Papers, Please

About

Papers, Please is a single player casual role playing game. It was developed by 3909 and was released on December 12, 2014. It received very positive reviews from players.

In "Papers, Please," a single-player Role Playing game, you become an immigration inspector in a dystopian document thriller. As you navigate an intriguing story, you'll scrutinize travelers' documents, using clever game mechanics to approve or deny their entry. Decisions are crucial, emphasizing the weight of bureaucracy and consequences in a society on the brink of chaos.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

90%

Audience ScoreBased on 577 reviews

story20 positive mentions

stability3 negative mentions

The game is a fantastic port from PC to mobile, maintaining the engaging gameplay and unique atmosphere.
It features a thought-provoking story with multiple endings, providing great replay value.
Controls are well adapted for touch screens, making it easy to play on the go.

There are frequent bugs, particularly with sound cutting out when switching apps, which can disrupt gameplay.
Some players find the mobile interface cramped and difficult to navigate, making it hard to manage documents.
The game can experience lag and crashes, especially on certain devices, affecting the overall experience.

story
39 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
51%
41%
8%
The game's story is widely praised for its engaging and thought-provoking narrative, featuring intriguing twists and moral dilemmas that keep players invested. Many reviewers appreciate the unique storytelling approach, where players manage daily tasks while influencing the fate of characters, adding depth to the experience. However, some note that the story can become repetitive over time, and while it offers multiple endings, the overall narrative may not be substantial enough to justify extended play.
- “Overall, still a very fun, engrossing, challenging, visually unique experience whose story is thought-provoking and full of heart.”
- “Having to focus on the repetitive daily task of checking papers while also watching the story unfold and somehow controlling the fate of a nation (or at the very least your family) from behind a desk is a really cool concept.”
- “Gripping story with moral elements that have you doubting your every action.”
- “Its for sure a fascinating way of telling a story, like how managing your money is really just deciding how your family should suffer.”
- “It just gets a bit repetitive at one point and I don't think the story is big enough for it to be worth its price.”
- “There is no storyline, repetitive.”
gameplay
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
22%
11%
The gameplay is highly praised for its smooth adaptation to mobile controls while remaining faithful to the original desktop version, offering an immersive and challenging experience. Players appreciate the engaging mechanics that require speed and precision, along with a rewarding gameplay loop that includes various modes and endings. Despite some minor lag issues, the overall consensus highlights the game's addictive nature, interesting story, and well-designed user interface tailored for mobile devices.
- “All of the controls translate well to the mobile version; some have been adapted appropriately to touchscreen inputs, allowing smooth gameplay despite the compact screen viewing area.”
- “The gameplay is faithful to the original desktop version, with enough modifications to make it touch-friendly and suitable for portrait mode.”
- “Controls are responsive and the gameplay is stressful and rewarding.”
- “But gameplay-wise... I can't even imagine getting all 20 endings.”
- “The gameplay to the port can be pretty hectic but otherwise great.”
- “The user interface has been built for phones from the ground up while retaining the gameplay feel and challenges of the original mouse-controlled version.”
graphics
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
20%
20%
The graphics of the game receive high praise for their retro and pixel art style, contributing significantly to the overall experience and storytelling. However, some players find the small details in the graphics tedious to inspect, which can lead to frustration. Overall, while the art style is celebrated by many, there are a few dissenting opinions regarding the quality of the graphics.
- “I absolutely love the game; the art style and gameplay are just magnificent.”
- “Love the retro graphics; it was a perfect choice for such a game.”
- “This game is a gem; I love the pixel art style.”
- “The game stresses me out as it requires tedious, time-consuming inspection of tiny graphics and text, which makes it easy to miss small details that would probably be caught on a PC.”
- “Rubbish game, pointless, horrible graphics.”
music
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
23%
33%
The music in the game is widely praised for its quality and enjoyment, contributing positively to the overall experience. However, players have reported a frustrating audio bug where the soundtrack mutes after switching apps, detracting from the immersion. Despite this issue, the soundtrack remains a highlight for many, enhancing the game's fun and engaging atmosphere.
- “Great game, love the music and fun and easy to play when you get the hang of it.”
- “An incredible game in all aspects, from gameplay, art style, music, and story.”
- “I am haunted and daunted by the soundtrack.”
- “Whenever I open another app temporarily without closing the game, the game OST is muted when I come back.”
- “When you switch apps and open the app again, the music does not work anymore.”
- “Please fix the audio bug when the music is gone after minimizing the app.”
stability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while many players report smooth performance and a successful adaptation to touch controls, some experience occasional glitches, freezing, and sound issues when switching tabs.
- “The game runs great with no issues.”
- “Game runs great on phone; most games that were made for computer don't run well on phone.”
- “It's an okay game with good pixel art and an appealing aesthetic, but there are some glitches.”
- “It's a good game, but it freezes and slows down every so often.”
- “The sound glitches when I change tabs, but I haven't encountered any other bugs.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
50%
Overall, the game is praised for its engaging plot and atmosphere, contributing to a solid replay value. While some players feel they might not replay it extensively, many agree that it offers enough content and twists to warrant multiple playthroughs.
- “Good game, great atmosphere, engaging twists and turns in the plot and has replay value.”
- “A lot of replay value.”
- “Great game with lots of replayability.”
- “While it does have some replay value, I don't see myself replaying it more than three times.”
- “Good game, great atmosphere, engaging twists and turns in the plot, and has replay value.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization model is highly praised, with users appreciating the absence of ads and microtransactions, contributing to a seamless and enjoyable gaming experience.
- “And no ads, 100% 5 stars.”
- “No microtransactions, no ads, lag-free gameplay, overall great.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be stressful and tedious, as it involves painstakingly inspecting small graphics and text for minor details that are easily overlooked, leading to frustration and a sense of inefficiency.
- “The game stresses me out as it requires tedious, time-consuming inspection of tiny graphics and text, which makes it easy to miss small details that would likely be caught on a PC.”
- “I found the game stressful, tedious, and infuriating.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is noted for being fun and engaging, providing a lighthearted contrast to potentially darker themes. Players find the comedic elements interesting and intriguing, enhancing the overall experience.
- “Border patrol, it's fun and funny.”
- “Interesting and intriguing with some humor to keep it from being too dark.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, characterized by its engaging plot twists and immersive environment, which contribute to its replay value.
- “Good game, great atmosphere, engaging twists and turns in the plot, and it has replay value.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
While the game is well-crafted, players express a lack of emotional attachment, indicating that it may not resonate deeply with them despite its quality.
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The optimization for the mobile interface is highly praised, with users noting that the UI and tools are significantly improved for a better user experience.
- “The UI and tools are greatly optimized for the mobile interface.”
- “The game's performance has been significantly improved, making it run smoothly on various devices.”
- “I appreciate how the developers focused on optimization, ensuring a seamless experience even in high-action scenarios.”