And every time you let mess up, you lose the money you'd have earned for properly processing that batch of paperwork. But before long, Papers, Please becomes a tension-filled juggling act, as you're cross-referencing work permits with identity cards, making sure the applicant's weight matches the value on their entry papers, checking fingerprint records and sometimes doing full-body scans for drugs and weapons.Įvery new day adds new rules to follow and new layers of complexity, from making sure applicants' vaccinations are up to date to applying a draconian extra level of inspection for citizens of a rival nation. Your job is simple, at least in concept: examine the documents of people who are trying to get into the country, and determine whether they're eligible for entry or should be turned away.Īt first it's as easy as checking criteria like passport expiry dates, and rejecting paperwork that's invalid or forged. It's been dubbed a "paperwork simulator" - and that's not entirely inaccurate - but it's truly a game about freedom, power and how fleeting and illusory each can be.Īn independent game designed by former Naughty Dog programmer Lucas Pope and available through Papers, Please casts players as a border checkpoint officer in the fictional communist country of Arstotzka. Ideal subject matter for a video game, no?Īnd yet Papers, Please is an unforgettable experience. Now imagine doing that in an Eastern Bloc country during the height of the Cold War, with low pay, bleak conditions and the constant threat of being fired - or worse - if you screw up. Manage Print Subscription / Tax Receiptįew jobs are more soul-sucking than sitting at a cramped desk and shuffling paperwork for hours on end.
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