So. Papers Please. Where do I begin that hasn’t already said about this addictive game, where the slightest of discrepancies can screw you over if you don’t catch them in time?
The date is November in 1982. You’ve won in a lotto to work, as an immigrations officer in the glorious country of Arstotzka(one of the many alternate reality countries), which you also live in. You’re also raising your family in a crappy apartment. How well you do your job depends on their well-being. So, it can be seen as “Real Life, the game”.
To do your job, you must either Deny or Approve entry of several immigrants and citizens of a single day, each day with slightly increased difficulty.
All while having to beat the clock.
It starts off from not allowing people that aren’t in the country, and the ones that are have to have up-to-date info. All the way to taking bribes of allowing entry. It uses your own morals against you.
Like on Day 5, you have this husband and wife that are fleeing the country and looking for safe haven. You notice that he isn’t telling you why he’s here. Do you deny this, or do you allow it based on your morals?
And the wife, who doesn’t have the correct papers. This is a no no. Yet she begs you to let her be with her husband, saying they will kill her if she goes back. Again, mortal values, or having to stick to the book?
What burns my ass, is there seems to be an invisible second inspector that is always happy to print out the “UGH!!” pink citations… even the slightest little mistake (like the person’s passport issuing in a city with one letter….ONE LETTER off) can and will cost you.
The first two are just warnings. But the 3rd and on start to cost you in fines, and it grows the more you screw up. Fail enough times and you’ll eventually reach a point you can’t afford them, and then it’s game over.
So, don’t screw up. And glory to Arstotzka!