Papers, Please

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About Papers, Please

Papers, Please is an indie game where you become a border control officer in Arstotzka. You have to check documents and make decisions, sometimes facing difficult moral choices.

Story, Moral Choices And Consequences In Papers, Please

What makes Papers, Please truly profound is the layer of conscience of the player.

Moral Dilemmas

You don't just refuse or accept people to enter the country. Many people have touching stories such as separated spouses, refugees wanting to reunite their families, or sick people without papers. If you let them in, you may be deducted money; if you refuse, you inadvertently become a wall blocking their hope.

Mysterious Organization EZIC

You will receive requests from the underground organization EZIC, they want you to help them plan to overthrow the Arstotzka government. Every cooperation or betrayal has consequences, sometimes immediate benefits, sometimes a huge price.

Multiple Endings

Depending on your attitude and choices, the game has about 20 different endings, from continuing your work, escaping to another country, to being executed or captured.

20 Endings - 20 Different Fates

Ending	Description	Decisive Factors
Ending 1	Negative balance at the end of any day — Arrested for debt, family sent back to the village.	Failing to manage income and expenses.
Ending 2	Whole family dies of illness due to lack of food, medicine, heating — player fired.	Poor resource management during gameplay.
Ending 3	Day 12: Deliver EZIC documents to MOI — Arrested for betraying EZIC.	Choosing to hand over EZIC information.
Ending 4	Receive or burn bribes from strangers; do not allow EZIC agents in — accused of corruption/bribery.	Decisions regarding bribes and EZIC interaction.
Ending 5	Shoot an innocent person with a sniper rifle — Arrested for murder of civilians.	Violent action against civilians.
Ending 6	Shoot innocent people with a stun gun — Arrested for assault; tragic ending.	Violent action against civilians.
Ending 7	Shoot a border guard with a sniper — Sentenced to death.	Killing official personnel.
Ending 8	Shoot border guard with a stun gun — Arrested and severely punished.	Killing official personnel.
Ending 9	Day 23: Shoot “man in red” with a sniper — Arrested, family rescued, joins EZIC side.	Actions during EZIC distraction.
Ending 10	Use a stun gun to take out man in red — Same outcome as Ending 9.	Actions during EZIC distraction.

Who Is Papers, Please For?

Papers, Please is for those who enjoy intellectual challenges and moral choices in simulation games. If you are interested in this kind of tense, reasoning genre, you can also try That's Not My Neighbor, a similar strategy and puzzle game.

Simulation Games