It is November 23rd, 1982.
You are the current inspector at the immigration checkpoint between the country that you grew up in and swore to protect and the other country that stands for everything that you are against. The chilly autumn winds carry the stench of dust and sweat all the way to your tiny little booth. And it is there that you'll forever change peoples' lives. For better or for worse. At the cost of your sanity. Your family. You morality. Your funds. Your status. All this hinging on a simple choice.
A Red Stamp or a Green One.
Papers, Please is a dystopian document-focused thriller that puts you in the tense position of an immigration officer in a authoritarian country that imposes incredibly tight restrictions on immigrants. Everything from reason for entry to gender inconsistencies, right down to a single letter of a typographical error can and MUST be scrutinized, at the cost of being able to have enough money to support your family at home. This game holds no bars when it comes to the fascistic "Us or Them" mentality. This game has no villains, at least not totally. You'll definitely encounter drug dealers, human traffickers, and even plenty of terrorists on the daily. But eventually it may dawn on you that the real villains have choices. Choices that decide if people get to live or die. Choices that make civilians into criminals, criminals into heroes, and heroes into corpses. Choices like denying or approving an entrant into the country.
This beautifully horrifying game delivers a hardhitting, gutwrenching message that may not even hit you immediately, but if you take into account that these people, these immigrants, each with their own story, their own problems, and their own life, trying to carve out their survival one day at a time, are just like you...
Then how can you turn them away at the cost of 5 extra credits to take home?
Is that all they are to you? Just the difference of 5 credits?

But maybe that's what they want you to think, get you feeling sorry for them so that they can sling drugs to your children, so that you can carve your husbands and wives into a turkey dinner, so that they can destroy your whole world around you with the push of a button.
So why don't you push yours first?

This game is full of choices.
Approve or Deny?
Detain or Clear?
Terrorist or Liberator?
Murderer or Savior?

Your audit comes soon, inspector.
I hope you made the right choices..

9/10
"Glory to Arstotzka!"