

Release Date: August 8

Platforms available on: PC, Mac

Developer: Lucas Pope, 3909 LLC

Publisher: Lucas Pope, 3909 LLC

Genre: Simulation











Described by developer Lucas Pope as a "dystopian document thriller", Papers, Please has players assume the seemingly mundane task of an immigrations officer, tasked with approving or denying people looking to cross the border.

However, this indie game is actually an engaging experience, with several standout elements coming together seamlessly to create a unique, interesting and thought-provoking adventure.

Taking place over a month in late 1982 at the border of the fictional Arstotzka, you start each day in the early morning, working until the border closes 12 hours later at 6pm.

3909 LLC



For each person in the queue, you have to cross-check all of the documents they provide before stamping their visa. It starts off straightforward as the game eases you into things.



On day one, you only need to check people's ID card - so basic things like photo, gender, issuing city and expiry date.

But with new twists being added after each day, you'll soon also have to ensure work permits are in good order, verify the authenticity of stamps, and scan suspicious people for concealed weapons or contrabands, as well as a whole lot more.

Everything is vividly glum, harsh and dreary, with hints that Arstotzka is ruled by an oppressive government.

There is a tense risk/reward element to the game, as the more folks you process, the more money you earn which is used to pay rent as well as for food and heating. Failing to provide for your family means they'll fall sick and possibly even die.

However, processing people incorrectly will penalise you with salary deductions, and it's incredibly easy to overlook something if you're not careful.

You gradually get better at your responsibilities as you progress through the month, slowly finding the right balance between thoroughness and speed, but new rules constantly being introduced prevents you from getting too comfortable and keeps you on your toes.

3909 LLC



Staying on top of everything and earning enough money for your family is both rewarding and novel.



And aside from a couple of slow spots in the middle, it's really impressive that the repetitive nature of your job remains interesting for the whole four or five hours it takes to reach the end.

This is helped by the numerous moral choices you'll come across along the way.

There will be several instances where it's clear a person should be rejected, but they beg for your leniency, such is their predicament. For instance, you'll come across a wife who wants to be reunited with her husband on the other side of the border.

There is also an overarching plot that runs in the background, which you can influence by choosing whether to interfere or not. To go into too much detail will spoil some of the surprises along the way, but it's directly tied to the fascinating setting of the game.

Everything is vividly glum, harsh and dreary, with hints that Arstotzka is ruled by an oppressive government.

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The distinctly depressing colour palette complements the world extremely well - and yet, it's also visually charming at the same time.

In fact, much of this is reminiscent of The Republia Times, a previous game from Pope that was launched last year.

The dystopian vibe and numerous themes from The Republia Times are present in Papers, Please, although the ideas are more fleshed out here thanks to Papers, Please's considerably greater ambition.

The sense of urgency, the wonderfully-realised dystopian backdrop and the bevy of moral dilemmas combine with the immersive daily grind to produce an experience unlike any other.

Depending on the choices you make as well as how well you do your job over the course of the game, you will end up with one of 20 endings.

Fortunately, a clever branching save system allows you to go back and see some of the other conclusions with minimal time and effort.

Every time a day is completed, a new save is created and added to the existing tree. It's really simple to scroll back to a previous day and create a new branch, and it's surprising that not many games have thought of and implemented a similar system.



An endless mode is also featured, but despite there being a few variations (for example, 'Perfection' will end as soon as you make your first mistake) and leaderboards on Steam, the core mechanics of the game don't lend themselves well towards high score attempts and it's not nearly as enjoyable as the story.



But this highlights how excellently-crafted the campaign is and how it is more than the sum of its parts.

The sense of urgency, the wonderfully-realised dystopian backdrop and the bevy of moral dilemmas combine with the immersive daily grind to produce an experience unlike any other. Put simply, Papers, Please is a refreshingly unique game that deserves your attention.

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Papers, Please Screenshots

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