A Bleak and Heartwarming Indie Game | Papers, Please Retrospective

[@ihitonmilfs]

The best ending is when you have to flee for your life and all you have is a bunch of counterfeit passports, but the inspector let's you through anyway It hit me so hard being the one on the other side of that booth

[@areaxisthegurkha]

You realise that Obristan security inspector does not have any governmental pressure on him and therefore let them pass without further inspection. Otherwise maybe the Counterfeits were well made.

[@melissa7611]

Sometimes the mirror is upside down

[@Basil_liy]

Since Jorgi knows of a forger... We may never know if his Obristan passport is a legit...

[@Nalayo1]

@@Basil_liy his passport birthday date always changes to the current date he is meeting you

[@Basil_liy]

ayo wait what

[@forecastlotus3899]

Reasons I love Jorji is simple really, he keeps coming back, I see people who are practically nameless to me on this job and yet he keeps coming back. He doesn't get mad or sad when I detain or deny him, he just says he understands and accepts it and yet going from a nameless man without a passport to somebody who gives you an escape. Little potato man, may you get only the best spuds from the pile

[@spencergacker9553]

Cobrastan, Grand Country, Man Above ALLLLLL! Glory be, greatest he, Spudman Rules ALLLLLLL! In the name, the border stand, GLOOOOORY TOOOOOO, ARTSTOTZZZZZKAAAAAAAAA!

[@kdgames2020]

jacksepticeye refence?

[@alexisbroadwaylove8625]

@@spencergacker9553 GREATEST COUNTRY MOTHER PROUD

[@ChrisHinners008]

I salute to you Jorji!

[@c26f]

arstoska so good country, no need passport!

[@niffry]

I know that Sergiu and Elisa are just a small number of pixels, but every single time I go to re-play this game I'll ALWAYS make sure that they get together because of just how adorable the little animation of them running towards eachother for a hug is-- it's just an insanely wholesome refresher in such a otherwise bleak game, and sometimes I just need that after playing for a while

[@crylune]

Didnt really like it as I despise relationships

[@enessamiyuksel1736]

@@crylune no life 🗿

[@ItHamBoi]

@@crylune L

[@reynanlamsen2007]

@@ItHamBoi Ratio'd

[@ItHamBoi]

@@reynanlamsen2007 alr let's see if you ratio me, you got 1 week

[@margarethmichelina5146]

Top 3 my favorite characters of this game: 1. Jorji with his antique behaviours and even compliment us for doing a good job. 2. Sergiu with his honesty and also I let Elisa to go pass and if he dies, I have to replay again. 3. The officer who shared half of his profit to us if we detained a lot of people and also act like a true Chad when the bomb is in our office and called it Child's play.

[@brian93724]

i mean it is what kind of terrorist would make the bomb easier to defuse than solving a 2 by 2 rubix cube

[@Patryk-c1m]

i always called him chenki as a nickname because i always forgot his name. thats for no.3 btw and normal i laugh when i miss a detain opportunity bc i thought he would be like: bro wtf, im gonna starve today. I have broken humor

[@liraktheminister]

The officer is called Calensk

[@emirbaranceviren6956]

@@brian93724 for real i belive that for any experianced soldier i think it would be easy as stopping the alarm clock in the morning since the design PROVES to be ameteur made as you can see the device is jankly put toghether and quite asymmetrical and dirty and also they putted the damn numbers in the COVER so in short the bomb WAS jankly made by ameteurs altough it REALY did pack a punch it was at the end jankly made by ameteurs (probily junior tech students at a random highschool or a very old group of activists) the bomb at the end is just WAAYYY too simple to be effective enough.

[@fink_rat]

Following in Mr. McFumbles' steps, I call the guard Strong Terry

[@JorjiCostava-]

Arstotzka so great, passport not required. Right?

[@LegalizeTheNuclearBomb]

I hope you are well with your business endeavours, Jorji ^^

[@williama.4365]

Exactly, Jorji. Glory to Arstotzka! P.S. I was the inspector who let you in the first time.

[@theholypeanut8193]

He's the gigachad of the Papers, please universe.

[@williama.4365]

@@theholypeanut8193 Exactly. Glory to Cobrastan.

[@Man_Aslume]

A+ on effort

[@18ratsinatrenchcoat79]

optimal pathing in my mind, protect Sergiu, help Sergiu reunite with his love, don't detain Jorji, accept the help from Jorji to flee the nation, don't help EZIC. my reasoning for this is, Sergiu gets to be with Elisa, you get to escape, EZIC cant be trusted to not become a new oppressive government and if you help them that likely means death for Sergiu

[@dzakiafifi5520]

My man got his priorities right Sergiu ftw

[@urbainleverrier1]

true man ezic isn't necessarily good for trying to topple a corrupt government what if they become one themselves

[@ratgobbler]

hey

[@zilelim813]

Calensk rn: 👁 👄 👁

[@Ugh718]

"EZIC cant be trusted to not become a new oppressive government"This is true but u've gotta take ur chances since the current government is ALREADY corrupt to the bone lol. Although if u kill the guy in red u lose(EZIC tells u to kill him),whereas if u don't u keep going so:Maybe they were trying to screw u over all along lol?

[@ch4os395]

On the subject of the Soviet Union, I think the game more likely takes place or at least takes influence from the fall of yugoslavia. This could explain the neighboring country being pretty agressive towards each other.

[@adamtuico390]

I disagree. The Yugoslav civil war and its fallout was very ethnically charged while the conflict here seems to be nationalistic; with everyone saying glory to Aristotska. I think it is more like the Soviet Union because it is clearly a country that is rotting away from the inside and everything is bleak and uniform. Where conformity is the one thing that matters.

[@arthurconanthebarbarian1288]

But there's also an obvious Berlin Wall allegory, so yeah, it's a bit of everything.

[@BYDADVERTISINGDEPARTMENT]

The game takes place in the balkans,as the United Federation as Yugoslavia and Obristan as the Soviet puppet states and Arstoska as the Ukrainian SSR. My opinion No hates pls

[@DanksterPaws]

@@BYDADVERTISINGDEPARTMENT Thats the main theory and the surrounding geography seems to be similar to that of the black sea

[@ASuspiciouslyCommunistToaster]

The idea of a east west split city makes me believe it is baed on east Germany or hungary

[@kopazwashere]

14:15, Actually, you are confiscating his passport legally - If you look carefully through each of Jorge's passport, his birth date changes to the current ingame-date, implying he is using a forged passport. :>

[@Derkosson]

Can you point that discrepancy in-game?

[@Basil_liy]

Thing is, you can only confiscate Arstotzan passports, so, still illegal.

[@phoenixlmao]

you still arent supposed to TAKE his passport tho

[@BinghesHeavenlyPillar]

@@phoenixlmao Nice mc pfp :)

[@magnusvonbraun9870]

Jorji does show the forger flier, which implies he did forge the Obristan passport. He even said that it wasn’t easy or cheap when he brought in all his papers on day 11, which further suspects he did something strange to get his papers.

[@CapitalTeeth]

The ending where you flee to Obristan is such a contrast. You've had to inspect passports, vaccine certificates, work passes, etc and see if there's any discrepancy between ALL of them, quickly enough, or your family will be cold and starving. Then, what do you hear from the Obristan inspector? "I do not care why you come here."

[@Lozjozz]

amd he knows ur passports are fake amd grants u mercy, like u have or haveny to others

[@xtxownage]

One of my favourite denial responses is simply 'Die'. They don't beg like the others, attempt to bribe you, or otherwise appeal to you; usually because they already did before even handing over their passport. That simple curse is all they bother to say for you already made your choice.

[@t.b.cont.]

When I was in middle school I heard about this game when it was in development and I was able to get my hands on a free version before it was released on steam iirc. I managed to convince my teacher that it was an educational game that helped with pattern recognition and I was able to play it in computer class.

[@sadfaceemojioxlong8593]

your teacher believing you need help with pattern recognition isn't a good thing...

[@oldestdreamja]

@@sadfaceemojioxlong8593 nah, it doesn't mean that the dude's helpless with pattern recognition, it could help improve. just cuz u've learned it already doesn't mean you can't improve

[@crazydragy4233]

​@@oldestdreamja It's weird how people treat mental skills as a binary of either exists or doesn't lol. Just sounds like they've never used one themselves when they say silly things like that

[@zachsmith1676]

@@crazydragy4233 critical thinking being a skill that not many possess, I had to take a critical thinking course in college and out of the 28 students only myself and one other really paid attention in class, let alone were prepared for it. (If anyone cares, as unlikely as it may be, I passed with a 98/100 in the class

[@ya_homeboy_prophet]

The game helps me focus lol

[@DaShoopdahoop]

Jorji is a gigachad, you can't change my mind. Glory to Cobrastan!

[@epicman5356]

“You are under arrest for being a fan of a drug dealer and a non-existent country. The safety of your family is unknown. Glory to Arstotzka!”

[@DaShoopdahoop]

@@epicman5356 he's not a drug dealer, he just sells medicine with fun side effects

[@communistunitednationsball4299]

Hmm what's this medicine do.... *Tries it* wait...this doesn't taste as bad like what medicine we have what's this warning say...side effects? Something something yeah cobrastan is just a state

[@flamerom5845]

Not buff enough lol

[@lukaslee7380]

Detained.

[@ventusastrea3850]

My favourite ending is escaping to Orbistan after doing all the Ezic tasks and making the Ezic revolution possible, just moments before the shit hits the fan. For me it creates an interesting backdrop; Running away moments from a historic moment of political upheaval. Of course I leave with the whole extended family who is not sick and with some money I saved.

[@ventusastrea3850]

@D As you said it's only a game :D

[@lukethelegend9705]

I feel like that ending is the most fitting. The inspector doesn’t care about the revolution, he doesn’t care about pure loyalty to his country. He only cares about his family’s safety. He got away from all of it.

[@imdva]

i always just leave with the wife and son. the rest are adults and can take care of themselves

[@alexanderthegreat-mx5zu]

​@@imdvaThe fucking grandma bro and your wife is an adult too.

[@MurcuryEntertainment]

I genuinely couldn't finish papers please when I first got it. Not because it was too difficult, but because the stress it was able to construct was so tremendous that it I had to stop playing.

[@piratekid1]

Me too, I had a similar job at the time (I wasn't in immigration but I did checked multiple legal documents, looking for any missing info) so, I never finished the game. Even now, I still can't play it because I remember how stressful it gets

[@LegalizeTheNuclearBomb]

How could you have a job if you find a video game that stressful.

[@mildly_miffed_man1414]

@@LegalizeTheNuclearBomb : |

[@augustuslunasol10thapostle]

@@LegalizeTheNuclearBomb how are you technically a intelligent life form when you can spout such nonsense as that

[@philipped.r.6385]

I've been interested in the game for quite some time, but I've never played. When I see end game gameplay, I'm not sure I could do it right. I don't have any problem at looking closely to documents to see if they are valid, but the pressure of having to do it as fast as possible to get enough pay to support your family seem to be problematic. I don't think I could do it fast enough.

[@dkseon]

6:53 The moment when he denied Jorji made me cry

[@americankid7782]

I love Jorji despite always denying him because he keeps coming back. My favorite thing about him is that he eventually creates a perfect fake passport so then I can let him through with no issues.

[@LegalizeTheNuclearBomb]

Him and the guy trying to smuggle medicine are the only two people with contraband that I let in. Jorji is wholesome as fuck.

[@lichtishlogistics]

I cried too, but out of frustration 😭 he's still getting a citation cause he didn't stamp it with a reason for denial so jorji got denied for nothing

[@dkseon]

cool pfp

[@remadepizza2748]

honestly, i think the main reason why i love this game is the realistic yet pixel art-style, it fits the game perfectly, and makes it a good game for other developers who want use the same art-style in their game, its also the grey and depressing feel that gives the game its spark, well, not in a real sense but still a good game and a must have, still good in 2022 or in just the 21st century, i recommend the game. PS, Shout out to Jorji.

[@aydinmakesthings]

Something that I noticed near the end of the game (Which may be me overlooking at gameplay for story) is how as the game goes on, there is more and more fake passports. I think it's ment to represent how people are getting more and more desperate to get into the country. Which made me ponder, "How bad is the rest of the world they want to live here?"

[@magnusvonbraun9870]

13:17 You also get a huge 100 credits if you keep Sergiu alive on that day for the next day. From a gameplay perspective, 100 credits is a huge boon, so I always let Elisa in since 100 credits let me pay off citations.

[@strain42]

Absolutely one of my favorite indie games of all time. So many little character moments just hidden inbetween the day to day grind, and you did a great job tackling it!

[@SnorlaxsTriForceWish]

This is such an underrated channel, loved this video. Papers Please is a perfect example of how the mechanics of a game alone can be a great story telling tool.

[@Underestimated37]

This game is one of those games that is overlooked, but has a very impactful story that can change people’s perspectives and lives. I’m so glad you did a video on this one, as it really doesn’t get the appreciation it deserves.

[@FormerGovernmentHuman]

I mean for what it is as far as budget, indie dev, graphics, simple and mundane gameplay, and a very advanced form of simon says with moral dilemmas mixed in selling half a million copies is equivalent to super viral imo. To those of us lucky enough to never experienced this level of bureaucratic tyranny it’s a pleasant reminder of what could have been but luckily isn’t. To those that lived it, it’s a harmless reminder of the conditions they either escaped from or lived through. And it does this in such a beautiful mix of it’s telling a story through the gameplay. Maybe it’s not selling millions of copies, but for those of us like yourself and I it will always hold a special place with us. It’s art, a dystopian portal into the mindset of a cog serving it’s oppressive regime.

[@alpha_9997]

I mean, it caterd to a specific audience, and it was incredibly well recived. It couldnt become something like say cod but for a game of its thoe, it was incredibly popular

[@SkyNinja759]

This game was not overlooked at all when it first came out. A tonne of KZbinrs played through it and gave it recognition. It's up there with 5 Nights at Freddy's, Undertale, etc for games that lived because of content creators exposing it to the masses. I would say this game deserves the exposure and it an absolute gem of a indie game. It sets the bar for passive storytelling and impactful minor descions behind the scenes that effect outcomes/endings. All games, let alone indie games, can take notes from Papers, Please.

[@BenjaminSteber]

I always felt that papers please was more inspired by the fracturing of Yugoslavia than any other historical event.

[@cottoneyejoe8285]

Quick tip for anyone: You don't need to clear discrepancies. If you find one, you can just deny the entrant without working to clear it up. Once the reason for denial stamp is added, you just need to call them out, but can still deny with the reason.

[@CloudConnection]

Thanks for watching, everyone! What do you think of Papers, Please, and how did you respond to its characters and storylines?

[@giuseku_1525]

This Will be a good video

[@MrPink-qf1xi]

I really respect this game and I tried it, but it isn't for me. I like my games as escapism and fantasy but this game is too real for me.

[@daltonlee9131]

Papers, Please really reminded me in 2013 that like any other artform, games do not need to be 'fun.' The best games can be downright miserable experiences, and as long as they were doing that on purpose to get their point across, a miserable game can be an amazing one.

[@WiseArkAngel]

The printing sound effect gives me PTSD from when I fuck up badly in this game.

[@handlemyd-]

Cobastran is not a real country

[@elijahboodram5358]

I might be right and I could be wrong however, I’m pretty sure the only image that we get of somebody smiling in the game is one Sergio gives you the heart shaped locket that eliza gave him

[@himesilva]

Papers, Please is one of my favourite games. There's something so relaxing about that tedious paper work. In real life being on the receiving end of bureaucracy is infuriating, but as an inspector it's fun

[@logangustavson]

This game makes me cry uncontrollably everything I play it. It's so powerful and deep. I tell everyone I meet about this absolute masterpiece.

[@scottanno8861]

I cry every time I have to pull out the dragunov... :(

[@ΒασίληςΒλάχος-τ3κ]

The definition of "video games as an art form"

[@berkkarsi]

You forgot to mention that your decisions of letting people in also show up in the newspaper.

[@megabanani8959]

The game the developer began before papers please was actually realized under the name „the Westport independent“ in a similar playing style

[@FSSmash]

A really good analysis with a nice format. Crisp visual and audios, great work!

[@itspice8737]

this game never really struck me as western europe soviet bloc, more balkan state, yugoslavia post or on the brink of breakup

[@misterpayah7723]

Absolutely brilliant game for how it can portray complex politics and tell an incredibly nuanced story through pure gameplay mechanics alone.

[@The420033]

"Arstotzka is not above turning immigrants away because of a spat with their country's leader". Wow, that's terrible, a modern western country would never do such a thing!

[@zawrator4457]

Yea thats crazy, who would possibly do that????

[@Man_Aslume]

Is this sarcasm?

[@philgamer_309]

For a dark and gloomy game, jorji is a man with a lot of character

[@FormerGovernmentHuman]

I legit come back to this game from time to time JUST for Jorji.

[@enilenis]

I remember interview with the creator, where he said that the inspiration was having to deal with Japanese immigration. So, even though, the setting of the game is retro-soviet, the actual source of inspiration is Japan.

[@captc0ck5lap60]

_Glory to Arstotzka._

[@Germanica1871]

My uncle was a border patrol officer in East Germany. Grenzwacht NVA. He used to tell me stories about the process of someone being able to pass or no... The reality of the situation is way different to how things go in Arstotzka, rendering the "references to Soviet era" absolutely incorrect. Mostly, they would be searching through your bags and invading your privacy quite a lot, but there was little to no paperwork needed. (none if you were a regular at the checkpoint) They would check your name, write it down, your ID number, write it down, and nothing else. The searches were the worst part. They would flip your car/bags/wallets upside down to find incriminating material. Rarely was anyone denied entry however. Mostly people smuggled cheap cigarettes from the East to the West. Usually the checkpoint officers would be bribed. But again, little paperwork. I think people really, really antagonize the communist East. Not all that is told to you by your right-wing government is true. So in conclusion, what would happen is searches, but very little paperwork and arrests or denies would be rare. Crossings were often and the rules and regulations were tame. Stop antagonizing the East guys... Also, great vid. A bit off the gaming topic but hopefully this is welcomed with open arms.

[@jeelianbb6405]

I dont think the developer intended for arstotzka to be interpreted as the former USSR, hence he didn't include any reference to it. It feels more like a totalitarian dystopia government that could be used to describe capitalism or socialism Some aspects like the labour lottery, paying high prices for essentials (food and heating), and extreme wealth inequality (housing) seem far more appropriate for capitalism Most obviously of all immigration within the USSR was easier because borders were open, whilst in Arstotzka borders are incredibly strict

[@LegalizeTheNuclearBomb]

Perhaps it has a bad rep because it's an objectively dog shit philosophy, I guess if you have nothing you'd probably be bitter and want everyone else to have nothing as well, it makes sense in that regard!

[@sasho_b.]

Also the fact that we are now corrupt barren wastelands? You really are leaving the most important part untold: whatever shit the western liars have about the former east, it pales in comparison to the current corruption, drugs, ruin and depopulation. To stop all of that in exchange for what, some intrusive border checks? I think it would be worth it.

[@stalins_comically_large_spoon]

*I s d r u g s!* -Jorji

[@kidz4p509]

4:38 I wouldn’t exactly call it “infamous”. It also prints out a fingerprint card.

[@NerdyCatCoffeeee]

If you play Papers, Please long enough, you'll have PTSD for whenever that thing prints something out.

[@cinnaminna1797]

@@NerdyCatCoffeeee no literally when the sound came out and I saw pink. I felt the type of rage that you would feel when you shouldn't be mad but you are anyways

[@handlemyd-]

​@@cinnaminna1797dont embarrass me.

[@kipter]

Hilarious that the dev for this game was inspired to make it by the TSA

[@scottanno8861]

Yep. A useless organization that has hardly stopped any terrorist activity, just like Astortka

[@yeetgrenade7492]

I believe the game was more based off of east germany then the USSR. the border wall halfway through a city? the whole secret police thing in general? the unfriendly bordering nations? all seems a lot more like east germany then the USSR. Edit: it also contains elements from post-soviet russia. Incase it isn't obvious, despite the end of the cold war, things got a lot worse after the collapse of the U.S.S.R.. the government became even more corrupt, poverty became widespread, and nationalism became much worse.

[@zachb1706]

I don't think it had any one influence.

[@LegalizeTheNuclearBomb]

Because 15 million deaths wasn't enough

[@3rdworldofficer296]

My favorite game of all time. There's just something about it, I can't say why, but it made an impact on me. I loved the moral choices, how nothing is ever clear-cut, black-and-white good or bad narratives, all sides can be seen as morally gray (though I prefer to side with Arstotzka).

[@basert1202]

pretty funny how the game has such a soviet vibe to it, yet is as capitalist as it gets with you having to pay for food, heat and medicine. Which you often times can't afford exactly because of how poorly you're paid

[@shaeby8123]

No, it a bit of both, worst of both parts if you will.

[@Hariester]

Also nationalism is poison that lead to fall of Soviet Union. One of its core values was internationalism.

[@piratekid1]

Yeah, that's communism, not capitalism

[@Hariester]

@@piratekid1 what do you even know of communism?

[@piratekid1]

@@Hariester I live in LatinAmerica, where our governments have tried to both adopt communism and reject it. Communism pays you the bare minimum regardless of what it's worth while Capitalism pays you according to your studies and what the market says your job is worth.

[@Catttails.-.]

I love how this game has such a great and complex story and tells it in such a simple way but makes it hit so hard

[@wghd6782]

As a professional archivist and researcher, I never felt like the basics of the gameplay were an obstacle. But that’s probably cause dealing with this kind of paperwork comes natural to me

[@Т1000-м1и]

It raises lots of questions depending on the player's life experiences

[@NoWayCraig]

I’ve always wished I couldve been a fly on the wall in Soviet Russia. Same with vici France, Berlin in 1939, Italy 1939 ect…Must have been fascinating. If I could pick one era to go back in time to it’d def be the Middle Ages. Go hangout in some brothel drinking mead, live as a lord or a simple peasant, basically kingdom come deliverance but real. Sry for the rant my brain drifted off

[@ASuspiciouslyCommunistToaster]

Just saying, artztotska is based on eastern germany or yugoslavia. Not the USSR itself

[@abhirupmandal995]

0 dislikes, that's some achievement 👌🏻

[@amadeosendiulo2137]

Well... (Also: it now has 8)

[@abhirupmandal995]

@@amadeosendiulo2137 lol

[@first-thoughtgiver-of-will2456]

The fall of the Soviet union was tragic. Imagine going through radical industrialization, worse than the United States animal farm esque experience, then won WW2 with much worse losses then the government falls apart in fiscal ruin. The Russian people really got a bad break.

[@beepbop6542]

Russia died with the Romanovs.

[@kingofcards9516]

Good riddance.

[@Man_Aslume]

Yeah let's ignore the amount of people that died in the Soviet Union

[@fakof6231]

Lovely and warm review I enjoyed this.

[@alpha_9997]

Dude i love this guy. He also made a game called westport independent. Really good mobile game for its time

[@halicusnguyen8864]

Playing it right now. Thank you so much for the recommendation!!

[@alpha_9997]

@@halicusnguyen8864 frank was my g in that game

[@halicusnguyen8864]

@@alpha_9997 just finished it! Man I wished Frank wasn't detained, he definitely had one of the most interesting bits of dialogue

[@alpha_9997]

@@halicusnguyen8864 there are multiple ending you know? You have to manage suspicion. If frank is getting heat for writing controversial stuff give some to the other conservative guy who i think was named bob. No one likes bob, he can take the heat

[@halicusnguyen8864]

@@alpha_9997 fascinating! I'll try for the other endings then :)

[@mysticmaknae.]

“from 2013” …no way it was that long ago i’m screaming

[@zachsmith1676]

While the game itself had a huge impact, I think the 2018 short film of the same name as the game it’s representing should also get a mention since imho it represents what it’s like for the inspector extremely well

[@erik-sr9bj]

I thought this was always about East-/West-Germany, not UdSSR?

[@kaptainKrill]

East Germany was under control of the USSR. You are correct, but so is the video.

[@playstation1homeentertainm981]

Even though most of my family aren’t gamers, they all love this game for some reason

[@CliffCardi]

Arstotzka so great, passport not required.

[@libertariodetucorazon9890]

*GLORY TO ARSTOTZKA*

[@AmericanUnionState1824]

Glory to Arstotzka!

[@MrGohan8000]

I love jorji, respect jorji.

[@The_Undertow]

I just discovered your channel, wow dude amazing work, you are going to blow up one day! However, put the title of the game first, so that it's easier for people to find your channel, you can keep the long title just add ot after the name of the game.

[@flamerom5845]

The fact that Sergiu died in ur playthrough

[@danieswas]

17:38 I remember throwing this on to a passport and accidentally revealing the text Ezic

[@chickennugget4724]

8:06 wrong Jorji is always happy

[@nicolefields7020]

Thanks for reminding me of this game. Gonna play it again once I get off work

[@ryanrusch3976]

Counter point I get paid to detain people and let in drug smugglers, I detain people and let in drug smugglers

[@Blumpkinthehobbit]

All I got from this is that the player character in republia times can theoretically meet with the player character in papers please as they are in the same universe demonstrated by the inclusion if republia ss a country in papers please. I need crossover NOW

[@yapopstangle8517]

I am struggling to find the outro music with such a generic name-- its so good DX

[@LetsGoGetThem]

Why is nobody mentioning how the map is totally based on the Balkans? Also FYI, creator has said that Arstotzka is a fascist nation, not Communist.

[@zachb1706]

Communism is cringe

[@zachb1706]

And Arstotzka is definitely communism, you live in government housing and are employed by the government. You don't see anything else but it's a good guess

[@zawrator4457]

That seems bizzarre considering how the entire aesthetic is soviet/GDR inspired.

[@ricardosenpai6121]

@@zawrator4457 Yeah, you even get to literally called Fascist if you denied I think a reporter/journalist. Plus GDR is trying to differentiate itself from the other Soviet/Commie nations by using Prussian Style Uniforms, with some even come from the Wehrmacht itself.

[@elpito9326]

@@zawrator4457 the aesthetic is Slavic, but also the symbology is clearly fascistic (the eagle holding a shield, the ultranationalism, the xenophobia...)

[@PiccoTerra]

I would love to play this game. unfortunately as someone with dyslexia it is unplayable but I suppose lets plays have sufficed

[@k4rzl]

Thanks for the videos, I like them very much.

[@zawrator4457]

Really loving this game and still play it semi regularly, but personally over the years the games ludonarrative dissonance really been grinding my gears: The game imo really falls flat with how it tries to explore totalitarianism, which it does in story, but not through gameplay. You are being told that you are propping up an oppressive regime, which makes its inhabitants miserable and exploits them, but until the very endgame where you are tasked to confiscate everyone's passports, you are performing entirely reasonable tasks in your job. Requiring proper id, not carrying illegal contraband, requiring vaccination against a disease which is wrecking surrounding countries, is entirely reasonable and bog standard for every border checkpoint on the planet. The increasingly more harsh measures are really the checkpoint approaching irl measures rather than some oppressive 1984 style system (which the creator of the game said inspired the game). Worse yet these measures are prompted by events that would lead to tightened security in every country on earth: actual tangentible acts of terrorism, throughout the game, you are even attacked yourself by terorrists multiple times. Yet the game somehow seems to think and tells you that these are unreasonable measures, when really in gameplay thats not presented at all. Which in fact would be rather easy with some graphic changes: have the player arrest people for carrying the illegal contraband of foreign luxury goods, have a list of political dissidents in a newspaper analogue you need to arrest etc.. Stuff that hammers home how you are propping up an oppressive regime, yet the game only adds that variable at the very end with you confiscating the passports. So yea, found myself more and more disengaged with the story that is really about two different things. In fact you could easily turn papers please into some border patrol propaganda game by just swapping out the graphics for bright and sunny aesthetics, whilst leaving the base gameplay and story progression intact.

[@zawrator4457]

@@KopperNeoman Out of the loop there, what happened?

[@devvolinn]

you went to give the woman with expired paperwork in at 5:00 don't think we didn't see

[@resettheneutral]

maybe i’m reaching, but i feel like the reason the people in game are weird colors are because they’re the only dynamic interesting part of the inspectors job. they’re all more colorful and different compared to everything else

[@Worldtradencentre]

Everytine i see jorji my heart lights up and i just let him through on the second time (worth the 10 cent/buck)

[@IngridGamedev]

Nice vídeo dude! =D

[@beaksters]

Georgie is the best npc in the game.

[@them3497]

I was good enough at one point that I could do ~20 people a day through the campaign, not counting interrupted days.

[@theoriginldw]

i loved this game when jacksepticeye played it. it’s so well made and immersive

[@eyeballqueenofrats]

Really great video, this is becoming one of my favorite essay channels. I really liked the analysis of the Ezic group, as many people seem to view them as the good guys (from my experience with the people who've played this game) when in reality it is unclear whether or not they actually have anyone's best interests in mind. Wonderful content!

[@forecastlotus3899]

On my first playthrough I immediately said "Get out of here." The first ending I got was giving the one guy the evidence, I was immediately arrested

[@magnusvonbraun9870]

@@forecastlotus3899 Given the government Arstozka was in, giving M. Vonel any involvement with EZIC would be an immediate arrest (although it is said they will perform an audit rather than forced labor or executing you). After all, M. Vonel did mention the mysterious of said group.

[@JustM-wq9on]

00:17 funny joke

[@waterSuja]

glory to Arstotzka. 👇

[@ex0spher_e]

Why do you keep citations on your desk but keys on the counter

[@austinblack7991]

I love this game play it all the time on my vita

[@Bewaffneter_Rauber]

I have gotten so good and so fast that I end up with hundreds of credits after just a few days

[@monkeyf]

Archer we don't have any peppers

[@_Pagan]

Why are you wearing silk socks??

[@monkeyf]

@@_Pagan Is that a joke?

[@carlos9446]

Awesome vid: came from reddit

[@krealyesitisbeta5642]

Great stuff!

[@againsttheriver3657]

Well, this game wasn't inspired by living conditions in USSR, maybe it was inspired by propaganda about USSR, but not reality.

[@jackrambit9637]

I trust your opinions on Soviet living, Leonid Brezhnev

[@againsttheriver3657]

@Jackrambit well I do have an entire generations in my country and other neighboring countries that lived in socialism and also there are a lot of factual evidences that prove such opinion and a fact.

[@kingofcards9516]

You're right, not enough starving Ukrainians.

[@againsttheriver3657]

@@kingofcards9516 You are aware that starvation was a problem everywhere in Russian empire for ages and in USSR until 1932? And second, guess why I don't say forever? Because USSR actually solved this age if not millenia old issue.

[@kingofcards9516]

@@againsttheriver3657 good ol'whataboutism. Honestly you tankies are such bootlickers for authoritarian regimes.

[@arashkrezaei961]

I think this game is refrens to yoogoslaavi I dont remember attacking border in soviet union time

[@nikothefox24396]

Glory to Arstoska.

[@Hunter18892]

ill be an immigrant soon. due to my shithole country i wont be able to renew my passport abroad which could cause complications to my escape. this video hit me hard.

[@LesegoDlamini]

You should check out the suzerain

[@measlesplease1266]

This is coming to us.

[@Namida-u9b]

I am to damn nice and heartfelt to play this game

[@kptlt.phillipthomsen5973]

Pretty sure its meant to be like Yugoslavia or Romania or something, not the USSR

[@mccaylawhite8900]

what do you think the union in soviet union is dummy?

[@kptlt.phillipthomsen5973]

@@mccaylawhite8900 Not that

[@plugshirt1762]

@@mccaylawhite8900 bruh neither of those countries were part of the ussr

[@cymrawd_foulkesie]

Did.... did you just kill Sergiu?