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. Termin8ter
    Sep 2, 2017
    8
    The reason this game peaked my interest was because Davey Wreden, the creator of The Stanley Parable and The Beginner's Guide expressed respect for the small indie title. So i dived right in, not sure what to expect. First off, the graphics are just terrible. But luckily, that doesn't detract from the experience playing the game. Second, the game is very cleverly designed. Not so much withThe reason this game peaked my interest was because Davey Wreden, the creator of The Stanley Parable and The Beginner's Guide expressed respect for the small indie title. So i dived right in, not sure what to expect. First off, the graphics are just terrible. But luckily, that doesn't detract from the experience playing the game. Second, the game is very cleverly designed. Not so much with the attention to detail in the look of the game, but about the subtle and clever moral dilemmas that this game springs on you during it's runtime. Great game, but not for everyone. Get it for a cheap price to see if it's for you or not.… Expand
  2. PlagaMedicum
    Jul 9, 2017
    10
    Замечательная игра. Её создатели очень постарались над разнообразием геймплея, атмосферой и проработанностью этого мира. Начинаешь верить, что это реально, что эти люди реальны. Советую попробовать, если еще не сделали этого.
    Слава Арстоцке!    Замечательная игра. Её создатели очень постарались над разнообразием геймплея, атмосферой и проработанностью этого мира. Начинаешь верить, что это реально, что эти люди реальны. Советую попробовать, если еще не сделали этого.
    Слава Арстоцке!
  3. hassall
    May 13, 2017
    8
    Very fun game when you are bored and have nothing to do. 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. Still a very fun game and a good time killer.
  4. Perfected
    Mar 28, 2017
    6
    Gaming is TERRIBLY flawed from a logical stand point. After a certain point in the game, the vast majority of people will all not have proper documentation and it just really removes me from the games immersion.

    Encounters are extremely repetitive and dull. The game is clearly meant for the IOS and its just grindy and boring. 6/10 do not recommend, its a flawed boring dull game    Gaming is TERRIBLY flawed from a logical stand point. After a certain point in the game, the vast majority of people will all not have proper documentation and it just really removes me from the games immersion.

    Encounters are extremely repetitive and dull.

    The game is clearly meant for the IOS and its just grindy and boring.

    6/10 do not recommend, its a flawed boring dull game that has tons of logical errors when it comes to customs / border patrol / immigration.    … Expand
  5. SolidCenturio
    Jan 27, 2017
    9
    It's not as flashy as some 3D games, but it's beautiful. It isn't as loud as other games, but it's sensational. It's not as verbose as other story-focused games, yet it's very emotional, and managed to tell a story through your actions. Who knew that taking on the role of an immigration inspector could be so nerve-wracking, yet so rewarding at the same time. You just spend your time behindIt's not as flashy as some 3D games, but it's beautiful. It isn't as loud as other games, but it's sensational. It's not as verbose as other story-focused games, yet it's very emotional, and managed to tell a story through your actions. Who knew that taking on the role of an immigration inspector could be so nerve-wracking, yet so rewarding at the same time. You just spend your time behind the desk; you approve or deny visas, and wish that at the end of the day, you've got enough money to feed your family some bread.

    With your role as an inspector, you get to choose the fate of the immigrants and the country. People desperately want to get inside, and they'll do absolutely anything for an approval. Sometimes, more extreme solutions come into the minds of people, and they'll just climb over the border to be shot by guards. If you fail your duties, the country temporarily goes into a state of disarray, and employs tighter security measures which makes your job harder. A harder job means more papers. More papers means more time observing discrepancies. More time observing discrepancies means that the immigration line moves slower - and a slow line doesn't pay the bills. Don't be surprised if, by the end of the day, your family died of hunger just because you didn't work harder for the country.

    It's very interesting to see how something so minimal, could be so powerful. The player works a mere desk job, yet becomes judge and protector of this fictional country. You connect entrants with their loved ones; you give immigrants better lives; you give people a new start - all with a single stamp. It's storytelling at one of its finest moments, and Papers, Please showed what the medium is truly capable of.

    And there you have it.    … Expand
  6. 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
  7. mo0nbuggy1
    Dec 24, 2016
    10
    Original, interesting, hard, unforgiving, funny, sad.....
    The list goes on.
    This is one of the best indie games of all time. I can't wait for number two.
  8. Hassaleh
    Oct 14, 2016
    10
    In my view, Papers, Please achieves everything a video game can hope to accomplish. The way in which controls, visuals and story-telling work together to give you the impression of life under an inescapable, oppressive regime is marvelous. Even though your character essentially never moves from his spot, through his job as a border control official you get to experience the practicalIn my view, Papers, Please achieves everything a video game can hope to accomplish. The way in which controls, visuals and story-telling work together to give you the impression of life under an inescapable, oppressive regime is marvelous. Even though your character essentially never moves from his spot, through his job as a border control official you get to experience the practical impact of abstract bureaucratic policies. What does it actually mean to deny a family member access to their loved ones, to possibly send someone back to their death just because your rule book says you must do so?
    This game gives you tough choices and makes you think about how governments treat their citizens and people from other countries in a world of nation states. It makes you question the way we perceive of people that seem strange to us but who are also just trying to get by and live some kind of a decent life. It is this social and political significance for which I especially applaud the developers and I hope they will continue to make such great games.    … Expand
  9. Atilla1456
    Oct 9, 2016
    10
    Great concept of a quite simple game. This game is only for those who are patient, as work IS involved if you want to play. There are several endings which I enjoy, but also a great story that unfolds itself within time. I really like the pixel art, which goes together with the atmosphere of the game. An amazing game to buy.
  10. 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
  11. TRANDO101
    May 21, 2016
    9
    There isn't really much to talk about when it comes to this game. its got a pretty cool art style, a neat story, and a fresh way of telling some parts of it, as well as some pretty good gameplay. With this said, all of these things are of minimalist variety, and if you don't like sim games, you probably won't find much enjoyment in this game.
  12. CasualCoolseb
    May 21, 2016
    9
    Loads and loads of entertainment fun; that's how I would describe this game. The pixel art is amazing, the gameplay exceptional, and the community is awesome. In the end, I recomment this game to anyone!
  13. psylife
    Apr 7, 2016
    6
    This is a "find the intruder" game that manages to entertain the player beyond its base mechanic. The remarkable achievement lies in the fact that the morality and message is contained within the mechanic of the game itself and this is a seldom seen virtue in games. The message is not only valuable but highly depending one each player, which makes the concept that much more commendable.This is a "find the intruder" game that manages to entertain the player beyond its base mechanic. The remarkable achievement lies in the fact that the morality and message is contained within the mechanic of the game itself and this is a seldom seen virtue in games. The message is not only valuable but highly depending one each player, which makes the concept that much more commendable. The presentation while being rudimentary, is remarkably effective in conveying a sense of place and time. This game at its core is a blueprint for how games should conceive themselves.… Expand
  14. gracjanski
    Feb 27, 2016
    10
    Genious work. They created such a great dictatorship atmosphere with so few instruments, and it is still on the same level as Halflife 2. Another evidence, that games dont need high costs to be great.
    The story is interesting and becomes more and more complex. Because of 20 different ends you try different ways, simply to try some fun decisions. The saving system is perfect for that,    Genious work. They created such a great dictatorship atmosphere with so few instruments, and it is still on the same level as Halflife 2. Another evidence, that games dont need high costs to be great.
    The story is interesting and becomes more and more complex. Because of 20 different ends you try different ways, simply to try some fun decisions. The saving system is perfect for that, because it saves automatically every day. It was very interesting to see myself changing to a ruthless official, that let civilians be arrested or not in the country, just to survive myself. Although there wes never such a setting this game is already first class.

    What could be better? Of course the amount of content is not the same as in AAA games. The small desk was a bit annyoing, becaus later on you had many documents to see. But these are just details. Oh, there is another bad point: I cant buy this game on a CD/DVD.    … Expand
  15. danstew
    Feb 15, 2016
    9
    This is the kind of indie game that I really like... it's obviously low-budget, and the graphics, interface and sound are totally old school. Yet, it doesn't matter, as the game itself is pretty unique and interesting... maybe even addictive.

    Basically, it's an exercise in concentration. Each day, your job as a passport-controller becomes more difficult. At first, there are like 2-3    This is the kind of indie game that I really like... it's obviously low-budget, and the graphics, interface and sound are totally old school. Yet, it doesn't matter, as the game itself is pretty unique and interesting... maybe even addictive.

    Basically, it's an exercise in concentration. Each day, your job as a passport-controller becomes more difficult. At first, there are like 2-3 things to watch out for. Each day, a new thing to observe and look out for is added, and so you need to remember more and more things to watch out for. Some of them don't come up for quite some time, but once you get too careless, you miss those things and fail.

    Fortunately, you can mess up a few times each day without having to pay a fee from your measly pay. Then again, the more complaints you get, the worse it gets, as there also is some kind of inspector who will judge your efficiency every once in a while.

    I recommend to write down the issueing cities from each region on a piece of paper... otherwise, you might lose quite some time checking every time.

    I have played this for 5 hours so far, in two sessions, and I notice that it really can eat away at your ability to concentrate, so I think this is best played casually... do like half an hour at a time so you don't burn yourself out.

    I really like the theme, as it DOES make you think a bit about how unfair the system in that country is, and you have to make some harsh decisions. There even are a few puzzles in there in the story-mode.

    Kudos to the developer... this is a fun little game, and to me, the old school graphics don't matter at all, as the core of the game is very well thought out, and it's fun!    … Expand
  16. bigboss1964
    Jan 27, 2016
    8
    Papers, Please

    Game-play: The game-play is great it really test your skills in puzzle games with a ton of different things you have to pay attention. Story: The story is simple but good and you can change it how ever you want according to your decisions I can not tell how much time it will take you because if you are a good player it could take many any many hours if not it could end    Papers, Please

    Game-play: The game-play is great it really test your skills in puzzle games with a ton of different things you have to pay attention.

    Story: The story is simple but good and you can change it how ever you want according to your decisions I can not tell how much time it will take you because if you are a good player it could take many any many hours if not it could end in 1 or 2 hours but that is a reason to try to be better.

    Graphics: The graphics blend in perfect with the game.

    Notes: You should buy this game even if you are not very big fun of puzzle games you will love it as I did this game is just great.    … Expand
  17. 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
  18. GreenMachineG
    Jan 16, 2016
    8
    Papers, Please brings a lot to the table, and I enjoyed everything it brought! The idea of the game is fairly simple; identify discrepancies in people's passports and papers as they try to enter your country, but things get interesting when events occur that switch you from a complete robot mentality of finding the issues and denying people, to the moral conundrums of working for aPapers, Please brings a lot to the table, and I enjoyed everything it brought! The idea of the game is fairly simple; identify discrepancies in people's passports and papers as they try to enter your country, but things get interesting when events occur that switch you from a complete robot mentality of finding the issues and denying people, to the moral conundrums of working for a totalitarian government, and whether yourself, and family are worth putting on the line for the greater good. Great gameplay mechanics, with good difficulty progression. The game always explains exactly how to identify the next set of discrepancies, and gives you all the time in the world at the beginning of each day to make a game plan. Amazing replay-ability. With 20 different endings Papers, Please offers up the ultimate game of choice. Can they enter Arstotzka?

    8.5/10    … Expand
  19. 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
  20. Datamari
    Dec 6, 2015
    8
    It's an interesting experience.
    Papers, Please is a game where you work at a border patrol office accepting or declining people who are coming into Arstotzka. The gameplay is simple, you make sure somebody can come through the border by checking their passport and wallets. Sometimes it can be really easy, but later on, it can ramp up in difficulty, making it very difficult to not mess    It's an interesting experience.
    Papers, Please is a game where you work at a border patrol office accepting or declining people who are coming into Arstotzka. The gameplay is simple, you make sure somebody can come through the border by checking their passport and wallets. Sometimes it can be really easy, but later on, it can ramp up in difficulty, making it very difficult to not mess up. You also have to tend to your family, which can get really difficult if you're not careful. After a while, you start dealing with things like terrorist attacks, and the game's story can get really interesting and grim. It does get repetitive after a while, but with the multiple endings, there is a lot to come back to. It's a very well made game, and it's only 9.99 on Steam, so it's worth a buy.

    Papers, Please gets an 8/10.    … Expand
  21. Gohenko
    Nov 27, 2015
    8
    Papers, Please is a very unique game. I wouldn't really say it's fun to play, but it's definitely a gripping and tense experience. It's a game with a message and I respect it for that, but it won't be a game I'll be playing again and again.
  22. brightestabyss
    Nov 25, 2015
    9
    Quite possibly one of the most emotionally dismal and stressing games I've played (Note: I have not played The Binding of Isaac). You play as a man who is a border control agent who must check the entrants passports, paperwork and quotes carefully and you must detect any errors and do the according actions.

    This may sound like one of the most dullest games ever made when I describe it    Quite possibly one of the most emotionally dismal and stressing games I've played (Note: I have not played The Binding of Isaac). You play as a man who is a border control agent who must check the entrants passports, paperwork and quotes carefully and you must detect any errors and do the according actions.

    This may sound like one of the most dullest games ever made when I describe it on that level. You see that's just the game's surface. Behind that there is an incredibly depressing and dark story around you that you yourself has a significant impact upon the world depending on your actions. I'm not going to disclose the story but you must stamp enough approved passports in order to get enough money to feed your family and your work involves Terrorism and you are under an extremely authoritarian and corrupt government.

    Near the end of the game I was so stressed and pressured that I ended up absolutely loving the game... This game shouldn't be spoiled to you in any way because the story is so much more effective when you are involved and you make the decisions (Which actually takes place in your work place without changing the game mechanics).    … Expand
  23. Overvulture
    Nov 9, 2015
    9
    I'm not sure why I'd even bother to write a review for this one, because you already know if you want it. Either you're intrigued by the concept, curious just how they can manage to make such a boring idea into compelling action, or you're instantly repelled by the premise, and rightfully so. This is about as indie as indie games get, and also as brilliant as they get. It takes such aI'm not sure why I'd even bother to write a review for this one, because you already know if you want it. Either you're intrigued by the concept, curious just how they can manage to make such a boring idea into compelling action, or you're instantly repelled by the premise, and rightfully so. This is about as indie as indie games get, and also as brilliant as they get. It takes such a simple thing, and wraps it up in politics, real-world parallels, and perhaps even some genuine feels to make you feel more invested in the fate of a fictional immigration officer than you ever would about a generic grimacing action hero.

    But drama and intelligence aside, it's also surprisingly fun, with a very smooth difficulty curve that makes you feel your own skills improving just enough to meet the game's increasing demands. It even comes with some bonus high score modes that you could conceivably see yourself playing. It tells an interesting, branching story through simple means while also somehow managing to make boring real life work into entertainment I want more of. This is pretty much the epitome of why I love the indie game market despite all its warts.    … Expand
  24. Johnlouf
    Sep 21, 2015
    9
    This games story is amazing for a game without the complex graphics and the 100+ hour gameplay.The game perfectly delivers the feeling of a guy that desides the future of people just by putting a stamp on a paper, it is also A VERY CHALLENGING GAME too challenging at some point, where you will find your self just confused of what to do when your desk its filled with papers and youThis games story is amazing for a game without the complex graphics and the 100+ hour gameplay.The game perfectly delivers the feeling of a guy that desides the future of people just by putting a stamp on a paper, it is also A VERY CHALLENGING GAME too challenging at some point, where you will find your self just confused of what to do when your desk its filled with papers and you also have to keep attention to rebels that try to blow up the gate and you have to shot the or you will lose.But he most intrigiung thing in this game is the complex story which gives just enough to keep going.… Expand
  25. ThePCGamer101
    Jun 24, 2015
    10
    A fun indie game that shows you the gloom of a job as a border control officer, I definitely recommend buying this game as it will truly put you in the seat of a border control officer, from the music to even the conversations you have with the people entering Arstotzka, it is a true dystopian document thriller, GLORY TO ARSTOTZKA!
  26. 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
  27. 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
  28. Ziffe
    Jan 24, 2015
    8
    Paper's please is a game where you stamp passports and arrest people. Basically, this game is FUNominal. Russian joke hohohhohohohohhoho!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  29. DDilettante
    Jan 17, 2015
    9
    Papers, Please gets the stamp of approval.

    This game straddles somewhere between a Spot-the-Difference and a Puzzler, and despite the purposefully simplistic pixelated graphics, it portrays a grim and desolate world, while also offering the faintest glimmer of hope. You work as an Immigration Official (probably the first game ever that tries this), just trying to do your job on the    Papers, Please gets the stamp of approval.

    This game straddles somewhere between a Spot-the-Difference and a Puzzler, and despite the purposefully simplistic pixelated graphics, it portrays a grim and desolate world, while also offering the faintest glimmer of hope.

    You work as an Immigration Official (probably the first game ever that tries this), just trying to do your job on the border between Kolechia and Arstotzka, amidst the threat of smugglers, terrorists, and basically anyone the Arstotzka officials deem unworthy at the time.

    Initially, you'll be tasked with just checking out if the immigrants have the correct papers, and the details within them check out, and so on. The amount of things to check up on steadily increase by the day, which adds to the stress of time management. Do you quickly rush through stamping APPROVED or DENIED to most people without a cursory glance? Or do you fret over every detail, ensuring that you're doing the right thing and letting no scum in?

    The problem with the latter, is that you have a family to care for back home, which you'll manage at the end of each day. Food, heating, medicine; this all requires money, which you'll only get from admitting worthy people into the country. This is difficult to prioritise, especially if you make it later into the game when less genuine people are admitted.

    Thankfully, there is some great humour sprinkled in to offset the cruel conditions, mostly from the lovable old man Jorji Costava... damn you, you old sneaky rascal.

    Overall, there is some replay-ability, due to the harsh set-up which may take an attempt or two to get the hang of. Also there are many different endings that are possible, depending on the choices you make.

    Glory to Arstotzka.    … Expand
  30. ImABiscuit
    Jan 2, 2015
    9
    I thoroughly enjoyed the hell out of this game since it came out last year. I still find myself willing to nitpick the excruciating tiniest amount of details and finish the game properly for hours end. I never thought myself to be stuck on this kind of game for more than 5 hours. I ended up with 20+ hours trying to get the ending I wanted. I liked the interesting mechanics of this game,I thoroughly enjoyed the hell out of this game since it came out last year. I still find myself willing to nitpick the excruciating tiniest amount of details and finish the game properly for hours end. I never thought myself to be stuck on this kind of game for more than 5 hours. I ended up with 20+ hours trying to get the ending I wanted. I liked the interesting mechanics of this game, it's just very refreshing to see a game in a way that is different to others. I entirely liked the feeling of dread being the immigration officer who rejects and accepts visitors to Arstotzka and having to have a conscious decision on everything.

    GLORY TO ARSTOTZKA!    … 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.
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  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.
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  3. Pelit (Finland)
    Oct 5, 2013
    89
    Papers, Please is not only original but fun, too. More papers, please! [Sept 2013]
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