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Being a student, I like to explore some different course offerings at my university. So, when I found a course that combined the study of literature with the study of video games, I decided to give it a shot. I needed another course to fill my summer with, so I decided to toss my hat into the ring and see what it was like.
Throughout my class, we had to analyze different video games from a wide range of genres. One of those games happened to be Papers, Please. I wasn’t very engaged with indie games prior to that course, with my main focus being on AAA titles. I don’t have all the time in the world to game too much, so when I played, I just picked a few that I knew I’d like to play constantly anyways.
However, I needed to understand the game in order to curate my essays properly. There was a coincidental Steam sale, so I picked up Papers, Please and downloaded it that night. At midnight, I had finally wrapped up my work for the day and booted up Papers, Please to see what the game was and why it had such a high rating on Steam.
I wasn’t sure what I was expecting, but it was one of the best games I had ever played. Not only did it engage me and make me think, I didn’t even mind having to analyze it for essays or for my midterm. I just loved the game so much, it didn’t matter to me.
What is Papers, Please Anyways?
If you don’t know what Papers, Please is, it’s an indie game that follows the life of an immigrations officer (you) who must check individuals trying to entire a nation inspired by the Soviet Union called Arstotzka. Each day, people from nearby and across the bloc line up to enter the nation. Each day, rules change, the policies of immigration change, and new events occur that shape the way people react to you and the government treats you.
It’s actually a very interesting and engaging premise. It also tests your morality big-time. You have to wonder about if you are doing the right thing by letting certain people in. Additionally, you can take bribes, engage in some unethical decision-making, and more. The stakes are high too, as your family may suffer if you don’t pocket enough money at the end of the day.
To be honest, I thought I’d be bored at first, but I found myself completely lost in my decision-making, wondering if I was doing the right thing or if I’d get an ending where I’d die in a dramatic fashion. The whole time, there’s this eerie sense of something in the air as you go through passport after passport, ID card after ID card, permit after permit, and so much more.
With daily rules that change, it makes you wonder how difficult it would be to exist in such a totalitarian society, where your fate is in the hands of if you can follow the rules properly or not.
Morality, Laws, and More
It’s really what you make of it. Your decisions, as I mentioned earlier, have an impact on the course of the game. The outcome really does shift depending on if you value money, the country, or your life first. There are so many different endings that each time you run through the game, it can change. And yeah, pretty much a decision can lead to a rabbit hole and a specific ending.
I feel like Papers, Please is unique because it puts you in the position of a real job out there in a realistic scenario of a country. Sure, there are lots of games that can have an element of realism, but this game felt really raw and realistic at some points.
It also makes you question if the laws are fair in this country of Arstotzka or not. Each day, you may have to search people from a certain country, deny people from another, and more harsh things.
Conclusions
Honestly, I think this game is just a master piece. It’s not the most graphically brilliant or insane game, but it’s not a AAA game either. It’s a simple game with a simple premise, but once you get involved in its story, you pretty much find out that it’s not so simple after all.
I recommend anyone try this game out, because it really is one of those gems you may not know about just yet. But it really is a great game. Something about it is so eerie, but so engaging, and I really poured a lot of hours trying to curate my strategy with this game. It engages your mind, and I think it’s a great title.
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Zainah Yousef
Zainah Yousef is the author of The Fallen Age Saga and specializes in gaming, social media advice, and reviews. She's been writing all her life and she probably won't stop anytime soon.
