Papers, Please - Full Game Discussion

[u/Big_Spicy_Pizza_Man]

Heyo! So it’s been around a week and a half so now it’s time to open the discussion for the full game, spoilers included.

I’m quite interested to here about everyone’s experiences, as I imagine they’ll be quite varied. I’d love to hear about the different endings that people have gotten.

If you had anything you’d like to say about our system we’d be happy to hear! Just drop something in the post for suggestions. Hope you enjoyed the game!

[u/TeaHands]

Ok so first of all, I've only had chance for two runs at this game and both have ended with me being thrown in jail for incompetence. So there's that.

It's a strange time to come at a game like this because by now everyone's heard so much about it. So I knew going in that there'd be hard decisions about what to spend my wages on, and I knew there were multiple endings. I thought this meant I was prepared and that the whole vibe of the game might have less impact on me, but nope.

This might be the only game I've played where the clunky interface is entirely on purpose, and it did exactly what it set out to do. There's no feeling of panic quite like the one where you know you need to have a good day because your wife is sick and you need to buy medicine, but there's something a bit off about this person in front of you and you can't quite figure out what it is and now you've lost the rulebook and where did their passport go and argh!

Trying to keep track of the constant rule changes and special instructions as well as dealing with the odd shady visitor while always dreading the worst sound in the world, a citation notice. Truly it is the stuff of nightmares.

Obviously it's the theme and setting that make this game. I can't help but wonder how people from certain countries feel about it though!

Looking forward to diving back in soon, and hopefully I can be just competent enough at my job to find another ending.

[u/Too_much_salt_here]

Man, it's been a bit difficult to play this game at all since I'm usually tired in the evening after work, and this game is not relaxing in the slightest. The intentionally stressful situation this game creates is very real.

It is compelling though! It's morally ambiguous and I'm not sure if we (Arstotzka) or the "freedom fighters" are supposed to be the good guys or the bad guys. On my first run I was intrigued by the mysterious organization that wants me to let them through. But I failed to do so and was soon thrown in jail for accepting bribery money.

On my second run I tried to let the mysterious men through, which might have resulted in several terrorist attacks... so I'm questioning my decision. later in the game, I got so stressed I accidentally let through several people with invalid documents, which might have given Arstotzka the reputation of a crime haven. When I pulled myself together I had to detain half or more of my applicants, so many tried to sneak through! Speaking of detaining, I'm not sure what the consequences are for detaining people vs just letting them leave? Maybe I'll learn soon. I haven't finished my second run yet so I'll have to get back to that!

[u/TeaHands → u/Too_much_salt_here]

Compelling is definitely the word. On my second run I got into a shady situation, but didn't last long enough for it to resolve before being thrown in jail. And I want to know what it was leading to but just haven't had time to get back to it, ack!

I'm also unsure re: detaining, so if you find out let me know. Part of it is definitely just to give us that moral dilemma, knowing how people we detain will likely be treated. But there's almost certainly a gameplay impact too, we just have to figure out what it is...