Papers, Please

 PC
User Score
8.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1617 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,350 out of 1617
  2. Mixed: 213 out of 1617
  3. Negative: 54 out of 1617

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  1. Cytokinesis
    Aug 8, 2013
    9
    One of the best games of recent years. It has become one of my favorite and most memorable games of all time right beside games like Baldur's Gate 2 and the Half Life series. It is an extremely bleak and depressing game that really makes you appreciate everything. The sound is great and I will never forget the sound of the horn. The gameplay is very simple but detail oriented. At firstOne of the best games of recent years. It has become one of my favorite and most memorable games of all time right beside games like Baldur's Gate 2 and the Half Life series. It is an extremely bleak and depressing game that really makes you appreciate everything. The sound is great and I will never forget the sound of the horn. The gameplay is very simple but detail oriented. At first glance it seems quite boring but the stakes are so high that you try to counterbalance speed and thoroughness in order to make it to the next day. It is one of the few games I have ever played that I would consider a masterpiece and possibly even art. It is enthralling and it sucks you in in a way that no other game really does. If you want a unique experience give it a shot and see if it grabs you because it is unlike everything else on the market now or that I can remember.… Expand
  2. Boelens
    Aug 8, 2013
    10
    This is an AMAZING game. I didn't expect to like it as much as I did, I thought it'd get boring after a while, turns out, it doesn't. So many things are added that keep it fun and exciting, and some of the smaller things are great too. This game really brings me to think about morals, when do you break the guidelines? What do you risk, letting someone with a weapon through, and being ableThis is an AMAZING game. I didn't expect to like it as much as I did, I thought it'd get boring after a while, turns out, it doesn't. So many things are added that keep it fun and exciting, and some of the smaller things are great too. This game really brings me to think about morals, when do you break the guidelines? What do you risk, letting someone with a weapon through, and being able to feed your family from a bribe, or do you be a good guy by the book and detain him? This is an amazing game, and I hope everyone else enjoys it as much as I do.… Expand
  3. UnbiasedOne
    Aug 9, 2013
    6
    Refreshing and unique but plagued by some major errors. It's a simple game, deny or allow entry to your country and look for things that do not match up on documents. However as the game progresses it gets more difficult such as more documents, height, weight, etc. this would be okay but there are two huge problems that appear. One your desk will be so crowded you will loose papers and theRefreshing and unique but plagued by some major errors. It's a simple game, deny or allow entry to your country and look for things that do not match up on documents. However as the game progresses it gets more difficult such as more documents, height, weight, etc. this would be okay but there are two huge problems that appear. One your desk will be so crowded you will loose papers and the time limit does not allow the required time to look everything over so after day 10 you are left guessing and taking shots in the dark. It also becomes boring quite fast as you are doing the same thing over and over. It has an art effect to it and it is a unique game, but it's not $10 unique.… Expand
  4. Dcruize
    Sep 29, 2013
    0
    Based on the positive reviews and score this game has received on Metacritic, I gave PP a try. I was utterly disappointed. The gameplay is entirely based around being presented with information and then having to verify that the information matches criteria specified at the start of each day. A typical early scenario would involve being handed an ID card and a work permit. You would haveBased on the positive reviews and score this game has received on Metacritic, I gave PP a try. I was utterly disappointed. The gameplay is entirely based around being presented with information and then having to verify that the information matches criteria specified at the start of each day. A typical early scenario would involve being handed an ID card and a work permit. You would have to check the following information; same ID/name on both papers, dates are correct, photo on ID matches the person handing it to you. After that, check the immigration rules for the day make sure people are allowed to enter from that country. And that is it all you do is pattern match. If that sounds like fun, give it a try. If your brain isn't wired to find pattern-matching fun, avoid like the plague.… Expand
  5. steveforrest
    Aug 10, 2013
    9
    Yes, it could be considered repetitive and monotonous, but the goal of this game is not to be action packed. Rather it is to make you think. Finding discrepancies is surprisingly engaging at points, and while trying to keep all the specific papers, stamps and whatnot organized and in your head can be difficult and occasionally overwhelming, it proves to be a surprisingly engrossing andYes, it could be considered repetitive and monotonous, but the goal of this game is not to be action packed. Rather it is to make you think. Finding discrepancies is surprisingly engaging at points, and while trying to keep all the specific papers, stamps and whatnot organized and in your head can be difficult and occasionally overwhelming, it proves to be a surprisingly engrossing and sometimes even addictive. Along with a unique art style, amusing dialogue. and a surprisingly catchy theme song (not quite sure why,) Papers, Please is a pleasant surprise and well worth ten dollars and some free time.… Expand
  6. kckkryptonite
    Aug 11, 2013
    7
    It's good for what it is, the worst thing I could say is that it perhaps gets a bit tedious at times. For a game that looks like it does, it does quite well for itself. It's really innovative and I've never played anything like it; as an immigration inspector, you must determine the validity of each person's a passport and supporting documents by comparing them to rules and regulationsIt's good for what it is, the worst thing I could say is that it perhaps gets a bit tedious at times. For a game that looks like it does, it does quite well for itself. It's really innovative and I've never played anything like it; as an immigration inspector, you must determine the validity of each person's a passport and supporting documents by comparing them to rules and regulations given to you you can eye most of the stuff, but if you aren't sure there is an "inspection tool" that allows you to know for sure if a discrepancy is found. Sometimes errors can be easy to spot like and expired passport, sometimes it's a bit trickier like a person's name or weight being incorrect. The game makes things more complex as you progress, but one of the problems I had is that the only way to tell if the gender is correct is by using the inspection tool, no thanks in part to the graphics. Overall, a very well-made game.… Expand
  7. ComicBookGuy
    Sep 13, 2013
    10
    All the fun of a soviet-era bureaucrat!

    I do miss the beta [Image perfectly depicting the text below] messages, but sadly that went and what we got was a novel, and very fantastic game.
  8. ImJTHM
    May 2, 2014
    5
    About as tedious as actually working in an immigration office, Papers, Please offers a unique story that is told in a wonderful way, but somewhere along the line, the programmers forgot that sometimes games are supposed to be FUN and have challenge.

    The gameplay of the game consists entirely of examining documents given to you by immigrants and attempting to figure out if they are lying    About as tedious as actually working in an immigration office, Papers, Please offers a unique story that is told in a wonderful way, but somewhere along the line, the programmers forgot that sometimes games are supposed to be FUN and have challenge.

    The gameplay of the game consists entirely of examining documents given to you by immigrants and attempting to figure out if they are lying about their information, forged, their documents, etc. This means looking at tiny numbers, comparing them to other numbers, comparing the person and their mugshot (which may or may not look the same, but the game considers the same person), and occasionally dealing with situations that dramatically alter the story of the game, which is actually quite good.

    This novelty is fun for the first few levels, when you are just cycling through numbers, comparing weights, heights, hairstyles, etc. However, the game quickly becomes unreasonable in what it asks. You see, this isn't a puzzler. You don't have your own time to figure these out.

    Your character is essentially paid on commission, and for every person that goes through, he gets money. For every character that goes through and shouldn't, or ones that should go through but you turn away, you are issued a citation and fined. This means that you can't buy upgrades and you can't take your money home to your family. Mess up enough times, and your family is put to death by the government.

    This completely asinine ticking clock mechanics makes the game extremely stressful in a not fun way, as you cycle through person after person, trying to match up upwards of 10 sets of rules (needs specific symbol on password, needs three forms of ID if native, two if immigrant, heights match, dates match, diplomats don't require ID, etc), which gets massively tedious incredibly quickly.

    I am a guy who loves a good story, and the story of this game really gripped me. However, the gameplay is shallow, boring, and literally just irritating. You can call it meta or whatever you want, but at the end of the day, this is a tedious game with irritating rules and a great story.    … Expand
  9. Awesumo
    Sep 2, 2013
    10
    I joined the resistance. But not because I wanted to, I HAD to. It was the only way I could feed and buy medicine for my family who were sick. I was desperate.
    Papers please is one of the most immersive gaming experiences you will ever have.
  10. jonzes
    Aug 28, 2013
    9
    Wow, what an original game. It has been well described by others so I will just say it may not be a game I play for 40 hours but it IS a game I will tell all my friends about and I will remember some of the things that happened in it long after generic shooter #213 and generic RP #695 are both long forgotten. So totally worth the ten bucks.
  11. Vamandrac
    Aug 11, 2013
    10
    I don't normally play indie games, but Papers, Please is one of those rare titles that everyone should at least try. Set in the fictional communist country of Arstotzka, you take the role of an immigration inspector at a border checkpoint. You must look over documents and use various tools in order to keep spies, smugglers and other unwanted bad people out of the country all while on theI don't normally play indie games, but Papers, Please is one of those rare titles that everyone should at least try. Set in the fictional communist country of Arstotzka, you take the role of an immigration inspector at a border checkpoint. You must look over documents and use various tools in order to keep spies, smugglers and other unwanted bad people out of the country all while on the clock. On top of this you have to make enough money to support your family and survive yourself.

    Will you follow the rules or turn to taking bribes to make ends meet? It may sound easy and perhaps even boring, but trust me that once you dive in it is really exciting. Glory to Arstotzka!    … Expand
  12. beNNx
    Aug 26, 2013
    9
    Simply amazing, I had to make a metacritic account just to say that I absolutely love this game. Not giving a perfect 10 just because it can get a bit repetitive and frustrating after many hours, but a part from that I can't find any other flaws.
    The atmosphere and the various storylines are extremely captivating, a truly unique experience, if you like videogames at all you should    Simply amazing, I had to make a metacritic account just to say that I absolutely love this game. Not giving a perfect 10 just because it can get a bit repetitive and frustrating after many hours, but a part from that I can't find any other flaws.
    The atmosphere and the various storylines are extremely captivating, a truly unique experience, if you like videogames at all you should definetly try out this one.    … Expand
  13. nuclear1980
    Sep 1, 2013
    10
    This is a class game. Dont be fooled by the graphics. They actually add something to the 1982 communist theme. This is a game full of substance and very very addictive for a reason that somehow eludes me. Perhaps it is the power of state on the peasants whilst making a lil on the side. Saying that most of my family died the first time after playing and then I was imprisoned forThis is a class game. Dont be fooled by the graphics. They actually add something to the 1982 communist theme. This is a game full of substance and very very addictive for a reason that somehow eludes me. Perhaps it is the power of state on the peasants whilst making a lil on the side. Saying that most of my family died the first time after playing and then I was imprisoned for backhanders. Great game. On top of that, it costs about £5. Winning.… Expand
  14. sherriericketts
    Sep 4, 2013
    10
    It took two sentences about the concept and about 5 seconds to sink in before I said, "TAKE MY MONEY". It has completely lived up to my expectations. It manages to set a wonderful atmosphere with surprisingly little. It's elegantly designed, plays well, and makes me want to keep coming back for more. It has a story mode with 20 endings and an "endless" mode. I've found that doing theIt took two sentences about the concept and about 5 seconds to sink in before I said, "TAKE MY MONEY". It has completely lived up to my expectations. It manages to set a wonderful atmosphere with surprisingly little. It's elegantly designed, plays well, and makes me want to keep coming back for more. It has a story mode with 20 endings and an "endless" mode. I've found that doing the right thing in the story mode doesn't always get you a good outcome, and it's left me laughing more than once. I've also found myself moving too fast and swearing when I get written up for missing one of the many details that can be wrong, but if you don't move fast enough, you won't make enough money to take care of your family. It's a great combination of both the need for speed and the need for accuracy that makes it work. It's my favorite game of the year so far and I've even been to PAX and seen all sorts of new games!… Expand
  15. d0mokun
    Sep 13, 2013
    10
    Actually the most fun I've had from any game for a long while now. The graphics are a great nod to the past, the music fits perfectly, and best of all it's a right challenge. Easily recommended by this fantastically great chap.
  16. Diddlethumb
    Oct 15, 2013
    8
    "Gameplay over graphics". I can't stress how important this quote is. Especially in this game. I'll admit, when I first saw this game, I though "Whaa...?" I mean, lets be honest. A game where all you do is approve or deny people to go through a fictional city named Arstotzka seemed creative but a bit boring. But I risked it and bought it. And I was taken by surprise how invigorating it"Gameplay over graphics". I can't stress how important this quote is. Especially in this game. I'll admit, when I first saw this game, I though "Whaa...?" I mean, lets be honest. A game where all you do is approve or deny people to go through a fictional city named Arstotzka seemed creative but a bit boring. But I risked it and bought it. And I was taken by surprise how invigorating it was! There's a unique storyline you follow through you can do tasks for the mysterious force of EZIC, or continue giving glory to Arstotzka. I admit, this game eventually gets boring and is not something you will spend 800 hours playing. But it's a concept that surprisingly bodes well with retro graphics and will keep you refreshed for a while, but again, the longevity of the game and the re-playability is a problem that is needed to be solved, even with the endless mode you can play after having fun with the storyline.… Expand
  17. TheBlueConsole
    Oct 17, 2013
    8
    I didn't expect much from a game with the concept of marking passports. But this offers unique story, CHARACTERS (Yes, a passport game with CHARACTERS. Amazing!), and gives you choices that affect the game.

    Whats not to love? Characters bribing you and illegal yet emotionally effecting or those who pay you higher than your actual paycheck will bring challenge into the game. It may be    I didn't expect much from a game with the concept of marking passports. But this offers unique story, CHARACTERS (Yes, a passport game with CHARACTERS. Amazing!), and gives you choices that affect the game.

    Whats not to love? Characters bribing you and illegal yet emotionally effecting or those who pay you higher than your actual paycheck will bring challenge into the game. It may be called "retro", but its old-school and something you can always go back to. Even though it does get repetitive, boredom is at a respected minimum thanks to the story. A strong, good story, which blew me away. The realism doesn't get ridiculous and just gets challenging and more and more lovable. Entry or deny; you feel like making a huge decision with just stamping one passport late into the game, with a great ending(s), depending on what YOU chose to do. It gives you so much choice and power. For the cheap price and upcoming fun for new players, go and buy it. You won't regret.    … Expand
  18. t4th002th
    Jan 15, 2014
    5
    hmmmm, someone can tell me whats so incredible awesome about this game? played it for half an hour and never touched it again. when i read the critics it seems to me that every indie-game becomes a 50percent+ bonus just because its "indie", which is maybe fair faced the work a little indie team has to do compared with big companies, but is not objective at all. although in respect to otherhmmmm, someone can tell me whats so incredible awesome about this game? played it for half an hour and never touched it again. when i read the critics it seems to me that every indie-game becomes a 50percent+ bonus just because its "indie", which is maybe fair faced the work a little indie team has to do compared with big companies, but is not objective at all. although in respect to other indie titles i would give this a 5. there are other indie titles with dystopian theme and riddles outthere which are way better.… Expand
  19. footfall
    Dec 1, 2013
    10
    This is an important game and worthy of your attention. This is the kind of game that advances the medium of video games and lends credence to the argument that not only are video games art, but that they can explore facets of the human experience that we otherwise would not be able to.

    You play as an immigration/border control officer, and it's your responsibility to allow or deny    This is an important game and worthy of your attention. This is the kind of game that advances the medium of video games and lends credence to the argument that not only are video games art, but that they can explore facets of the human experience that we otherwise would not be able to.

    You play as an immigration/border control officer, and it's your responsibility to allow or deny people into your country. If someone gets into the country with false info, or if you turn away a valid candidate for entry, you get fined. Money is tight, you are the only person supporting your immediate and extended family. But as the documents start piling up, the stories get sadder and sadder, the bribes/espionage/underhanded deals become more and more complex, what will you do?

    This game forces you to reflect on what kind of person you are, and how you view people around you. Do you worry only about yourself and your family? What about the wife who couldn't get a passport and will be killed if she's turned away? There are no easy choices, but you must make them.

    10/10 and this game deserves to be in a museum as well.    … Expand
  20. epichotcheese
    Jan 18, 2014
    9
    One of the greatest game I've ever played, simple in concept but extremely deep and challenging as you move on. Many surprising story elements and twists to keep things fresh. This game also changed how I feel each time I pass through an airport.
  21. UjuidarEhcram
    Sep 28, 2013
    9
    It's kind of surprising how fun this game is, considering the overwhelming feel of misery and oppression the game has. Papers, Please is a game where you play as a border inspector, checking over paperwork, looking for inconsistencies, and making choices that impact many lives, including those of your family.

    The gameplay can get intense at times as you hurry to process as many people    It's kind of surprising how fun this game is, considering the overwhelming feel of misery and oppression the game has. Papers, Please is a game where you play as a border inspector, checking over paperwork, looking for inconsistencies, and making choices that impact many lives, including those of your family.

    The gameplay can get intense at times as you hurry to process as many people correctly as possible. Papers, Please had me hooked very quickly, and never let go. I'm planning to continue playing even though I've beaten the story twice, just to get all the endings and maybe try out endless mode. There's not much music, but what's there is great and fits the game incredbily well. The graphics are beautiful. Arstotska is mostly devoid of color, and this game looks as it should. The game controls almost entirely with the mouse, allowing keyboard shortcuts if you have the money to buy them and increase your efficiency.

    I picked up Papers, Please at full price, and it was absolutely worth it. This is one of the best indie games I've played, and I think it's absolutely worth $10. I'd recommend it to just about anyone.

    Note: the game has a little non-sexual nudity that can be disabled in the options.    … Expand
  22. TKDAAH
    Aug 11, 2013
    7
    It's simple, but quite entertaining. While you are just checking papers and letting people into the country, more restrictions are added over time which keeps you on your toes a little bit. It wasn't the checking papers that made me like it so much, but the small moral dilemmas of every day life you are presented with during the game. Should you let this person through even if they haveIt's simple, but quite entertaining. While you are just checking papers and letting people into the country, more restrictions are added over time which keeps you on your toes a little bit. It wasn't the checking papers that made me like it so much, but the small moral dilemmas of every day life you are presented with during the game. Should you let this person through even if they have the right papers? Sometimes you simply didn't make enough money to pay for heating in your house. It's interesting, and the most enjoyable part is seeing who you have to check papers for next. Also, the reason why your country gets more strict on security.

    It's a cheap, simple game that is refreshing. You have to think during the game, but it isn't stressful. It really embraces you into the world and country you have to live and work in.    … Expand
  23. Marcballer
    Aug 12, 2013
    9
    An overall accurately reviewed game. Definitely worth 10$ and worth your time. However it's not for everyone. A niche title through and through that's only fun on play on try number 2 and up. First time is a bombardment of exponentially growing criteria and discrepancies that simply boggle the mind, clutter the desk and get your mother in law killed. Not for those who are afraid ofAn overall accurately reviewed game. Definitely worth 10$ and worth your time. However it's not for everyone. A niche title through and through that's only fun on play on try number 2 and up. First time is a bombardment of exponentially growing criteria and discrepancies that simply boggle the mind, clutter the desk and get your mother in law killed. Not for those who are afraid of games like Dark Souls where death and failure are constant teachers. It's a fresh, fun, innovative, and unique game that will challenge the memory and patience of those with the mind for it. Bravo for making a fantastic game out of a mostly mundane job!… Expand
  24. Atr0s
    Jun 19, 2015
    3
    Even though the amount of details in this game is quite impressive for an indie developer (you can interact with several tools to play the game), the amazement stops shortly after you play the game for more than a couple of minutes. It's a game on which all you do is pure bureaucratic procedure and it's fun as it sounds, losing the whole point of entertainment in the process. TheEven though the amount of details in this game is quite impressive for an indie developer (you can interact with several tools to play the game), the amazement stops shortly after you play the game for more than a couple of minutes. It's a game on which all you do is pure bureaucratic procedure and it's fun as it sounds, losing the whole point of entertainment in the process. The management portion of the game is minimal, leaving you only with 2 options to balance your expenses.

    3/10 for the effort.    … Expand
  25. Doghealer
    Sep 23, 2013
    10
    This is a perfect example of what all indie developers should strive for.

    You play a citizen of Arstotzka, which exists in the game's fictitious world (though with very obvious links to our real world), and you have been chosen as the border inspector of your area. Your job is to ensure that all authorized persons get in and all unauthorized persons don't. At least, as far as the    This is a perfect example of what all indie developers should strive for.

    You play a citizen of Arstotzka, which exists in the game's fictitious world (though with very obvious links to our real world), and you have been chosen as the border inspector of your area. Your job is to ensure that all authorized persons get in and all unauthorized persons don't. At least, as far as the Ministry of Labor is concerned.

    You can't neglect your personal life, however. You still have a family to take care of. And since you get paid by the person rather than by the hour, you must either work quickly and accurately, or you'll lose everything.

    Over your new career, you can expect to meet lots of interesting people. Some have lost their passport. Some are looking for other people. Some are criminals. And you're the one who casts the final word on whether they enter your country or not.

    This is the only game I've played in which a LACK of quality-of-life features actually works TOWARDS the overall feel of the game. It puts an astounding amount of effort to emulate the job of border inspector, down to every motion. Papers have to be clicked and dragged to open and read them, and stamps have to be applied, and then papers have to be handed back to the entrant. A similar game could have just had you click on one of two buttons labeled "Approve" and "Deny" to automate the process, but I feel that NOT doing that helped the overall feel.

    Always remember: Glory to Arstotzka.    … Expand
  26. suneater
    Nov 30, 2013
    8
    A very unique and flavorful puzzle game where you play as a Cold War-esque border checkpoint immigration inspector. Each in-game day is timed and presents new challenges, such as new paperwork, denying access to immigrants from a specific country, or looking for an individual on a wanted poster. There is always a sense of urgency with your income and the livelihood of your family dependingA very unique and flavorful puzzle game where you play as a Cold War-esque border checkpoint immigration inspector. Each in-game day is timed and presents new challenges, such as new paperwork, denying access to immigrants from a specific country, or looking for an individual on a wanted poster. There is always a sense of urgency with your income and the livelihood of your family depending on you to make a quota while the immigrants are harassing you to work faster. With a branching story that changes based on your actions during the days (and your post-work "upkeep" choices) and multiple endings, there are many ways to play through this exceptional experience of a game. Papers, Please is a standout spin on life in the Cold War-era Soviet states that, while depressing and repetitive at times, is something that any puzzle game fan should pick up.… Expand
  27. iseeall
    Jan 4, 2016
    6
    The game has a great and novel concept and I must say I enjoyed the setting (working as a border control official in a totalitarian country) a lot. The presentation is great, the music is also very much fun. Still the game lacks in actual gameplay. It is just about matching overwhelmingly large quantities of data, and this is very tiring and leaves you just exhausted and with a headacheThe game has a great and novel concept and I must say I enjoyed the setting (working as a border control official in a totalitarian country) a lot. The presentation is great, the music is also very much fun. Still the game lacks in actual gameplay. It is just about matching overwhelmingly large quantities of data, and this is very tiring and leaves you just exhausted and with a headache rather than provides a fun experience.

    Surely, the author tried hard to keep the small portions of fun coming in: here you get a spy, here a corrupt official, here a funny old man who happens to be a terrorist. All these small random events kept me engaged for a while. Still, all in all the game is dull and too difficult (and difficult in bad way, meaning that it strains your attention and patience instead of your intelligence). I was stressed to get all those people's documents checked and had almost no time to read those funny conversations.

    The author's goal was to show how bad the USSR was, and he did it in his own way. While playing this game I kept having this "oppressed" feeling even though I somewhat enjoyed denying entry to people (at first). For fairness sake, I must note (and no one seems to mention this in reviews) that his portrayal of a bureaucrat's life in the USSR is inaccurate to a point where I wonder if this game is a parody of exactly the USSR or just totalitarianism in general or whatever. If you didn't know this, bureaucrats in the USSR were the privileged class. And they were paid a fixed amount which never depended on their performance on their jobs - exactly that made them so inefficient. So, if this game would have to stay realistic, you as the main character would earn your $100 per day even if you'd not process a single person in the waiting line. Let the little people wait, who cares :) Hell, you could just go "to have some coffee" in the beginning of the day, and then come back after lunch or something, or only process people who offer you bribes if they want to get across the border so much. And if someone complains and an inspector from above comes to check up on you, you just share your bribes and so on. In a sense, a bureaucrat is invincible in such corrupt systems, and the game could show that. Then it would be those little people waiting in the line where you'd see the real suffering, while you'd enjoy and exploit the system in your comfortable chair. This would make a completely different game, something closer to Tropico maybe, where the smiles and jokes hide the ugliness of a corrupt society.

    As it is, the game attempts to criticize Russia but ends up being an inaccurate, thought-up presentation of something some people in the West probably want to see in history, but which didn't exist. Or is the author showing the idea of bureaucracy and totalitarianism in general? Can a western bureaucrat recognize himself in the main character, even though Arstotska sounds like a Russian word to a western player? (actually, to me as a Russian it sounds more like Czech or Polish). Anyway, a 6/10 for this novel experiment of a game which sadly fails to be entertaining after 1-2 hours.    … Expand
  28. thekillergreece
    Oct 5, 2013
    8
    This is great game! Congrats to developer who focuses on gameplay more than Graphics!This game is like serving your food to customers. Its great game!Worth the buy! But, when you progress, new features you get confused and dont exactly know what to do. Overall, worth the game to buy.
  29. Rem
    Sep 21, 2014
    7
    Papers Please smirks an interesting premise, set in a fictional Russian region known as Arstotzka, you assume the role of a border agent. One weakness of this game would be that it doesn't really give you much reason to try and earn as much to keep your family alive. I simply played for the sake of immersion. I also loved how the game always added new challenges and rules, by the end ofPapers Please smirks an interesting premise, set in a fictional Russian region known as Arstotzka, you assume the role of a border agent. One weakness of this game would be that it doesn't really give you much reason to try and earn as much to keep your family alive. I simply played for the sake of immersion. I also loved how the game always added new challenges and rules, by the end of the game, it was one of the most challenging games I've played in a while without having to fire a gun. The game surely isn't superb being that it doesn't drive you any further than your first journey and the ending, while being 20 of them, falls short. Regardless, Papers Please is worthy of Glory to Arstotzka.… Expand
  30. Carahyba
    Dec 29, 2014
    10
    Forget the bad reviewers. This game is AWESOME, perfect in every single piece of it.

    Story 10/10 (with multiple endings)
    Graphics 10/10 (retro at '80 decade storyline)
    Sounds 10/10
    Music 10/10
    Challenge 10/10
    Originality 10/10
    'Addictionality' 10/10
    Entertainment 10/10
  31. Rekia
    Oct 8, 2013
    9
    At first this game disturbed me because it was exactly like a job I had working in a call center for car insurance. Get name, match ID, match permit, make sure someone isn't trying to pawn off fake or expired information, which happens all the time, (all while attempting to do it as quickly as possible so you don't get in trouble for taking too long) and then do your best only to have yourAt first this game disturbed me because it was exactly like a job I had working in a call center for car insurance. Get name, match ID, match permit, make sure someone isn't trying to pawn off fake or expired information, which happens all the time, (all while attempting to do it as quickly as possible so you don't get in trouble for taking too long) and then do your best only to have your boss come down on you and be like "his permit was expired, did you even look?!"

    But then this game becomes more complex. You're stuck at a job, not even making enough money to keep your family warm and fed, when someone offers you a bribe to let them in. Should you do the right thing and detain them? Or should you take the money to buy the medicine that your son so desperately needs?

    I was shocked when I had to scan one of the immigrants so see if they were hiding any contraband and a fuzzy, dark, nude picture of them appears on my desk. The picture was so invasive, it reminded me instantly of a country where the people have no rights.

    It's a surprisingly emotional game, with complex moral decisions.    … Expand
  32. GeekFurious
    Aug 26, 2013
    9
    This is one of those unique games that, unless you are simply focused on the task at hand, carries with it profound questions about the nature of mankind and how we build societies.
  33. TimmytheGamer
    Aug 14, 2013
    9
    Strangely addicting! Your must complete your job with diligence and speed! You are paid for each person successfully processed through your check point. Glory to Arstotzka!
  34. MrShark1669
    Aug 10, 2013
    10
    I was surprised at how interested I would be in this game, I was skeptical at first because playing an immigration inspector sounds incredibly boring, I only expected to get 30 min out of it. (For only 10 dollars it was worth a try.) But once I started playing, the ability to decide who passed through, deciding the fate of not only other people but yourself. As you progressed more wasI was surprised at how interested I would be in this game, I was skeptical at first because playing an immigration inspector sounds incredibly boring, I only expected to get 30 min out of it. (For only 10 dollars it was worth a try.) But once I started playing, the ability to decide who passed through, deciding the fate of not only other people but yourself. As you progressed more was added to keep you playing, and if you lost, you didn't have to start all over again. It has excellent replay value as one can try to unlock all the different endings.

    Glory To Arstotzka!    … Expand
  35. netadptr0719
    Aug 12, 2013
    9
    You wouldn't think that a game with such a simple idea could be so good and so deep. Once you start playing though it actually has a way of pulling you in to the story and the consequences for you decisions. The game starts off easy enough, don't let this fool you though, as the game progresses there is a lot to take into consideration before letting someone though. You are paid on a perYou wouldn't think that a game with such a simple idea could be so good and so deep. Once you start playing though it actually has a way of pulling you in to the story and the consequences for you decisions. The game starts off easy enough, don't let this fool you though, as the game progresses there is a lot to take into consideration before letting someone though. You are paid on a per person basis and this forces you to try and balance getting the people through as fast as you can while trying to not let anything bad slip though. The game is semi-forgiving and you are allowed two mess ups a day, this sounds like plenty but you'd be surprised how many things will slip right past you. Right now you can get it on Steam for only $9.99 and for all the fun that the game provides that is a very low price.… Expand
  36. TheTruePatriot
    Aug 12, 2013
    9
    I started this game thinking it would get boring rather easily, but I was extremely wrong. All the mechanics are fantastic and fun. Everything is greatly tied into one big package and the story is just extremely fun to go through. I'd recommend it to anyone.
  37. TomBro
    Aug 29, 2013
    9
    This game is by no means absolutely perfect, but when a game is capable of making a mundane and seemingly bothersome task fun, I want to make babies with it.

    Seriously guys, how do you make babies with a game.
    I would like to know.

    Glory to Arstotzka.
  38. chilao
    Sep 5, 2013
    8
    What a creative and amazing game !
    I didn't expect to be this satisfied with it. The game play itself has a lot of details that makes it more interesting. The token idea, making every decision you take, whether agreeing with the law or going with your judgement counts !
    Too bad the "campaign" is short.
    Congratulations on delivering such a fun game. Still replaying
  39. Nester
    Sep 15, 2013
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This here has to be one of the greatest indie games I have come across in my life.

    I love how in this game tells us about the communist country we have to 'Glorify' and support it by working as the border control. We have to investigate the people who attempt to pass into our country, catch criminals on the run, secretly work with the revolutionary group, and collect income to provide for our own family. The best part is, we have to do all of this at a simply desk job!

    What I love best is have the game mechanics tells us that it is hard to do the kind things for people, as it would put you and your family at risk. I remember this one moment (P.S. SPOILER AHEAD!) when I allowed a man in, but he asked if I could allow his wife in as well, who did not have the right paperwork to enter. She begged me to let her in, otherwise she would be killed when she returns to her own country. But if I were to allow her in, I would not be my income rate to pay for rent, food and heat so that my family would survive. The game pressured me to do my job correctly or I would fail.

    In conclusion, this thrilling documentary game has given me a lot to think about when it comes to moral choices, as I think it really can bring out the true sides of your character without telling me if I did the right thing. This game is a real masterpiece and I think everyone should pick it up!    … Expand
  40. Gamer-critic
    Sep 16, 2013
    10
    Have you ever wanted to work puncher passports? Think it is very boring and not interesting job? In principle, yes but if you still want to try what it's like to manage other people's lives as if God is to count the thousands of documents in search of the slightest error? Believe me it's very interesting!
    We proved this man with the nickname 3909! It is so accurate puncher displayed    Have you ever wanted to work puncher passports? Think it is very boring and not interesting job? In principle, yes but if you still want to try what it's like to manage other people's lives as if God is to count the thousands of documents in search of the slightest error? Believe me it's very interesting!
    We proved this man with the nickname 3909! It is so accurate puncher displayed the work that creates a feeling as if he had it worked! Stunning meticulousness. Imagine this exciting picture: You're looking at documents of another immigrants, try to do it quickly, because at home you will find a sick son of a terrible disease, and the more documents you check the more money you earn, but only because of the fact that the person whom you do not have the right to put (a flaw in the documents) begs you to let him offer more money, but maybe you will calculate and take away jobs because of taking bribes, but need money for treatment! And here you are torn. That in such moments you realize what's special about this very unusual game. An unforgettable story of a nameless puncher     … Expand
  41. wittgenstein
    Nov 16, 2013
    10
    Masterpiece.

    Lucas Pope is a genius. The perfect match between simulation and graphic adventure. A game made by a one-person team succeeds where many AAA blockbusters fail (Heavy Rain, for example). Ok, maybe it's not for everyone. It requires little patience and gets harder and harder. But still is not hardcore gaming. It's art, in the form of a video-game. It make you feel lots of    Masterpiece.

    Lucas Pope is a genius. The perfect match between simulation and graphic adventure. A game made by a one-person team succeeds where many AAA blockbusters fail (Heavy Rain, for example).

    Ok, maybe it's not for everyone. It requires little patience and gets harder and harder. But still is not hardcore gaming. It's art, in the form of a video-game. It make you feel lots of stuff, not very seen in any other title. Emotions like self-shame, or guilt.

    You will like this game if you are:

    -a big fan of old school graphic adventures, but sick of almost every new title that just repeats the same formula.
    -a casual gamer who enjoys repetitive game play with great difficult curve
    -reader of classic science fiction novels like 1984
    -a citizen in a post-USSR dictatorship
    -an art lover, a humanist, who wants to know of new and exciting ways to express anger against governments with humour

    Just one advice: Bigger impact if you know nothing about the game. So, do not read too many reviews!

    Game Play and Mechanics: Challenging and entertaining.
    Plot: Not only good but perfectly integrated in game experience too.
    Graphics: Perfect. Couldn't serve better its purpose.
    Sound: Good. Just one song, lots of silence. Cheesy sound fx. Like graphics, it is what it has to be.
    Fun: Tones. And many other emotions too.    … Expand
  42. Tree151
    Nov 28, 2013
    9
    The first thing that you have to say about the game is that it is the exact opposite of adrenaline-filled action games. That doesn't mean that it doesn't fill you up with adrenaline each time you have to deny a husband entry along with his wife or choose whether a man is a terrorist or genuinely wishes to immigrate.
    The design in this game is genial, to say the least. While the objective    The first thing that you have to say about the game is that it is the exact opposite of adrenaline-filled action games. That doesn't mean that it doesn't fill you up with adrenaline each time you have to deny a husband entry along with his wife or choose whether a man is a terrorist or genuinely wishes to immigrate.
    The design in this game is genial, to say the least. While the objective in the entire game remains the same whether to allow or deny someone to pass the checkpoint, each level there is a new feature that keeps you on your guard. The graphics are humble, but in some way it actually helps portray the grim atmosphere that a border guard in a Communist country feels. The story, while there isn't that much of it up front, is still presented in pieces and is well thought. But the most amazing feature in this game is that it actually makes you think, what are you willing to do to survive? Are you willing to deny access to an innocent individual so that your family can get heating for the winter?
    Overall, this game deserves all the praise it receives. Truly an innovative, moving marvel.    … Expand
  43. TheLurkingKing
    Jan 2, 2014
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. There's something so amazing about this game that is so hard to explain. Papers, Please is an interesting game, unlike everything you have saw before. This game has you dealing with choices which can affect someone's life to either become better or worse, example, there's a guy escaping from his country with his wife, his passport has no problems, however his wife's passport has, so now you have to choose either if you will to let her pass or not. The game is pretty difficult, requiring full attetion of the player into the game. The game starts simple and gets harder, but not into unfair hard, but fair hard, because if you do something wrong it is your fault not the game's fault. Overall this game gets a 9/10 to me, while the game is good, it is not something that everyone will like about it.… Expand
  44. samdy1
    Jan 3, 2014
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game tests not only your eye for detail, but your morals. With the EZIC group conspiring against the government, you must decide whether or not you will help them and many other people in the game. Is their life worth your job?… Expand
  45. Rick_Masters
    Jan 5, 2014
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Really a Great Game... The old graphics make you doubt at first, but then you realize graphics are just suited to the game. This game is about to the get the job done, well done, and in time in order to keep playing. If you ever had a job that requires checking documents in order to approve something, this will be quite familiar.… Expand
  46. anotherplayer
    Oct 27, 2014
    9
    Another example that content is king. If you have that, you don't need a huge budget to write a very good game. Very nice surprise for the price. Great mood.
  47. Joellemm
    Aug 22, 2020
    9
    The premise should be incredibly tedious, but because everything mechanically works so soundly, and there is such clear charm and personality brimming from the start, it is actually a brilliantly engrossing experience. Comparing documents in a dystopian, fictionalised, eastern European border control point is not all this game is - quite a mouthful in any case. The minimalist gameplay getsThe premise should be incredibly tedious, but because everything mechanically works so soundly, and there is such clear charm and personality brimming from the start, it is actually a brilliantly engrossing experience. Comparing documents in a dystopian, fictionalised, eastern European border control point is not all this game is - quite a mouthful in any case. The minimalist gameplay gets more complex in every level, without ever feeling unfair. Then there are the characters, some of them reappearing, the choices you're offered, the sudden attachment to nameless family members you're told exist that must be fed and potentially medicated. The political intrigue, terrorist subplot, and the eventual feeling that you're not simply a nameless immigration control worker, but that you're in the centre of it all. And this is just a brilliant achievement on the developer's part.… Expand
  48. Kotofon
    Jun 6, 2020
    8
    Война между коммунистической Астотцкой и соседней Колечией, длившаяся шесть лет, только что закончилась, и в результате Арстотцка сумела вернуть себе принадлежащую ей по праву половину пограничного города Грештина.

    Вы - инспектор иммиграционной службы, ваша задача - контролировать поток лиц, въезжающих в Арстотцку из Колечии через Грештин. Среди толп иммигрантов, надеющихся найти в    Война между коммунистической Астотцкой и соседней Колечией, длившаяся шесть лет, только что закончилась, и в результате Арстотцка сумела вернуть себе принадлежащую ей по праву половину пограничного города Грештина.

    Вы - инспектор иммиграционной службы, ваша задача - контролировать поток лиц, въезжающих в Арстотцку из Колечии через Грештин. Среди толп иммигрантов, надеющихся найти в стране работу, и прочих визитеров скрываются контрабандисты, шпионы и террористы.    … Expand
  49. joe_mo
    Aug 29, 2013
    6
    I really thought that a game that involves processing paperwork repeatedly might be you know, boring. But so many other reviewers said it didn't, so I gave it a try. And it was sort of like pushing paperwork around which is, for me, boring. Sure, it has a nice art-y point (kafkaesque bureaucracy is terrible), but I knew that without having to pay $10. After about an hour of pushingI really thought that a game that involves processing paperwork repeatedly might be you know, boring. But so many other reviewers said it didn't, so I gave it a try. And it was sort of like pushing paperwork around which is, for me, boring. Sure, it has a nice art-y point (kafkaesque bureaucracy is terrible), but I knew that without having to pay $10. After about an hour of pushing paperwork around and trying to keep track of the rules, I lost interest. I should disclaim that I also kind of push papers for a living myself, so perhaps that's related: too much like real life, which is not what I look for in games.… Expand
  50. bryan_05
    Mar 21, 2014
    3
    If you don't like paperwork in real life I can't imagine you'd like this game. Basically you're comparing some documents to a set of rules which you have been supplied. Find a discrepancy and point it out. Miss a discrepancy and lose some points. I don't understand the hype behind this game.
  51. ArcticFox789
    Aug 9, 2013
    10
    This game is either for you or not. But when it's for you, jeez! It's quite addictive, and superbly dark in parts, considering you may have to make the choice over Heat and Food to keep alive, or Medicine for your sick son. The stories of the immigrants may even compel you to break the rules and admit them, even if it costs you food for the evening. A beautifully crafted game, that leavesThis game is either for you or not. But when it's for you, jeez! It's quite addictive, and superbly dark in parts, considering you may have to make the choice over Heat and Food to keep alive, or Medicine for your sick son. The stories of the immigrants may even compel you to break the rules and admit them, even if it costs you food for the evening. A beautifully crafted game, that leaves you questioning yourself, and your morals. Completely differing to all other games on the market, Papers, Please stands alone, and tall as one of the best games of this year.

    My one issue is the space you are given, which really runs out as the difficulty (and therefore necessary documents) increases.    … Expand
  52. adhamhany
    Feb 8, 2014
    4
    I don't understand why this game is getting so many high reviews. It does have an interesting concept behind it, forcing you into situations where you make tough moral decisions. The story premise is also fine.

    But a game needs more than that to be called great. A great game, quite simply, needs great gameplay. And this one doesn't. You keep doing the same thing over and over and over.    I don't understand why this game is getting so many high reviews. It does have an interesting concept behind it, forcing you into situations where you make tough moral decisions. The story premise is also fine.

    But a game needs more than that to be called great. A great game, quite simply, needs great gameplay. And this one doesn't. You keep doing the same thing over and over and over.

    This exemplifies what happens when you focus too much on the "artistic" side of a game, rather than create a great gaming experience, or better yet, balance both aspects.    … Expand
  53. Siresly
    Aug 9, 2013
    9
    It's a pretty brilliant, simple yet detailed game which is more engaging than it looks to have any right to be....on paper.

    Papers, Please cause no trouble.
    [APPROVED]
  54. noxteryn
    Aug 11, 2013
    10
    This game is brilliant. It starts as something completely mundane, boring office work, but very quickly turns into something so intense and suspenseful and thrilling! I was mind-blown by the elegant design. It's so simple, yet has so much depth. Definitely buy it!
  55. Coffeewaffee
    Aug 12, 2013
    10
    This is one of 'those' games. Where the concept is something you've probably never seen before and you'd think it's a boring idea.

    But when you get round to playing it, it ends up being a challenging, fun experience which also helps bring across a dark dystopian narrative about Arstotzka and the Grestin Border.

    Absolutely brilliant.
  56. Mykwon
    Aug 10, 2013
    10
    Unique and creative game proving that good game-play, addiction and fun don't necessarily come from stunning graphics and such. Played for 2 hours and only saw one of the 20 endings. Great replay value topped by a lot of potential for DLCs, Steam Workshop and upgrades. Bravo!
  57. Jones21
    Aug 9, 2013
    10
    Remember those movies where there's a scene with an immigration officer saying "can't get in without a ticket?" Well now you can play as that guy, and do things differently in my case.

    This is a game where you play as an immigration officer, determining the outcome of immigrants coming in to this bad bad country that you work with. Its soooo much better than it sounds. You check    Remember those movies where there's a scene with an immigration officer saying "can't get in without a ticket?" Well now you can play as that guy, and do things differently in my case.

    This is a game where you play as an immigration officer, determining the outcome of immigrants coming in to this bad bad country that you work with. Its soooo much better than it sounds. You check inconsistencies in people's passport. Eg: if a passport has a wrong country of issue, whether a person is male or female based on a misinformation (which leads to some hillarity when you found out that a person that looks like a woman turns out to be a guy), and bust some drug smugglers. The further you get to the game, the more it becomes interesting. You can get access to a gun because of a terrorist attack, or defuse a bomb. Also there are moments where some people doesn't have a valid document, but they are begging you to let them in. So in some of these cases its up to you if you want to be a dick or have a heart and let them in. Its a nice little touch that keeps me playing the game, for 3 hours straight i might add, and there's 20 different endings, which demands a lot of replayability.

    One complaint that I have with the game is that sometimes checking for inconsistencies can be annoying, especially during the later missions where immigrants needs a passport, permit, a personal height and weight information, so you have to have a high attention to detail because one simple mistake can cost you. A couple of times I got penalized just because the person's gender is wrong, or his height and weight is wrong, right after I checked if his country of issue, his work permit, passport expiry date and reasons of entering the country is right. But once you get experienced enough to detect those tiny flaws, the game becomes so much fun.

    One of the most interesting game I have ever played in my life, and certainly one of the best games in 2013. I would give this game a rating of so awesome I will play this again and again. Now then, I'll go back to stamping people's passports    … Expand
  58. credford
    Apr 19, 2014
    2
    I wanted to like this game. However, as a Software Engineer, the core gameplay just feels like doing extra work when I get home with a **** IDE. Even the humanizing story elements weren't enough to keep me playing. It's just not fun.
  59. mtroni
    Aug 13, 2013
    10
    An indie game that will capture your heart. If you have even the faintest understanding of history, humanity and politics, get the game and enjoy it.
  60. zakarum
    Aug 20, 2013
    10
    One of the best games I ever played. Amazing concept, story and art direction! This game actually makes a work that may be seems as boring something incredibly fun.
  61. BlueRaja
    Sep 25, 2013
    10
    For such a stupid concept, the author (yes, one guy) did a ridiculously good job. A small slipup and this game could have EASILY become repetitive, but he polished it so well (a bit of unique dialog here, a side-goal there) that it never actually feels that way. This is exactly what I game should be. I don't think this game could really be improved upon at all.
  62. Dovahbear
    Aug 15, 2013
    10
    I played the game since Beta and I didn't expected to be such a great game

    Multiple endings? Check
    Great storyline? Check
    Tokens aka collector's badges? Check
    Increasing difficulty? Check
    Great 8-bit graphics? Check

    Game has very high repeat value and you can play again and again with different decisions and everything. Now go buy the game!
  63. Piscaso
    Aug 11, 2013
    10
    This game has a few things that can either be called flaws, or another factor for why this game is a 10/10.
    Pros
    First. This IS a puzzle game. Now you might go "Darn, I heard it was good. Nevermind." Or "YES." If you said the former I feel bad for you. Second. The story... That's all there is to say. Third. Interface is pretty cool. Fourth. THE SOUNDTRACK. OH MY GOD THAT MAIN THEME.    This game has a few things that can either be called flaws, or another factor for why this game is a 10/10.
    Pros
    First. This IS a puzzle game. Now you might go "Darn, I heard it was good. Nevermind." Or "YES." If you said the former I feel bad for you.
    Second. The story... That's all there is to say.
    Third. Interface is pretty cool.
    Fourth. THE SOUNDTRACK. OH MY GOD THAT MAIN THEME.
    Final. The feel around this game. It's not a very funny game. It's either viewed as dark and/or dramatic.
    Con(?)
    It gets exponentially harder each day.
    But hopefully you don't shy away from a challenge. ;P

    Conclusion...
    One of the best games of the year.    … Expand
  64. regortaz
    Aug 10, 2013
    10
    Glory to Arstotzka! Unique gameplay elements, totally immersive, great if you need some distraction from real life and all of these are in a $10 indie game! Just buy it, you won't regret it.

    And I know this is my first review and I'm giving away a 10 but I assure you I'm not the dev himself or paid by the dev to write this. Just loved the game and the dev needs every tiny bit of support    Glory to Arstotzka! Unique gameplay elements, totally immersive, great if you need some distraction from real life and all of these are in a $10 indie game! Just buy it, you won't regret it.

    And I know this is my first review and I'm giving away a 10 but I assure you I'm not the dev himself or paid by the dev to write this. Just loved the game and the dev needs every tiny bit of support he can get.    … Expand
  65. hyp3r309
    Sep 15, 2013
    10
    Papers, Please is an original title that really shows you the meaning of 'indecisive'. The concept at first may sound quite boring, but once you get into it, you can't turn back. The immersion is amazing, no matter how pixelated the game is, and really gets to your empathetic side once the big decisions come in. You basically choose whether to be the good border officer, that falls for thePapers, Please is an original title that really shows you the meaning of 'indecisive'. The concept at first may sound quite boring, but once you get into it, you can't turn back. The immersion is amazing, no matter how pixelated the game is, and really gets to your empathetic side once the big decisions come in. You basically choose whether to be the good border officer, that falls for the sad stories or the bad border officer, that strictly follows the rules. But at the end of the day, you just need to keep your family alive and get through the struggle of being an Arstotzkan citizen. Well done Lucas Pope, well done.

    Glory to Arstotzka.    … Expand
  66. Gamer147
    Aug 22, 2013
    5
    I could see the appeal, I enjoyed the unique concept and really tried liking it. But, honestly? I think it's either you like it or you don't. Well done, yet not for me.
  67. Sarcinelli
    Aug 9, 2013
    10
    This game is so unique that it's hard to even fit it on a specific genre.

    The game puts you on the skin of an Immigration Inspector and you have to go through the daily routine of analyzing the documents of people trying to cross the border. Your salary is based on your performance, the more people you let in more you earn but if you let illegal people through you are punished. As if    This game is so unique that it's hard to even fit it on a specific genre.

    The game puts you on the skin of an Immigration Inspector and you have to go through the daily routine of analyzing the documents of people trying to cross the border. Your salary is based on your performance, the more people you let in more you earn but if you let illegal people through you are punished.

    As if this weren't pressure enough you have to manage your money and make sure you have enough to pay the rent, buy food and medicine to your family and keep them warm through the winter.

    It's really amazing how emotionally connected you become after playing for just a few of minutes, the game oozes atmosphere and tension.

    Do yourself a favor and try out the demo.
    Just google it, I dare you not to buy it after playing through the demo.    … Expand
  68. matijakevic
    Aug 9, 2013
    10
    Such an awesome game! It has many features adding so game doesn't get boring. I really think it has hidden metaphor of the world. It's very simple, easy to control. It really deserves this rating!
  69. Brosman
    Aug 9, 2013
    10
    Genius, challenging, gripping, and fun. Not only does this game make some worthwhile political statements, it also makes a perfect grim and dark atmosphere where you are always on edge and all of your actions have consiqunces. The game is also shockingly good and completely original. I cannot reccomend this game enough. Support this game!
  70. emanb29
    Dec 7, 2013
    3
    Good game, but gets repetitive very quickly. It's difficulty curve is much too steep, progressing from "I can do this blindfolded" to "crap I lost again" in around 3 levels.
  71. eternalsnows
    Sep 6, 2013
    5
    Papers, Please is a very original game, but unfortunately it doesn't reward the time you spend with it. During the first hour or two of playtime it's easy to find yourself immersed in the dystopian fictional world and curious about what will happen next. However, after a while you realize that there is very little variety in terms of the scenarios that present themselves. Assuming youPapers, Please is a very original game, but unfortunately it doesn't reward the time you spend with it. During the first hour or two of playtime it's easy to find yourself immersed in the dystopian fictional world and curious about what will happen next. However, after a while you realize that there is very little variety in terms of the scenarios that present themselves. Assuming you manage to stay on the good side of your superiors, this lack of variety leads to sessions that drag on and on and become extremely tedious.

    After reaching the end of any given playthrough there's little point in playing again. The only changes you'll encounter are when you get to choose a slightly different path by allowing somebody's wife through (or not), confiscating a diplomat's passport (or not), and so on. The differences in outcome are minor at best and certainly not worth 30-60 minutes of drudgery as you click through endless piles of documents.

    The game's presentation is bare bones, but I think the audio and visual style works well and accomplishes what it sets out to do. The interface is decent, although the small space you have to work with means getting papers lost under other ones and lots of annoyance as you go digging for whatever it is you're looking for. The system for finding discrepancies is a fairly opaque at first, which will lead to frustration as you wonder how to properly execute your instructions. Even later on this can be an issue at times as the demands you're placed under become more and more complex.

    I think Papers, Please is an interesting experiment and worth at least playing around with for a few hours. I'd definitely wait for it to go on sale though. I just don't think most people will find enough enjoyment here to justify paying full price.    … Expand
  72. TitaniumDragon
    Jul 9, 2014
    7
    Papers, Please is a very strange and difficult to rate game. You are an immigration officer, charged with determining who to let into the fictional Eastern European communist country of Arstotzka. Even the genre of the game is rather hard to pin down; ultimately, the game boils down to trying to find inconsistencies in the papers, making it a puzzle game of sorts, but it somehow lendsPapers, Please is a very strange and difficult to rate game. You are an immigration officer, charged with determining who to let into the fictional Eastern European communist country of Arstotzka. Even the genre of the game is rather hard to pin down; ultimately, the game boils down to trying to find inconsistencies in the papers, making it a puzzle game of sorts, but it somehow lends checking people’s paperwork an air of great gravity and tension, even if the actual activity itself is rather boring.

    I don’t know if you can really say that Papers, Please is a fun game; there is a great feeling of tension throughout, and yet also of monotony. Somehow, you feel obligated to keep your faceless family members alive; somehow, you feel like the question of a bribe is a real one that has real weight; somehow, you feel like what you’re doing is important. And yet, ultimately, you’re just checking paperwork and determining whether or not to let people through based on the paperwork and your own feelings about the situation.

    It is definitely an engaging experience, but I'm not sure if I can really say that I had fun playing it, apart from the interactions with Jorji and the tasks I did for EZIC. But I still played all the way through without putting it down.    … Expand
  73. Wilcar
    Aug 11, 2013
    10
    i have beaten this game 4 times thus far and its amazing every time there are a lot of different endings. people complain over the desk being to crowded in the later days.. like i said i've beaten this game 4 times already and i have had NO problem with that.. they must be slobs in real life be organized and you'll do fine
  74. ultraviper
    Sep 24, 2013
    8
    The most addicting paperwork simulator I've ever played. And the creator somehow found a way to weave an interesting storyline into a game where the core gameplay is checking expiration dates on passports.
  75. Gnawer
    Aug 16, 2013
    9
    Surprisingly entertaining game, considering how simple it is. Gives some insight to a real-world passport control job. Graphics could be better, but it's not a big flaw in this case.
  76. PixelatedSloth
    Sep 18, 2013
    10
    Papers, Please is a unique game that require your full attention.
    In this game you are chosen from a lottery to work at a border in Artstozka to keep your family healthy and well fed.
  77. DogRocket23
    Oct 14, 2013
    8
    Papers, Please is a very peculiar game. I don't know what to say besides it finds a way to make tedious paperwork engaging and fun. The story and decisions are dark yet silly. For the price it is a very enjoyable game.
  78. PublicNuisance
    Nov 17, 2020
    5
    I wanted to like Papers Please. I liked it’s theme and attention to detail but it went too far. It crossed from having to be attentive to straight up sadism. It quickly became a chore of having to watch out for too many different variables and the punishments stacking up. One could say this is realistic to life in a totalitarian country but in the end games are still supposed to be fun. II wanted to like Papers Please. I liked it’s theme and attention to detail but it went too far. It crossed from having to be attentive to straight up sadism. It quickly became a chore of having to watch out for too many different variables and the punishments stacking up. One could say this is realistic to life in a totalitarian country but in the end games are still supposed to be fun. I liked how you have to pick what to spend what money you have and deal with the consequences. I enjoyed having to check regional maps for cities of issue. I found the buttons to interrogate and to check correlated data a bit clunky which is a bad thing when you’re on the clock. I think the game had a surprising amount of story and different endings based on various criteria.

    I played Papers Please on Linux. It never crashed on me. It does require version 2.29 or higher of glibc so not every distro will run it. The game crashed on Trisquel due to this but ran on Manjaro. There is no manual save options, it saves at the beginning of each day. Alt-Tab works. There are no graphics options.

    Game Engine: Unknown
    Game Version Played: 1.2.69
    Save System: Auto
    Disk Space Used: 80 MB
    GPU Usage: 5-17 %
    CPU Usage: 1-2 %
    RAM Usage: 1.6-1.7 GB

    I can see how this could have been a game I enjoyed but it was too much thrown at you. It seemed like a Dark Souls or Super Meat Boy of the simulator genre. Something you can’t relax to but need to stay on edge for. This may be fun for some but not for me.

    My Score: 5.5/10

    My System:

    AMD Ryzen 5 2600X | 16GB DDR4-3000 CL15 | Gigabyte R9 270 2GB | Mesa 20.2.1 | Samsung 970 Evo Plus 500GB | Manjaro 20.2 | Mate 1.24.1 | Kernel 5.9-3-MANJARO    … Expand
  79. GapeHorn
    Jan 6, 2022
    2
    its a good waste of time. it is not a good game. Very skippable. Skip this game.
  80. CasperRosewater
    Nov 25, 2013
    2
    I'm admittedly hard to please; I purchase four or five games for every one that I truly enjoy and can stay with to get all the way through.I give the developers of 'Papers, Please' credit for trying something unusual and different; that's exactly what gaming needs and precisely what I want and hoped for in this game. I truly wanted to like it. But this game but it is utterly boring. MaybeI'm admittedly hard to please; I purchase four or five games for every one that I truly enjoy and can stay with to get all the way through.I give the developers of 'Papers, Please' credit for trying something unusual and different; that's exactly what gaming needs and precisely what I want and hoped for in this game. I truly wanted to like it. But this game but it is utterly boring. Maybe it gets better further and deeper into the game. I dunno, I couldn't get past 20 minutes and I restarted two or three times and always abandoned at the approximate same place there was nothing happening.Nice try though. Two starts for being unique, otherwise zero.… Expand
  81. Broyax
    Jan 8, 2017
    0
    Moué, un "jeu" vite fait, bricolé dans une cave et codé avec les pieds sur un Amstrad en 16 couleurs EGA, un petit délire gratuit d'un branque qui a trop forcé sur l'apéro... euh attends... gratuit ? ah nan le gars, il le vend, il veut de l'argent en échange ! on marche sur la tête.

    Pourtant, un simulateur de douanier, de délit de faciès et de contrôle d'immigration, c'est parfois    Moué, un "jeu" vite fait, bricolé dans une cave et codé avec les pieds sur un Amstrad en 16 couleurs EGA, un petit délire gratuit d'un branque qui a trop forcé sur l'apéro... euh attends... gratuit ? ah nan le gars, il le vend, il veut de l'argent en échange ! on marche sur la tête.

    Pourtant, un simulateur de douanier, de délit de faciès et de contrôle d'immigration, c'est parfois marrant. J'aime bien débusquer les **** truqueurs de merde parce que j'suis douanier mais faut pas me prendre pour un con ! j'ai l'oeil et c'est comme ça que je gagne ma vie derrière le rideau de fer.

    Très répétitif, très limité, ce non-jeu ne mérite pas le moindre kopeck mais on peut comprendre l'engouement anarcho-gauchiste qu'il a provoqué : abolissez les frontières, libre circulation des biens et des personnes, vivre ensemble et heal the world !    … Expand
  82. Skulb
    Mar 8, 2015
    7
    This is a depressingly realistic game but not an entirely unrewarding one. In fact it takes a very simple concept; paperwork in increasing quantities and of increasing complexity; and asks that you check it against existing guidelines for mistakes or falsehoods. At first it is about as exciting as it sounds. But then the pressures of getting this tedium out of the way quickly so you canThis is a depressingly realistic game but not an entirely unrewarding one. In fact it takes a very simple concept; paperwork in increasing quantities and of increasing complexity; and asks that you check it against existing guidelines for mistakes or falsehoods. At first it is about as exciting as it sounds. But then the pressures of getting this tedium out of the way quickly so you can service as many people during a shift as possible, in order to pay your bills, and of doing it without mistakes so you won`t be fined start to kick in. The more rules you have to observe and the more papers have to be shown by every person entering your booth the harder it gets to keep things moving along. Rush and you`ll make mistakes and get fined. Be too conscientious and you won`t have time to get enough people through customs, or indeed rejected for some discrepancy. It is a fascinating process to go through, and at the end of it you must necessarily have developed your own system for checking all the facts you need to check in a timely and organized fashion, or it`s just not going to be possible.
    Just listing all the possible mistakes you can make in the sea of papers and procedures this game throws at you would be too long. Wrong gender on the passport, wrong picture, wrong name on the work visa, wrong date on the access pass, wrong city of issue on the passport, bomb strapped to leg which you couldn`t find. It is endless but all just natural and inevitable consequences of the complexity of the concept. Which is basically monotonous paperwork at a border crossing. It should be neither fun or engaging but somehow it manages to be. At least for a while.

    I would score it higher like all the hipsters are doing. But the game suffers from a distinct lack of replayability. Not that it necessarily needs it. It is obviously amongst other things a political and social statement which also forces some stark moral choices on the player as it goes along. But replaying the same days over again becomes less and less alluring with each new start until you just call it a day at some point. I got to day 21 (Out of 30 I believe) before I was arrested on my last game. And I just couldn`t face going through all those days one more time, just so I could see the last week and a half. Call me a quitter!    … Expand
  83. Shenanigoats
    Aug 9, 2013
    9
    This game is good, but it does have a few flaws. Having worked a similar situation in real life, the penalty/reward system seems a bit harsh. Denying entry based on suspicion is not typically frowned upon. Also, as mentioned in other reviews, checking height and weight is both difficult to do if you weren't brought up in the metric system and mechanically frustrating (I knew someone was aThis game is good, but it does have a few flaws. Having worked a similar situation in real life, the penalty/reward system seems a bit harsh. Denying entry based on suspicion is not typically frowned upon. Also, as mentioned in other reviews, checking height and weight is both difficult to do if you weren't brought up in the metric system and mechanically frustrating (I knew someone was a wrong weight but I couldn't call them out on it). That being said, this game is incredibly fun to play. 20 different endings is nice and all, but each day is scripted and rewards/punishments are always the same, making for about two legit replays for the intelligent player.… Expand
  84. JasonDaCritic
    Aug 31, 2013
    10
    Outstanding GAME! I've bought the game and it was worth it. The story is amazing whoever wrote it deserves a trophy! Overall: Good and maybe a bit longer I guess.
  85. raashnavj
    Sep 13, 2016
    0
    Work... Seriously someone made a game that is worse that work. How this got positive reviews beats me...

    It starts harmless enough, you compare a few numbers and rules and stamp it approved or denied. Then it adds in checking for another document, and then another, and then another. All for almost no pay, your family will get sick. I guess if you play it a few times you will    Work... Seriously someone made a game that is worse that work. How this got positive reviews beats me...

    It starts harmless enough, you compare a few numbers and rules and stamp it approved or denied.
    Then it adds in checking for another document,
    and then another,
    and then another.
    All for almost no pay, your family will get sick.

    I guess if you play it a few times you will memorize the handbook which will make things go faster. But seriously people? Have we come this far that 'entertainment' is pretending to do a job that absolutely sucks and then giving it great reviews? People now-a-days have issues.    … Expand
  86. Zekraviax
    Aug 24, 2013
    6
    Papers, Please is certainly a unique game. But being unique doesn't necessarily mean being good. The entire premise is accepting or rejecting people into your country. It was fun for a while, but there just isn't enough to keep you playing. The difficulty takes a massive spike a few 'days' into the game, and it becomes a rush to check everything for errors against the abysmally short clockPapers, Please is certainly a unique game. But being unique doesn't necessarily mean being good. The entire premise is accepting or rejecting people into your country. It was fun for a while, but there just isn't enough to keep you playing. The difficulty takes a massive spike a few 'days' into the game, and it becomes a rush to check everything for errors against the abysmally short clock counting down until you reach the end of the day. It's an interesting idea, but it could have been done much better.… Expand
  87. Garethw87
    Dec 26, 2013
    3
    I'm giving this game a 3, simply because the theme of the game is very interesting. However, despite all the hype and attention, there is nothing here. In a quick overview. You have a screen that resembles a counter and a shutter. Somebody appears (the graphical style is akin to old 8-bit 16-bit) and presents a document. You then have to match up that document with whichever order youI'm giving this game a 3, simply because the theme of the game is very interesting. However, despite all the hype and attention, there is nothing here. In a quick overview. You have a screen that resembles a counter and a shutter. Somebody appears (the graphical style is akin to old 8-bit 16-bit) and presents a document. You then have to match up that document with whichever order you have receieved for that day, i.e. No foreign passports today so every foreign passport you deny entry and they walk off. That is all the game is. Obviously the scenarios change and maybe it will be "foreigners allowed today but only from X,Y region" You are just matching up lines of text from your handbook, daily orders to which ever you are presented with. Once the day finishes you get money. You have a few family members, just text on the screen, and you have to buy food, rent, heating, medicine. They can die and so can you, which results in game over. I picked this game up on Steam Sale for about £3.00 I still regret buying it.… Expand
  88. Deschain89
    Aug 22, 2013
    5
    I have poured more than 10 hours on this game, and even if I like it, I cannot bring myself to give it more than an average score. Don't get me wrong, was this 1995, this game would have been a fond memory, and being a product of it's time, it would have been a personal favorite.

    But here is the catch, it's not 1995, the standards for released games are much higher than it were. No    I have poured more than 10 hours on this game, and even if I like it, I cannot bring myself to give it more than an average score. Don't get me wrong, was this 1995, this game would have been a fond memory, and being a product of it's time, it would have been a personal favorite.

    But here is the catch, it's not 1995, the standards for released games are much higher than it were. No longer can a game like this shine when it has the likes of Red Dead Redemption, Europa Universalis IV, and Bioshock to compete against. It's addictive, it relies on oneself to solve the oh so mighty question of whether this dear old Kolechian lady is trying to get away with cheating the system, and it's really fun because of it.

    But it's no masterpiece, it's no 9/10. It can't be, not anymore. It's time could have been 20 years ago. And before you dismiss my review, I get the whole retro look, the Indie scene, and all that, I just don't use it as a get out of jail card.

    Ten hours into the game, and I'm done, I will never look back on it. It's not a jewel, it's a fake renaissance painting, and everyone is falling for it.    … Expand
  89. riley794
    Jan 21, 2016
    0
    I heard it was fun but it looked terrible so I waited till a good Steam sale to pick it up. Still feel like I got ripped off. This game is worth nothing. Please if you think this game is fun I have an even better game for you to play called cleaning my house. Probably the worst game I have ever played! If you are having fun playing this game there is something missing from you lifeI heard it was fun but it looked terrible so I waited till a good Steam sale to pick it up. Still feel like I got ripped off. This game is worth nothing. Please if you think this game is fun I have an even better game for you to play called cleaning my house. Probably the worst game I have ever played! If you are having fun playing this game there is something missing from you life called a job!… Expand
  90. ConorHat
    Apr 12, 2014
    0
    I have a hard time understanding why gamers want stuff like this? I grew up using an IBM 486, and the graphics then were better than this, that was in the 80's. Honestly, pattern recognition and some basic choices of whether to be a traitor or not, and that sums it all up. 85/100 for this? It's time for me to find a new hobby I think.
  91. farmvilleif1
    Dec 13, 2013
    0
    No mundo dos games, também existem aqueles jogos que são uma verdadeira porcaria. Blé, que jogo ruim. Mecanicas repetitivas, jogo previsível, chato e sem graça
  92. MigRib
    Apr 16, 2014
    0
    Could someone (please) remind the hipsters that the 80s are long gone? This is not a Spectrum 48k game, it shouldn't look like one. This kind of thing keeps on showing up with wonderful reviews, written by people who use admire so much "the classics" even though they (probably) weren't even born when the bloody classics were new... It's just rubbish, treat it as such.
  93. Duresthar
    Jun 23, 2014
    10
    Incredibly good game, one of the more recent games that have actually been worth the money in terms of time invested and entertainment value. Unfortunately, i'm extremely bad at selling the concept of this game to my friends. Must make them play it.
  94. Loucetios
    Dec 24, 2013
    10
    Great game, you should really play it.

    One would think it'd get boring after a while but if you stick with it you'll be rewarded.

    Easily the best indie game of 2013 in my opinion. It's a very unique game and isn't trying to ripoff something else and be a 'me too' product which earns it big points in my book.
  95. Tubey
    Dec 22, 2013
    9
    An astonishing gaming experience, 'Papers, Please' delivers on its premise and then some, managing to be entertaining, addictive, thought-provoking and funny at the same time. True, it's not a game that will suit the impatient (the Michael Bay's of this world will be confused at the lack of mindless explosions and FPS style of gameplay) but for the rest of us it's a unique game that isAn astonishing gaming experience, 'Papers, Please' delivers on its premise and then some, managing to be entertaining, addictive, thought-provoking and funny at the same time. True, it's not a game that will suit the impatient (the Michael Bay's of this world will be confused at the lack of mindless explosions and FPS style of gameplay) but for the rest of us it's a unique game that is thoroughly worth the price of admission.… Expand
  96. notchedbandit
    Aug 19, 2013
    8
    This is a great game that deserves all the hype it's getting. You basically work at at the border for passport control and make sure the people who try to get in the country are legit. You check if they are carrying any weapons, you check if their passports are correct etc. It's a fun little game, but it can get extremely linear and boring after an hour of playing, which is why I rate it aThis is a great game that deserves all the hype it's getting. You basically work at at the border for passport control and make sure the people who try to get in the country are legit. You check if they are carrying any weapons, you check if their passports are correct etc. It's a fun little game, but it can get extremely linear and boring after an hour of playing, which is why I rate it a 8 out of 10.… Expand
  97. Jonex
    Oct 20, 2013
    8
    I'm was really surprised by this game. I'm not a fan of 8-bit graphics or the concept of sitting behind a desk and checking people's papers, but this game made it fun and interesting! There's also a decent amount of humour to keep things lively!

    Whatever doubts you may have about this game, set them aside. There's a deep and meaningful story that takes time to show itself, but it's    I'm was really surprised by this game. I'm not a fan of 8-bit graphics or the concept of sitting behind a desk and checking people's papers, but this game made it fun and interesting! There's also a decent amount of humour to keep things lively!

    Whatever doubts you may have about this game, set them aside. There's a deep and meaningful story that takes time to show itself, but it's worth the journey, and all the hard work :P    … Expand
  98. sergiomach5
    Aug 22, 2013
    9
    Strangely absorbing game where you simulate work as a border control inspector during the communist era eastern bloc and have to work to feed your family. A great example of gameplay over graphics, must be played to be believed
  99. mertcank97
    Aug 17, 2014
    10
    Game is very addictive and background track is awesome. :) Don't jugde it just because it doesn't have so many Holywood effects or excellent graphics. It is 30 MB-game and so good. :) There is one thing to say 'Glory to Arstotzka!'
  100. drakesummers
    Aug 10, 2013
    10
    This is a quirky but very fun game to be playing. I am surprised more games like this are not around, what the developer has done was made a game for one of the most likely of jobs and made it enjoyable and add the right sort of humour into the mix for effect. Played for hours and that was only the beta, brought it the minute that had finished and enjoying myself even more playing the fullThis is a quirky but very fun game to be playing. I am surprised more games like this are not around, what the developer has done was made a game for one of the most likely of jobs and made it enjoyable and add the right sort of humour into the mix for effect. Played for hours and that was only the beta, brought it the minute that had finished and enjoying myself even more playing the full version. Well worth the money to support quality gaming like this.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

29
#29 Best PC Game of 2013
28
#28 Most Discussed PC Game of 2013
56
#56 Most Shared PC Game of 2013

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
85

Generally favorable reviews - based on 40 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 39 out of 40
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 40
  3. Negative: 0 out of 40
  1. Gamer.nl
    Jan 2, 2014
    85
    Papers, Please gives you a simple task that doesn't ask a lot of you. The game outgrows its mechanics though, by appealing to your moral compass and emotions. This indie game will get under your skin, will have you feeling uncomfortable and have you think about yourself, as a person.
    Read full review
  2. GameFront
    Oct 14, 2013
    90
    An incredibly impressive little game, from its understated old-school art style to its ability to make you feel uncomfortable with how much you enjoy catching criminals trying to trick their way into your country.
    Read full review
  3. Pelit (Finland)
    Oct 5, 2013
    89
    Papers, Please is not only original but fun, too. More papers, please! [Sept 2013]
See all critic reviews »