you neutralize him quietly, risking the lives of innocents if he raises the alarm? Or do you let him live, and risk failure for the greater good? We sculpted each choice to ripple through your squad’s morale and the campaign’s narrative arc.
Our narrative leads tracked every possible outcome, ensuring that even a silent takedown echoes in later conversations. Your fireteam remembers your decisions—complimenting your discipline, questioning your mercy, or mourning a frightened enemy left alive. That emotional weight gives every flank a heartbeat.
Your Mission, Their Response
We playtested flanking dozens of times under harsh conditions. In one session, a veteran player whispered, “It feels like the enemy sees me—even when they can’t.” That was our goal. To craft an experience where every suppressed shot feels earned, and every casualty carries a price.
So next time you slip through a broken window or crawl under barbed wire, remember: flanking is more than a tactic. It’s a narrative promise. A chance to outthink, outmaneuver, and outfeel the enemy. Here at Cost Of War, we believe that true victory comes not from the volume of your firepower, but from the quiet precision of your choices.
Go forth, soldier. The flank is yours.
