Tactile Depression
Papers, Please is an observation based puzzle game set in the fictionally disheartening world of Arstotzka. You play as an inspector responsible for border control, patrolling for suspicious and fraudulent citizens trying to sneak their way into the country. Along the way, the mechanics get more challenging, the storyline both becomes more grey, and you’ll meet reoccurring characters that force you to make weighty decisions quickly. Choices are always meek and usually unforgiving.
So how come I enjoyed this game so much? Lukas Pope, its creator, is very direct in how the game should be played. There is little room for error and organization is of the upmost importance. There is something so oddly satisfying with organizing citizens documents and inspecting them. Maybe it’s a power trip; maybe the noises contribute to the great tactile quality of its being. Regardless, when everything seemed bleak – my whole family near dead, my superiors suspect to my criminal activity and several failed ‘endings’ – I enjoyed yelling “Next!” and following it up with a close inspection. Most of the time you’ll find something wrong with their application papers, and denying them can be at times abnormally satisfying to other moments of near heartbreaking depression.
The experience, bleak ending and all, left me curious to dive into Pope’s other works as I’ve heard good things about them as well. If you enjoy obsessive organization, Soviet Russia, or menacing music, check out Papers, Please.