Wednesday, August 07, 2013

Papers, Please Releasing Thursday

Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would be looking forward to a game where I'd role-play an immigration inspector.

I was wrong, though. Papers, Please releases tomorrow, and I can't wait.

In case you missed it, here's the game description:
The communist state of Arstotzka has ended a 6-year war with neighboring Kolechia and reclaimed its rightful half of the border town, Grestin.

Your job as immigration inspector is to control the flow of people entering the Arstotzkan side of Grestin from Kolechia. Among the throngs of immigrants and visitors looking for work are hidden smugglers, spies, and terrorists. Using only the documents provided by travelers and the Ministry of Admission's primitive inspect, search, and fingerprint systems you must decide who can enter Arstotzka and who will be turned away or arrested.


Most games today, particularly the big budget extravaganzas, create tension through overload. Papers, Please, in contrast, is remarkable because it creates an incredible sense of tension through deprivation. You're looking at one document at a time. That's basically all you see. It's incredibly effective, and I felt more tension playing the demo than I've ever felt in a first person shooter.

I know, that sounds crazy. But the essential stillness of the game builds tension like a well constructed suspense film.

This game deserves to be very, very successful.


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