Anyone who has ever worked retail, customer service, customs, or any job that requires you to interact with and follow a procedure with dozens of strangers on a daily basis knows the issues that can arise when the urge to help your fellow man conflicts with a need to follow the rules of your job. A few years ago, I played Papers, Please and thoroughly enjoyed it - recently though, after working retail for a bit, I was reminded of how good a game this was.
Papers, Please puts the player in the shoes of a border inspector controlling entrance into the communist state of Arstotzka. Every day, the player is supposed to follow the rules and let in people with valid passports, while keeping up with sets of new rules that reflect the shifting political atmosphere of the game world. One day, because of a terrorist threat, I was instructed to simply bar entry to all people from a certain country. Every correct processing of a person you do (for some odd reason in a communist state) earns you money. Incorrect processings can get you warned, fined, or worse. At the end of the day, you can use your money to keep your family warm and fed, maybe upgrade your workstation if you have extra dough.
I mentioned the retail job I had because Papers, Please makes you feel the pressure of balancing speed, accuracy, and appeals to humanity. The shame I felt at work when I incorrectly processed a return and held up a customer several minutes was similar to the shame I felt when I got lazy with my checks and let a suicide bomber into Arstotzka. Sometimes customers want returns when they don't have any form of proof of purchase or they're barely outside the return policy date. Sometimes people need to flee to Arstotzka without valid paperwork or die. In either case, you're just doing your job.
As far as gameplay goes, border inspection makes for a surprisingly entertaining and challenging experience. Every day, the difficulty slowly mounts as you keep up with changing regulations. You have limited desk space to inspect each person's documents. I was constantly trying to make my methods more efficient, less error-prone. Every new rule meant that I'd make less money unless I improved my speed without compromising accuracy too much.
The story the game tells is also really interesting, though I won't really say anything about it other than that there are about twenty endings so players should replay Papers, Please to get more than one ending. It is a very thoughtful commentary on many themes: doing what you're told, breaking the rules for another person, stereotyping, fear and paranoia over terrorism, and totalitarian society.
Papers, Please is well worth it at $10. Additionally, it has very low system requirements - I'd only recommend a decent mouse over a touchpad. I highly recommend Papers, Please
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