Papers, Please (2013)

My first thought while I started this game had been the same one every time I play a dystopian game: 'It's so close to reality that I'm kind of on the verge of crapping my pants' kind of thought, you know?

But besides the fact that it captures some very real problems we're facing today even though the game came out near a decade ago, I'll try to sum up the pros and cons from my perspective.

Narrativewise? Absolutely phenomenal. It really puts you on the spot with very heartbreaking decisions that toy with your moral compass and leaves it on the line. Graphics and overall aesthetic of the game? Grim and gray to reinforce the fact that Arstotzka had recently gone through a long war whose aftermath was very present up until that point.

The only thing that I didn't personally like that much is the eventual robotic back and forth of checking the documents (which I totally believe is intentional; I get that much), but since my brain quickly grows tired of repetition, it ended up feeling like a chore by the end of the game. Mostly when the vaccine certificates come up because WHEW, those are a lot of papers to check on a time crunch!! But that's totally on me.

I went through the most important endings and all the trophies to get the 100% completion, and I can say that it rounded up the most interesting parts of the game pretty nicely without having to go through all the endings.

But yeah, I'm very picky with these sorts of things, but it's a great game that you have to at least play once. It certainly has gotten the reputation it has for a reason.

And remember, Cobrastan is not a real country!

Oh boy, the stress. So much stress.

This is spot the difference under intense pressure.

You're an unwilling border agent, inspecting traveler's documents as they attempt to gain entry to a fictional soviet country. You have complete control and it's up to you whether they gain access or not. The fun. The power!

Except there's a catch. If their documents are all in order and you turn them away by mistake, you receive a citation. Same thing is true if you grant them entry and their passport is a forgery... or they don't have their ID card on them... or the name on their work permit is different from their other documents... or their weight is incorrect... or their height... etc etc. And if the citations rack up, you start receiving fines. And fines mean you can't afford to pay your rent, or keep your family warm and fed.

So, you've gotta work hard and do whatever it takes to protect your family. Unfortunately, many of the people that walk into your booth have a sob story. A man's seeking asylum for example. Their wife's next in line, but she doesn't have the right papers. Do you let him in, but turn her away?

It takes a few in game days for the interweaving narratives to become interesting, but when they do, the stakes become higher. And everything about the game's design drives that forward. The beaurocratic force that is the corrupt and failing government. The oppressive situation you find yourself in. The endless line of people waiting to be seen, and the dark colours and harsh music.

The art style is simplistic, but the character moments are well thought out and the game's generally compelling. Personally though I find the whole thing a bit too bleak to be enjoyable enough that I want to play it to completion more than once. There are 20 possibe endings (I believe many of them are just variations on a handful of "true" endings). I was satisfied with finding one. Now onto something a little happier.