Video Game Review: Papers, Please

One of the many great things that video games can achieve is an exploration of self; by putting you into a scenario that would otherwise be impossible - or simply unknown - to you and to push moral issues onto you and give you the freedom to explore how you'd react. Certain well-written moral quandaries have given me great difficulty in resolving them throughout the years. However, a recent purchase of mine has definitely taught me some harsh truths about myself.

Namely that I'm an unfeeling, anal-retentive, risk averse, self-obsessed bastard.

Papers, Please is a clear contrast to what I've been playing recently. I've recently blasted through Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon, X-Com: Enemy Unknown and Bully: Scholarship Edition. Blood Dragon is a shooter soaked in 80s nostalgia and mockery, X-Com a tactical squad based game that I instantly fell in love with the tactic movement aspect of combat, and Bully is essentially Grand Theft Auto as a troubled school kid in a messed up world. And I'm now playing a game where I monotonously double check paperwork against the big book of rules, and resignedly declining people who aren't quite up to par with my country's ever-changing myriad regulations. At least I can claim I don't stick obsessively to a single genre...

Papers, Please puts you in the role of a immigration officer in the fictional communist state of Arstotzka, after a war with a neighboring country, Kolechia, has ended. With the war over, it is felt it's time to open the borders and it's up to you to make sure everyone has the appropriate paperwork and permits to enter.

The bulk of the game involves you checking for discrepancies versus the rule book, which changes every day, and trying to clear as many people as accurately and as quickly as possible. Each person correctly cleared gives you a little bit of money, which goes towards your responsibilities at home; rent, food, heat and the comfort and health of your family. If you're lucky, there'll be enough left over to save or maybe even upgrade your booth. Of course, if you start incorrectly denying or allowing people through the Ministry of Admissions will notice, and dock you already meagre pay.

If you don't cover your rent, the game ends, with you being arrested for vagrancy. I found it a bit of a battle to keep my family alive, if not comfortable; quite a few times I passed over the heating bill for other pressing concerns like medicine. It's a sigh of relief when you have enough money to keep everyone fed, warm, if not happy... and a little left over for saving for when it goes wrong. And it will go wrong.

While that is the bulk of the game activity, the story progresses either by a mysterious organisation trying to do... something... with your country, the evolving political situations and most often and importantly; the human element. The people who's paperwork you check. Many people have their own stories and concerns.

And here's comes me, the bastard. Oh, I just let your husband through? Well, he had and entry permit. You do not. Sorry. Detained.

No entry permit, no entry-okay, if you had a fucking entry permit, why the fuck did you not fucking present it with your fucking paperwork? Did you not fucking see the fucking clear as fuck sign that says 'Have all your fucking paperwork fucking ready'? No? Cretin. Now I've being docked pay. Whee.

You are definitely going into a job of prostitution, perhaps unwillingly. But your paperwork check out. So... on you go. Sorry. Next.

Ah. Er. You... don't look like, ah, I woman. Ah. Please stand over there for some remarkably invasive and humiliating photos... okay. Yah. You're a woman. Sorry. Next.

No, you're paperwork doesn't check out. Next! Out of my booth. Out of my booth, please. Security - ooh, he just used the rifle butt on her noggin. Ouch. Sorry. Next, please.

Well, everything you have checks out, so oh my god is man that breaching the line!?! Terrorist attack!

The scanner also has a nudity option, which I recommend not for titillation (it's so not) but as it makes the experience much more harrowing. Yay?

I see these people come through, desperate and pleading and wanting out, and I deny them. I dread the chatter of the pink slip, the little note of failure. So instead of risking a person through, using up one of my free passes before the fines... I deny them. You see, my son's sick, and the rest of the family will be soon as well. I can't afford the hit to my wage. The rule book is king, and I dare not deviate from it's absolute will. But deep down, I do care. I know I'm making these little virtual lives worse, and I can claim I'm unfeeling but it just leaves me sad.

It's got something clearly to say about immigration - where many people will happily enjoy bashing immigrants as faceless bogeyman, this slice of simulation challenges their casual rejection of people. The next time I travel through an airport, admittedly soon, I'll see those bored faces at their own booths and understand that their unblinking demeanor is often due to the staggering amount of hardship they see everyday. The story lines are deeply engaging and interesting, and pack real emotional weight to them, with the basic element of main gameplay being simple and quick to pick up, yet also as easy to forget key details and drop the ball. Constant vigilance is required.

I can't play it in great blocks of time, as if I attempt to I get wearied down, which is a strange thing to say whilst in the same breathe admit that this is a fun little game. I picked it up for only £6.99 and I'd heartily recommend it. Only make sure you have all your paperwork in order.

Glory to Arstotzka!

Papers, Please is a dystopian documents thriller, and is available PC and Mac, for sale here. This site provides links to Steam and GOG versions of the game. The website also accepts PayPal, Google Wallet and Amazon Payments. If buying direct, or from GOG, it won't contain DRM.