Game Review #3 - Papers, Please

Most critically acclaimed games are recognised for enjoyment, action and fun factor. Papers, Please is a noteworthy exception, being one of the least fun games I’d recommend wholeheartedly. The game refuses to be categorised as anything beyond a puzzle title, and it could be argued that even that category falls short of defining the game’s genre. While the core aspects of Papers, Please would definitely fall under the puzzle genre, the game has so much more depth and personality that makes it into something much more. The main concept of Papers, Please is that the player must sit at a border control checkpoint, reviewing visitors’ and immigrants’ travel documents, admitting those whose papers are in order, arresting forgers, smugglers and other criminals, and sending home people with the wrong documents. As the game progresses, documents become more complicated, forcing the player to adapt to the new changes imposed on a near-daily basis. Correctly processed documents earn the player money, whereas losses are incurred if the player slips up. This simple system, on its own, would make a solid puzzle title. The addition of a believable setting makes Papers, Please so much more than a puzzle game, however. The game is set in a fictional communist country that has recently seen the end of a long war among neighbouring countries, so political tension is high and pressure to keep the peace is a huge factor. Not only that, but many of those who pass through the checkpoint are very much worse off after the war, and will often beg the player to let them through even if their papers are wrong. Terrorism is a real theme here, too, and the game will eventually grant the player weapons with which to defend the checkpoint should things become dire. All these secondary elements provide the player with sufficient moral choice, which contributes to the game’s immersive appeal and also keeps you on your toes. This is perhaps the only thing that keeps the game appealing, however, as the game is very repetitive, as a border control inspector’s job should be. It really captures the monotony of a working class job: the game is anything but fun and the few amusing or ground-breaking events are what gives this game its unrivalled undertone and charm. Just when you think things are starting to get boring, the game throws you a sudden moral choice at best, or a terrorist attack at worst. As your job progresses, you will begin to recognise a few familiar faces that pass through frequently, and they will often ask for help. It’s completely up to the player to choose whether or not to help them, keeping in mind that your performance is closely monitored every day, and that you might get help in return for being kind – or not. Few games truly achieve such a great synergy between gameplay and moral choice, and Papers, Please is one of those few that get this right, as the consequences of the choices made are fairly easily imagined: let them through and compromise your position, or deny them entry and possibly ruin their life. The game puts these choices on your shoulders throughout and frequently. The sound design is apt and engaging; no music plays when on the job, only the sounds of wind and the distant chatter of the queue waiting to enter. Once someone enters your checkpoint, dialogue is usually brief and professional, and only represented audibly through generic, monotone chatter, as all dialogue is written. The distinct sounds that play when protocol is violated, the siren that plays during a security breach, all add up to an immersive implementation of audio. To conclude, Papers, Please is a great example of games as an art form, granting the player an immersive puzzle experience with unrivalled moral choice and a realistic setting that leaves a lasting impression, and provides critical commentary on the state of politics, especially communism, from the view of the working class.