Papers, Please is all about the facts. Without them, there would be disorder, and the Arstotzkan government would surely frown upon that. As an Arstotzkan border control officer it’s your job to make sure no undesirables step foot on Arstotzkan turf. Every time you shout “Next!” is a new test, a new opportunity to fail, but ultimately another chance to question your morality. The majority of the people who step in front of you in your tiny sealed cubicle will be your average, run-of-the-mill citizens, simply seeking entry into Arstotzka. But it’s their stories, and the appearance of a few slightly questionable citizens, which shapes your choices here. Against all the facts that are the backbone to your work, your truly tough decisions will be made in a fog of ambiguity.
Stop (or profit off) your border's contraband!
BLG writes: "Dystopian games are more relevant than ever in a day and age when the world seems to be getting progressively bleaker with each passing year. But dystopian fiction, in general, isn’t trying to make us depressed by showing us how much worse things could get. Rather, the point is (usually) to serve as a cautionary tale, and there’s perhaps no tale more cautionary than George Orwell’s 1984."
A game that should absolutely be on this list is Disco Elysium. That game is wildly deep in the field of its take on social issues, politics, religion, morality, and the internal struggles of the human psyche.
Still haven't finished it but Disco Elysium is really great. I love the dark sense of humour.
I love dystopian settings in general. We happy few is an excellent game. It is basically a mash up of 1984 and the other dystopian classic Brave New World. The drug 'Joy' is essentially 'Soma' from Aldous Huxley's novel.
Orwell was surprisingly engrossing. I enjoyed it quite a bit more than I expected. I bought the sequel on Steam but haven't gotten around to playing it yet.
Don't need a game to experience Orwell. Real life follows it pretty well.
It is not only through paperwork and armed guards that Askrokia maintains its power, but from the way it controls the player’s limited and valuable time.
