One day, one of the people I let through throws a grenade at a guard, so the day is cut short. I get paid based on how many people I process, and each day only has a set amount of time in it. At first, I can afford all of this and even put some money into my savings.
Rent is taken automatically, and then I can choose between food and heating. No more warnings, this time, I get fined.Īt the end of each workday, I decide how to spend my wages. Someone I let through had a passport that was issued in an invalid city. "Okay, I can break the rules twice a day," I think to myself.
The sound of the citation bores into my head again. I do my job properly, but then let through a husband who just wants to reunite with his wife. I know I've messed up, but it's just a warning. The grating sound of a citation being telegrammed to my booth cuts through me like nails on a chalkboard. But then I get the sob stories people escaping forced prostitution or trying to reunite with loved ones. As the days progress, I have to check more and more things: passports, entry tickets, work permits, vaccination records, diplomatic status. The experience is deliberately clunky, I have to juggle multiple documents on a small counter just to confirm someone's identity.Īt first, denying entry based on an expired passport or invalid work permit doesn't feel too bad, I'm just doing my job. Tensions in the region run high, as a fragile peace has just formed amongst nations that have been at war for six years. The story of the game starts with my first day as an immigration officer at a new border checkpoint, my job is to ensure people coming into Arstotzka have the right paperwork. The storytelling aspect ensures that every player has a tailored, personalised experience within the game world.Papers, Please has a cold, dark, pixelated aesthetic that perfectly fits the fictitious Eastern Bloc setting. While the graphics, music, and effects are a bit old-fashioned, the very gameplay of Papers, Please makes it one of the most unique, exciting titles out there. You may find a similar experience in titles such as Limbs, the Westport Independent, and the Republic Times. The explored topics and the uniqueness of this game are unprecedented. Here, you face time limits and more challenges. Once you finish the Story Mode, you enter the Endless Mode, with Timed, Perfection, and Endurance versions. In the Story Mode, you do paperwork and make moral decisions, balancing the needs of your family with the legality of your work. Regardless, you´ll have to make the ethical choice of doing what is right or not. You may receive a bribe or other incentives. All sorts of mature themes spice up the otherwise straightforward procedure. Sometimes, people will be smuggling items, and other times, you'll have to deal with families. Your main goal is to find inconsistencies, from faked documentation to expired forms.Īs you play, the process gets more complicated. Your tasks as an officer include checking people's documents, considering potential issues, and interrogating the people you encounter.