Death and Taxes

72%
Game Brain Score Based on 2,856 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Death and Taxes Game Cover
Death and Taxes is a short, fun game with plenty of replay value and enough challenge to keep you reincarnating a few times over.
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In "Paper Cages" , play as the Grim Reaper in an office job, deciding who lives or dies and affecting the world with your choices. Experience a narrative-based indie game similar to "Papers, Please" and "Beholder," with humor and existential dread as you climb the reaper career ladder. Personalize your office space, interact with coworkers, and try not to let the gravity of your responsibilities get to you. No information available about the release date or developer.

  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Play​station 4
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Linux
  • Play​Station
  • Tablet
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

72%
Audience ScoreBased on 2,856 reviews
story237 positive mentions
grinding58 negative mentions
  • The game offers a unique perspective on the nature of life and death, allowing players to make impactful choices.
  • The art style and voice acting are charming and add to the overall experience.
  • There are multiple endings and replayability, making it engaging for players who enjoy exploring different outcomes.
  • The gameplay can become repetitive and tedious after a few playthroughs.
  • Some players found the dialogue lengthy and not always engaging, leading to a lack of interest.
  • The use of gender-neutral pronouns for all characters can be confusing and detracts from the clarity of the narrative.
  • story537 mentions

    The game's story is a central focus, offering a unique blend of humor, moral dilemmas, and existential themes as players navigate the role of a grim reaper making life-and-death decisions. While many players appreciate the engaging narrative and multiple endings, some find the pacing slow and the gameplay repetitive, leading to mixed feelings about the overall impact of their choices. Overall, the story is praised for its charm and depth, though some players feel it could benefit from more character development and variety in interactions.

    • “The story is engaging and I love how who you pick to live or die affects the game storyline and you can see how it affects the world and what your tasks become.”
    • “Absolutely phenomenal story, very unique and memorable characters, a bizarre and hilariously cynical setting.”
    • “The story is interesting and the choices you make determine outcomes for the human race and plants!”
    • “Unfortunately, I found the aesthetic, story, and voice acting to be really grating after a couple of hours.”
    • “Your actions during the game only have an impact on the ending; otherwise, the story will go on hitting each of their plot points every single time without fail.”
    • “The story development is close to non-existent, and the game itself is so damn boring... many side characters that add nothing to the game.”
  • gameplay344 mentions

    The gameplay of the game has been described as simple and reminiscent of "Papers, Please," focusing on making choices about who lives and dies, but many players find it repetitive and lacking depth over time. While some appreciate the engaging story and humor, others criticize the mechanics for being underdeveloped and monotonous, leading to a sense of tedium after a few hours of play. Overall, the game offers a unique premise and enjoyable aesthetics, but its gameplay may not satisfy those seeking more complexity or variety.

    • “The gameplay and progression are similar to 'Papers, Please', albeit with much higher stakes.”
    • “Extremely unique gameplay and concept with fun characters, an interesting story, and enough replay value to keep you occupied for a while to see what all of your decisions mean for the story.”
    • “The gameplay is really nice to play when you want to have a relaxing experience, and it’s really fun to find all the different endings and unlock achievements.”
    • “The gameplay just felt repetitive and unsatisfying.”
    • “The core gameplay loop is sound, but a glaring lack of certain UX elements in the game greatly diminishes replay value.”
    • “The gameplay can become a bit repetitive and might feel like a chore after a while.”
  • graphics260 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received a largely positive reception, with many players praising the charming art style, vibrant visuals, and effective use of color that enhance the overall atmosphere. While some critiques mention inconsistencies and glitches, the hand-drawn aesthetics and character customization options are frequently highlighted as standout features. Overall, the visuals contribute significantly to the game's appeal, complementing its humor and narrative depth.

    • “The art style is great, and there is a lot of character customization options!”
    • “The graphics and designs are enjoyable, the game is fully voiced, and this game is full of humor.”
    • “The art style is mesmerizing, the humor is witty, and the overall theme of the game is beautifully disturbing.”
    • “Unfortunately, I found the aesthetic, story, and voice acting to be really grating after a couple of hours.”
    • “Despite being 2D flat storyboard graphics, the UI and cutscenes glitch out with unplayable frequency.”
    • “The game appears entertaining and interesting on the store page, but once you actually play it, you find the music lacking in variety, your choices don't really matter as long as you don't lose, and placeholder game works seems to have invested too much into providing aesthetics than the gameplay loop and layers.”
  • humor257 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely praised for its cleverness, blending dark and absurd elements that keep the experience entertaining and engaging. Players appreciate the witty dialogue, quirky characters, and the amusing profiles of those they interact with, often finding themselves laughing at the morbid yet charming scenarios presented. While some reviews note that the humor can feel forced or inconsistent at times, the overall consensus is that it adds a delightful layer to the gameplay, making it a memorable experience.

    • “It's funny, witty, and a little bit morbid--just the way I like it.”
    • “The game is relaxing, with simple mechanics and extremely funny.”
    • “A funny, witty, surprisingly insightful game that makes death an office job.”
    • “Day three: same (don't bother to read the news; after a while, they are not funny anymore).”
    • “Yet, for all its chin-stroking, it's both drowning in silliness and not funny.”
    • “I cannot overstate how painfully unfunny I found this game.”
  • music215 mentions

    The music in the game is generally praised for its charm and ability to enhance the atmosphere, with many reviewers noting its soothing and engaging qualities. However, some players find the soundtrack repetitive and limited, leading to a sense of monotony over extended play sessions. Overall, while the music contributes positively to the game's experience, its lack of variety may detract from long-term enjoyment for some players.

    • “The music is beautiful and catchy.”
    • “The soundtrack is fantastic and the art is *chef's kiss*.”
    • “The music, art style, voice acting, and story are superb.”
    • “The music in this game is mostly elevator music; it fits the game just fine, but it won’t be a soundtrack you’ll be downloading anytime soon.”
    • “The music was pretty repetitive and honestly made it hard to concentrate on the game; I ended up just muting it after a few days.”
    • “You are incessantly subjected to the same damn diegetic, public-domain-quality elevator music again and again.”
  • replayability203 mentions

    Overall, the game exhibits a high level of replayability, primarily due to its multiple endings, branching storylines, and various character choices that encourage players to explore different outcomes. While many players appreciate the engaging narrative and unique gameplay that invite repeated playthroughs, some express concerns about potential repetitiveness and limited variance in experiences after several runs. Despite these criticisms, the game remains appealing for those interested in achievement hunting and discovering all possible endings.

    • “Extremely unique gameplay and concept with fun characters, an interesting story, and enough replay value to keep you occupied for a while to see what all of your decisions mean for the story.”
    • “There are so many different endings, characters, opportunities, dialog options, and of course, life or death choices that the game is 100% replayable.”
    • “The game might be short, but its replay value shines, inviting you to explore multiple playthroughs and endings.”
    • “The biggest negative of Death and Taxes is its lack of replayability.”
    • “For the price, the game's replayability is extremely minute, and it becomes rather repetitive after a while.”
    • “While what is there is quite good, I have almost gone through all content after 2 playthroughs; if you want to 100% it, it might take you 6 hours in total, but in reality, most of that is a duplicate of your first playthrough as the replayability, while there, isn't that great.”
  • grinding63 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game is frequently described as tedious and repetitive, with many players expressing frustration over the necessity of multiple playthroughs to achieve all the game's endings and complete various RNG-based achievements. While some appreciate the humor and mechanics, the overwhelming sentiment is that the extensive dialogue and repetitive tasks detract from the overall enjoyment, making the experience feel like a chore rather than a fun challenge. Players suggest that improvements, such as a skip text option, could alleviate some of the tedium associated with grinding.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “A bit grindy sometimes.”
    • “All the good things told aside, as soon as you start playing you should already be looking to do every achievement for it to not become the most tedious consecutive hours of gameplay you are going to have. There are so many RNG-based achievements that I've even thought that some achievements were broken. This game is alright to enjoy, but for real, the devs should add a skip text button or something because every re-run is like 30 or 40 minutes, like it or not, and believe me, you are going to re-run a lot.”
    • “The achievements are meant to incentivize replaying the game, but it's so tedious that I'd rather not go through the trouble.”
    • “The game’s concept, while seemingly illustrious at first, becomes a tedious process of minimal playing, interrupted by poor voice acting and even more disappointing gameplay - like 'Papers, Please', but without the constraints, difficulty, or introspection offered by other games in its genre.”
  • atmosphere27 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its exceptional art style, outstanding soundtrack, and engaging voice acting, which collectively create a charming and immersive experience. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke a sense of depth and relaxation, despite its themes of mortality, while some note that the visual presentation could benefit from greater cohesion. Overall, the atmosphere is considered one of the game's strongest aspects, enhancing the storytelling and gameplay experience.

    • “With an outstanding soundtrack and a charming atmosphere, Death and Taxes is a well-crafted experience.”
    • “I thoroughly enjoyed the game's art style, sound effects, voice acting, and mystical atmosphere.”
    • “The art style is lovely, the soundtrack is always perfect for the atmosphere, and the character writing is teeming with life despite literally every character being dead!”
    • “While the atmosphere of the game is solid, the visual presentation struggles to be cohesive.”
    • “Interesting game, has the same gameplay and atmosphere as 'Papers, Please' without the pressure of doing your work as fast as possible.”
    • “I also enjoyed the art style very much - the black-and-white really added to the mortality-heavy atmosphere.”
  • emotional25 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is mixed, with some players finding it deeply moving and others feeling a significant disconnect from the characters and choices. While certain moments evoke strong feelings, such as the "goodest ending," many reviewers noted that the lack of emotional weight in decisions and a boring storyline detracted from the overall experience. Ultimately, the game offers a blend of humor and heartwarming moments, but it struggles to consistently engage players on an emotional level.

    • “Practically the most emotional game I've ever played.”
    • “I opted for the goodest ending I could get on my own, and it was very emotionally fulfilling.”
    • “Fate is a unique character and I cried a little over the best ending.”
    • “I felt detached from the character, which made it hard to connect emotionally with the story.”
    • “The storyline was boring and failed to evoke any real emotions.”
    • “Without any time constraints, the game felt slow and unengaging, leaving me feeling indifferent.”
  • optimization17 mentions

    The game is well-optimized, running smoothly on a variety of systems without noticeable performance issues or crashes. Its simple point-and-click mechanics contribute to a polished experience, complemented by engaging voice performances and a visually appealing design. Overall, players appreciate the seamless gameplay and the clever integration of performance reviews within the narrative.

    • “It's a fairly simple point-and-click type of game, so it runs smoothly on practically any system and there aren't any noticeable problems with performance or crashing.”
    • “The game is visually appealing and runs smoothly.”
    • “Polished, well-executed, optimized, and full of easily-missed subplots and details that really tie the whole experience together.”
    • “While the game is interesting, I definitely felt like I didn't have much agency over my own personal performance.”
    • “After stamping all the profiles, they get faxed off to management and players get their daily performance review.”
    • “Watching over you is fate himself, judging each day's performance.”
  • character development8 mentions

    Character development in the game shows promise, with potential for deeper exploration of characters and their backgrounds, particularly in relation to the game's setting. However, while there are attempts at side plots and some minor development, such as with the boss character, the overall depth remains limited and leaves players wanting more substantial interactions and growth.

    • “There is a great potential in this game or something like it that has more character development and world interaction to really find out how everyone got here and how big the place is where you work.”
    • “There is an attempt at two interesting side plots happening with the voices in the mirror and the very minor character development that happens with your boss.”
    • “To be fair, the plot with your boss ('fate') is actually somewhat interesting, but very very short with no significant character development.”
  • stability5 mentions

    The game's stability is criticized for being buggy and unpolished, with players reporting various glitches and inconsistencies in mechanics, such as incorrect feedback on actions. While the graphics are generally pleasant, the presence of repetitive gameplay and occasional visual bugs detracts from the overall experience.

    • “Feels buggy, unpolished, and tries too hard to be funny.”
    • “It is also buggy in that it incorrectly reports you are 'destroying the world' even as other game mechanics clearly show you're saving the world.”
    • “As many people have said, it is a little repetitive during the middle part, and there are a few glitches here and there - for example, the barkeep saying that 'I need to change my looks because I have had the same look the whole time', when I changed my look at least once a day.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    Reviews suggest that the game's monetization strategy is perceived as a quick cash grab, with concerns about misleading advertising on platforms like Steam. Players feel that the game's quality does not justify its pricing, indicating dissatisfaction with the overall value proposition.

    • “I seriously consider that this game may have been made by a student undertaking such a course, and they decided to publish it as a quick cash grab.”
    • “I think Steam is pushing the advertising in a very misleading direction.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

80% average critic score

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Play time

5hMedian play time
5hAverage play time
3hMain story
16hCompletionist
2-7hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 16 analyzed playthroughs

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