Border Officer
- April 16, 2019
- Cheesecake Dev
"Border Officer" is a simulation game where players assume the role of a border control officer, inspecting travelers and cargo for illegal items to maintain the security and integrity of the nation's border. Players must make quick decisions and use their judgment to detect potential threats, while also providing excellent customer service. The game features various levels, each with unique challenges and objectives, providing an engaging and realistic border control experience.
Reviews
- The game is fun and offers a challenging experience, reminiscent of 'Papers, Please' but with more features.
- It has a unique concept that combines daily life simulation with border control mechanics, providing an interesting gameplay experience.
- Despite its bugs, many players find it enjoyable and entertaining, especially for those who appreciate indie games.
- The game is plagued with bugs and performance issues, including long loading times and crashes, making it frustrating to play.
- The economic balance is poor, with players often struggling to manage their finances and energy levels, leading to a repetitive and tedious experience.
- It appears to be abandoned by the developers, with no updates or fixes for the numerous issues reported by players.
- graphics44 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players noting significant optimization issues that hinder performance, especially on higher settings. While some appreciate the atmospheric design and its ability to convey the game's bleak environment, others criticize the overall quality as subpar, even for an indie title. Frequent mentions of graphical bugs and crashes further detract from the experience, suggesting that improvements are needed for a smoother gameplay experience.
“The game's atmospheric graphics, branching narratives, and challenging gameplay create a sense of tension and moral ambiguity.”
“Graphics are weak but depict the bleakness of the environment you're living and working in well enough.”
“Second, the graphics are realistic.”
“Graphics are this game's biggest downfall as it looks horrible even for an indie game.”
“This is an interesting and fun game, but... in this game it is absolutely impossible to play it on higher graphic settings because there are lots of optimization problems and the game becomes unplayable.”
“I tried to play and it failed to load, the music lags out and the graphics mess up, and then I can't even start to play the game. Assuming this is a bug, please fix it so I can actually play the game.”
- gameplay32 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a mix of engaging storylines and moral dilemmas, but it suffers from clunky mechanics and repetitive tasks that can detract from the overall experience. While some players find the car mechanics amusing, they lack realism, and the game is plagued by bugs that, while not game-breaking, can be distracting. Overall, the gameplay is seen as decent but not without its flaws, leading to a somewhat mixed reception.
“With its realistic gameplay mechanics, moral dilemmas, and multiple story paths, the game offers a unique and intense experience.”
“The game's atmospheric graphics, branching narratives, and challenging gameplay create a sense of tension and moral ambiguity.”
“Gameplay is good with a good story; controls and movement feel unrefined and can feel clunky at first.”
“The gameplay itself is clunky and monotonous; it's the same thing over and over and over.”
“The game mechanic isn't great, and the long car trips from our home to our workplace can make you a little sleepy.”
“Car mechanics are fun but still lacking the required realism to make it feel better or even normal.”
- stability20 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant stability issues, with numerous bugs and glitches that hinder gameplay, such as slow loading times and inconsistent mechanics. While the concept is appreciated, many players find it unpolished and lacking in optimization, making it difficult to recommend despite its addictive nature. Overall, the game's stability problems overshadow its potential.
“It's a neat idea, but unfortunately this game is still quite unpolished and buggy, and as of now it doesn't seem like it will be developed any further.”
“The game loads pretty slowly; it comes to 90% and then I need to wait a few minutes to load. The game is really badly optimized, but the concept is good. It's fun to play, but it has a lot of glitches and bugs.”
“At present, this is far, far too buggy to be a good game.”
- story20 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The game's story is criticized for lacking depth and progression, with many players feeling it is abandoned and filled with bugs. While some appreciate the moral dilemmas and multiple story paths that could create an intense experience, the overall execution leaves much to be desired, making it difficult for players to fully engage with the narrative.
“With its realistic gameplay mechanics, moral dilemmas, and multiple story paths, the game offers a unique and intense experience.”
“Some people crossing the border have certain ... let's say, 'motives', and this drives the story that is about to unfold.”
“This is a tragic game. I like the idea of copying 'Papers, Please' but adding more to it, but everything is garbage: no story, no progression, it's just everything is bad and on top of that there are many bugs.”
“The game has a nice concept and theme going, but it seems like the devs abandoned this game, leaving bugs behind and no real storyline.”
“With all these underlying issues, it's certainly hard to even get past the first few days, so experiencing the entire story is probably out of reach for all but the most persistent players.”
- optimization14 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant optimization issues, particularly as a Unity title, leading to slow performance even on high-end hardware. Players report long loading times, frequent glitches, and an inability to run the game on higher graphic settings without it becoming unplayable. Despite its interesting concept, the overall execution is marred by these technical shortcomings.
“This is an interesting and fun game, but in this game, it is absolutely impossible to play on higher graphic settings because there are lots of optimization problems, and the game becomes unplayable.”
“The game loads pretty slowly; it comes to 90%, and then I need to wait a few minutes to load. The game is really poorly optimized, but the concept is good. It's fun to play, but it has a lot of glitches and bugs.”
“Need optimization.”
“Apart from being a rather badly optimized Unity game, it was also put together rather sloppily.”
“Game runs slowly even after 16 GB of RAM and a good graphics card.”
“This is an interesting and fun game, but it is absolutely impossible to play on higher graphic settings because there are lots of optimization problems, making the game unplayable.”
- humor12 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players finding it funny and character-enhancing, particularly in the context of quirky interactions and amusing bugs. While some users noted issues with the game's English and other elements, the comedic aspects contribute positively to the overall experience, making it an enjoyable title.
“It's funny & adds to the game's character.”
“Great and funny game.”
“Working at the border can be fun and some of the people who come into the country are funny and carry spoons.”
- grinding6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and time-consuming, likening it to the monotony of daily commutes. Many express that it feels like a second job, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the game.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Driving from home to work and back again every day is tedious.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- monetization4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game is criticized as a cash grab, with users expressing frustration over the lack of effort from the developers to address existing issues, suggesting that minimal work could significantly improve the game.
“Another abandonware cash grab.”
“Would take the developer 2-3 hours to fix half of the things that are problematic, but this is a fast cash grab and no more work needs to be put in to get paid.”
- music4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 75 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
Users report significant issues with the music in the game, noting that it fails to load properly, causing lag and graphical problems that prevent gameplay. Many consider these issues to be bugs that need urgent fixing.
“I tried to play, and it failed to load. The music lags out, the graphics mess up, and then I can't even start to play the game. Assuming this is a bug, please fix it so I can actually play the game.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game resonates deeply with players, reflecting feelings of frustration and helplessness that many experience in their lives, particularly among younger generations. This connection evokes a strong sense of empathy and understanding, highlighting the game's ability to mirror real-life struggles.
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is enhanced by its striking graphics, intricate branching narratives, and challenging gameplay, all of which contribute to a palpable sense of tension and moral ambiguity.
“The game's atmospheric graphics, branching narratives, and challenging gameplay create a sense of tension and moral ambiguity.”