Paper Cages

About

Paper Cages is a single player casual simulation game with horror and comedy themes. It was developed by Placeholder Gameworks and was released on November 2, 2019. It received positive reviews from players.

Wake up, get dressed, brush your teeth, eat breakfast, go to work. A true horror story. A game about mental health. Made for Spelkollektivet's 2019 Halloween Game Jam! The main theme was Horror, and the sub-themes were: Archenemy, Profession, Personal. TRIGGER WARNINGS: Mental health, depression, anxiety, self-loathing, dysphoria, eating disorders The theme we chose was: Personal + Archenemy …

Skip User Reviews

88%

Audience ScoreBased on 3,040 reviews

story248 positive mentions

grinding63 negative mentions

Unique and engaging concept that allows players to explore moral dilemmas.
Charming art style and great voice acting enhance the overall experience.
Multiple endings and replayability provide a fun challenge for players.

Gameplay can become repetitive and tedious after a few playthroughs.
Choices may feel arbitrary and lack significant impact on the overall narrative.
Some players may find the dialogue lengthy and uninteresting.

story
564 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
52%
4%
The game's story is a complex blend of dark humor, moral dilemmas, and engaging character arcs, often drawing comparisons to titles like "Papers, Please." While many players appreciate the depth and replayability offered by branching narratives and multiple endings, some find the pacing slow and the dialogue repetitive, leading to a mixed reception regarding overall engagement. Overall, the narrative is praised for its unique premise and thought-provoking themes, though some players feel it could benefit from more impactful storytelling and character development.
- “The narrative of the plot and characters runs incredibly deep.”
- “Its dark humor and engaging storyline make it a must-play for anyone looking for something different.”
- “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.”
- “The story is shallow.”
- “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.”
gameplay
373 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
63%
13%
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its simplicity and repetitiveness, often comparing it unfavorably to "Papers, Please." While some appreciate the engaging narrative and humor, others find the mechanics shallow and the gameplay loop monotonous, leading to a lack of emotional investment in the choices made. Overall, the game is seen as enjoyable for a short period but may not hold long-term interest due to its limited gameplay depth.
- “The gameplay is simple, the story is pretty compelling, and there definitely is some replay value here.”
- “The consequences of each decision resonate throughout the gameplay, creating a dynamic and unpredictable narrative.”
- “With its charming art style, engaging decision-making mechanics, and branching narrative, every choice feels impactful and meaningful.”
- “The gameplay is repetitive; your actions only have abstract consequences and you have no emotional attachment to the people whose fate you're deciding.”
- “The gameplay loop gets old pretty quickly, and how your choices affect the world could be presented in a more engaging way.”
- “The gameplay is simple: you mark profiles to live or die, and you then check in for a performance review.”
humor
280 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
99%
1%
The humor in "Death and Taxes" is widely praised for its clever blend of dark, absurd, and gallows humor, often delivered through witty dialogue and engaging character interactions. Players appreciate the game's ability to tackle serious themes like mortality and decision-making while maintaining a light-hearted tone, making it both entertaining and thought-provoking. However, some reviews note that the humor can occasionally fall flat or feel repetitive, but overall, it contributes significantly to the game's charm and replayability.
- “Death and Taxes is a hilarious game that mixes the daily grind of office life with the cosmic responsibility of being the grim reaper.”
- “The humor is great and had me chuckling quite a bit, and the fourth wall breaks were unexpected and pretty cool.”
- “It's funny, witty, and a little bit morbid—just the way I like it.”
- “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.”
graphics
268 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
42%
1%
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their unique and charming art style, which many players describe as visually appealing and well-executed. The hand-drawn aesthetics, combined with engaging character designs and a cohesive atmosphere, enhance the overall experience, making it a delight for those who appreciate artistic visuals. However, some critiques mention inconsistencies in graphic quality and a lack of depth in gameplay, suggesting that while the visuals are strong, they may not fully compensate for other gameplay shortcomings.
- “10/10, graphics, voice acting, outfits, and the cat were all delights to play with.”
- “The art style is great, I really love all the character customization options!”
- “The graphics are pleasing to look at, it has a lot of replayability.”
- “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 gameworks seems to have invested too much into providing aesthetics than the gameplay loop and layers.”
music
220 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
38%
2%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising its beautiful and calming jazz soundtrack that enhances the overall atmosphere and emotional resonance. However, some players find the music repetitive and lacking in variety, leading to a sense of monotony over extended play sessions. Overall, while the soundtrack is generally well-received, it may not appeal to everyone due to its limited range and potential for becoming grating.
- “The soundtrack complements the game impeccably, enhancing the emotional resonance of each moment and further immersing players in the captivating world.”
- “The music is beautiful and manages to make you feel like you belong in any environment, but there seems to be a general lack of connection between the tracks.”
- “A charming storytelling experience with a fun premise and absolutely bumping music.”
- “There isn't much at stake gameplay-wise; the music is kind of generic, and the voice acting sounds like it was done by the developers' cousins or neighbors using different mics, which aren't balanced in post.”
- “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.”
replayability
214 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
52%
4%
The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with many players praising its high replay value due to multiple endings, character customization, and branching storylines. However, some reviewers noted a lack of depth in how choices impact the game, leading to diminished replay interest after a few playthroughs. Overall, while it offers significant replay potential for achievement hunters and those seeking different outcomes, others found it less engaging for repeated plays.
- “Every character feels unique with their writing and voice acting, lots of options to customize your avatar, and great replay value with all the possible endings.”
- “It is definitely replayable since your decisions determine the ending of the game, so you can play over and over until you get all of the endings.”
- “The game might be short, but its replay value shines, inviting you to explore multiple playthroughs and endings.”
- “There's no logic or reason to how your choices affect the world and there's little replayability.”
- “Severely lacking in replay value for a game that expects upwards of 5 playthroughs to complete.”
- “The biggest negative of death and taxes is its lack of replayability.”
grinding
69 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
3%
6%
91%
The grinding aspect of the game has received significant criticism, with many players finding it tedious and repetitive, especially when attempting to unlock achievements or explore multiple endings. While some appreciate the initial enjoyment and mechanics, the overall sentiment suggests that the need for extensive replaying and the lack of engaging content can lead to a frustrating experience. Players have expressed a desire for features like a skip button to alleviate the monotony of repeated gameplay.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “A bit grindy sometimes.”
- “The main demerit I would say is the grinding aspect.”
- “It was fun the first few times, when you're figuring everything out and the twists happen, but after that, it's just pretty boring grinding.”
- “All the good things 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.”
atmosphere
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
46%
9%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its engaging world-building, charming art style, and outstanding soundtrack, which together create a unique and immersive experience. However, some reviewers noted inconsistencies in the cohesiveness of the visual presentation and the writing, suggesting that these elements could have enhanced the overall atmosphere. Despite these critiques, many players found the atmosphere to be a standout feature, contributing significantly to their enjoyment of the game.
- “The attention to detail in character animations and the grimly charming environments contributes to the overall atmosphere.”
- “With an outstanding soundtrack and a charming atmosphere, Death and Taxes is a well-crafted experience.”
- “I loved the graphics and the whole concept of the game, the relaxing atmosphere of just sitting and reading about humans' lives.”
- “The atmosphere is all wrong, and I think it's due to poor writing.”
- “While the atmosphere of the game is solid, the visual presentation struggles to be cohesive.”
- “The script was very well done and the visuals did well in establishing an artistic style that complemented the story and the overall atmosphere of the game.”
emotional
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
97%
10%
The emotional aspect of the game is highly polarized among players; some find it deeply moving and fulfilling, particularly in moments of decision-making and character development, while others feel a significant emotional disconnect due to repetitive gameplay and abstract consequences. The soundtrack enhances emotional resonance for some, but many express frustration over a lack of genuine attachment to the characters and the overall narrative, leading to a sense of boredom rather than engagement. Ultimately, while some players experience profound emotional moments, others criticize the game for failing to evoke meaningful feelings.
- “The soundtrack complements the game impeccably, enhancing the emotional resonance of each moment and further immersing players in the captivating world.”
- “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.”
- “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 aimless and lacked emotional depth.”
optimization
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
55%
17%
The game is well-optimized, running smoothly on a variety of systems without performance issues or crashes. Its simple point-and-click mechanics contribute to a polished experience, enhanced by strong voice performances and engaging visuals. Overall, players appreciate the seamless integration of gameplay and narrative, although some feel limited in their sense of agency regarding personal performance outcomes.
- “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.”
- “Such as suddenly being fired the day after my boss gave me a positive performance review, or causing a massive insect plague because I killed one Venus flytrap plant.”
character development
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
49%
38%
Character development in the game shows promise, with players expressing a desire for deeper exploration of characters and their backgrounds, particularly in relation to the game's setting and side characters. While there are attempts at developing side plots and minor character arcs, such as with the boss, these elements are often perceived as underdeveloped and lacking in depth. Overall, the visuals and voice acting are praised, but the character development leaves much to be desired.
- “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.”
stability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from notable stability issues, with users reporting various bugs and glitches that detract from the overall experience. Complaints include inconsistent game mechanics, repetitive gameplay, and visual glitches, which contribute to a feeling of being unpolished. While some players appreciate the graphics, the presence of these technical problems undermines the game's enjoyment.
- “It's also surprisingly buggy for such a simple game.”
- “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.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
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 quality of the game 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.”