Papers, Please
Storytelling Reinvention:
incorporates a strong morality through player-choice in order to create a game-world wherein it is difficult for the player to be neutral
Game Information
Release Date: August 8th, 2013
Developer: 3909
Publisher: 3909
Rating: Mature
Genre(s): Role-Playing, Strategy
Price: $9.99
Website: papersplea.se
Developed by Lucas Pope, who worked prior as a developer for Naughty Dog, Papers Please is an interesting example in moral gameplay and player agency. Players play as an immigration agent who has been granted the opportunity through a state lottery to screen all incoming people trying to enter the country. The goal of the game is to check the passports of all incoming people to ensure that everyone has the correct information. Correctly process enough people and players are rewarded with a daily salary; however; make mistakes and let people whose papers don’t check out through and players are penalized and given less money for the day. This is important because players must take care of their family who get can get ill, cold, and hungry if players don’t bring home enough money. In addition to taking care of the family, players also have to contend with terrorist attacks and human traffickers. In response, players are given a tranquilizer gun to take out refugees who try to run across the border into the state.
The role of player choice comes heavily into play as players have to decide if they are going to pay closer attention to incoming immigrants at the cost of money or take a risk and let them in. Toward the end of the game players are given the opportunity to make several decisions that can cost the lives of their entire family and themselves.
Researcher: Chris Hurley
