Payroll

About

Payroll is a single player casual simulation game with a comedy theme. It was developed by Astrojone and was released on November 10, 2015. It received positive reviews from players.

"Payroll" is a Windows 95-inspired office simulation and narrative game where you play as an office worker and complete daily missions in a 640x480px, 256 color resolution with Adlib sound effects. The goal is to discover the game's purpose, and it features MIDI music, exploration, and hidden easter eggs. Recommended system specifications include a Pentium 4 with 3 GHz or better, 1.5 GB RAM, Windows XP or better, and DirectX 9. Can you survive in this corporate environment?

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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88%

Audience ScoreBased on 52 reviews

story3 positive mentions

music3 negative mentions

The game offers a charming and nostalgic experience reminiscent of Windows 95 graphics, making it visually appealing.
It features multiple endings and hidden secrets, adding replay value and encouraging exploration.
The soundtrack and sound design are enjoyable, enhancing the overall atmosphere of the game.

The gameplay can be confusing, with unclear objectives and a lack of guidance on what to do next.
It's very short, with some players feeling it could use more content or depth to justify replaying.
The absence of dialogue and character voices may detract from the experience for some players, making it feel less engaging.

graphics
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The graphics of the game are intentionally designed to evoke nostalgia for the Windows 95 era, featuring simple mechanics and a 256-color palette that many players find charming and beautifully executed. While some comparisons are made to more graphically advanced titles like "The Stanley Parable," the retro aesthetic is celebrated as a unique selling point that resonates with fans of classic gaming. Overall, the graphics are well-received, contributing positively to the game's overall appeal.
- “The art style and graphics are very nostalgic in my opinion, since the aim was to look like a game from the 95/98 era; the devs totally nailed it.”
- “The game is meant to feel like a Windows 95 era throwback and captures the spirit of the era with its simple mechanics and 256-color graphics.”
- “Graphically, while The Stanley Parable is more impressive, Payroll has a fun style that I haven't seen in a while.”
- “Payroll is basically a poor man's Stanley Parable with a Windows 95 graphics touch!”
- “The game is meant to feel like a Windows 95 era throwback, and captures the spirit of the era with its simple mechanics and 256-color graphics.”
- “It is old school Windows graphics.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its catchy and fitting nature, enhancing the overall experience. While some find it generic, others highlight the nostalgic charm of the MIDI soundtrack, which adds to the game's appeal. Overall, the music contributes positively to the game's atmosphere and enjoyment.
- “Short and sweet, pulls off the software rendered/win16 look excellently, with a banging MIDI soundtrack.”
- “The build is solid, the music is catchy and fitting for the environment you're in.”
- “The music is too generic for me.”
- “I relaxed for 5 minutes listening to this music, long enough to realize that I would be okay.”
- “Actually, I thought this game would be bad at first, but I love it; the MIDI music just makes it so much better.”
story
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The game's story is praised for its depth and moral lessons, emphasizing resilience in the face of adversity. Players appreciate the engaging narrative and the inclusion of multiple secret endings, contributing to a fantastic overall story quality.
- “Moral of the story: you never know what life has in store for you, and if I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
- “Great game for the price, great story and a lot of secret endings.”
- “[b]Story quality:[/b] ☐ n/a - ☐ bad - ☐ average - ☐ good - ☑ fantastic”
gameplay
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
The gameplay is a mixed bag, with some praising its nostalgic throwback to the Windows 95 era through simple mechanics and retro graphics, while others find it frustrating due to cryptic objectives and a lack of clarity. Overall, it is considered superior to many cash-grab games, but still has significant shortcomings.
- “The gameplay is certainly far superior to most cash-grab achievement-based games.”
- “The gameplay is frustrating, and you are only given the most cryptic of indications of what you are supposed to be doing.”
- “As for the gameplay, the mechanics are most definitely inferior.”
- “The game is meant to feel like a Windows 95 era throwback, and captures the spirit of the era with its simple mechanics and 256-color graphics.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
100%
The stability of the game is generally perceived as strong, with most users noting it as "almost perfect." However, there are mentions of some non-game breaking bugs, indicating that while the experience is largely stable, minor issues do exist.
- “Stability: almost perfect”
- “The game is a buggy mess.”
- “There are some non-game breaking bugs.”
- “The stability is almost perfect.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
The presence of multiple endings enhances the game's replayability, allowing players to explore different outcomes without requiring a significant time investment.
- “The game offers a variety of choices that significantly change the outcome, making each playthrough feel fresh and exciting.”
- “With different character builds and strategies to explore, I find myself coming back for more every time.”
- “Multiple endings are a nice touch; I finished them all in not too much time. However, it still added to the replay value.”
- “Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to go back. The lack of meaningful choices makes replaying feel pointless.”
- “The game offers some variety in playthroughs, but ultimately, it feels repetitive and lacks the depth needed for true replayability.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its smart and witty humor, providing players with a hilarious experience that enhances overall enjoyment.
- “What a smart, witty, hilarious game.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players highlight the game's ability to evoke strong emotions through its compelling narrative, suggesting that it offers a depth of storytelling that elevates the gaming experience beyond mere gameplay mechanics. The emotional engagement is described as profound, making it a significant aspect of the overall experience.
- “If you've never wondered just how high (or low!) of a score you can rack up in a simulated 3D role-playing environment, while being involved in a powerful emotional narrative that makes other games look trivial, can you really call yourself a gamer?”