Welcome to Arstotzka, comrade. In Papers, Please, you step into the shoes of an immigration inspector at the Grestin border crossing. Your day-to-day involves meticulously checking passports, work permits, and other official documents against a constantly evolving set of rules. It’s a tense, atmospheric experience where a single mistake can have dire consequences for you and your family back in the People's Republic.
This guide is here to help you navigate the labyrinthine bureaucracy and master the art of border control. We'll cover essential gameplay mechanics, mission objectives, and the organizational lore you'll need to become the ultimate border agent. Whether you're aiming for one of the multiple endings, striving for Gold Medals, or just trying to keep your head above water, we've got you covered.
GAME OPTIONS
Discover how to tweak Papers, Please settings like Easy Mode, nudity filters, and audio levels to customize your border control experience. Learn more!
Hey there! So, you're diving into the world of Papers, Please and want to know what all those settings do? No worries, I've got you covered. You can actually access these options anytime you need to by hitting the 'Exit' button, which also conveniently pauses the game. It's a lifesaver if you need a quick break or just want to tweak things on the fly.
First up, there's the Easy Mode. Now, this doesn't change how you actually play the game – you'll still be scrutinizing every document like a pro. What it *does* do is give you an extra 20 Credits at the end of each day. This makes managing your expenses a whole lot less stressful, especially when you're just starting out and every credit counts.
Next, you'll find an option to toggle nudity on or off. Just so you know, there's no full-frontal stuff here. What this setting affects is the 'scan' you do on entrants for identification purposes. When it's on, you'll see more defined outlines for female breasts and a bulge for male genitalia on these scanned images. If you prefer to keep things a bit more abstract, you can just switch this off.
Finally, you have the ability to adjust the volume. You can crank up or dial down the loudness of both the sound effects and the background music. It's great for setting the mood or just making sure you don't miss any crucial audio cues.
Just a quick heads-up on the game itself: at its heart, Papers, Please is all about being a customs officer at the border of Arstotzka. Your main gig is checking people's paperwork and deciding who gets in and who doesn't. While there's a cool story that unfolds over 32 in-game days, the real fun is in the day-to-day detective work you do on each person trying to cross.
When you're playing, you'll mostly be looking at three different views. The top part shows you the border area. On the left is your humble customs booth. Click the loudspeaker to call the next person in line. The bottom half of your screen is split: the left side is your first-person view of your desk and the entrant, and the right side is the 'Documents' view where you can get a closer look at all the papers.
APPROVING, DENYING, INSPECTION MODE
Learn how to approve, deny, or detain entrants in Papers, Please. Master document checks and stamp usage to keep your border running smoothly and your paychecks coming.
Alright, so you've got people lining up at your border in Papers, Please, and you need to decide what to do with them. Basically, there are three paths for every entrant: you can let them in (Approve), send them away (Deny), or, in some cases, hold them for further questioning (Detain). Getting this right is key to earning your daily bread!
To make a call, you'll need your Stamps. Look to the right side of your document view, and you'll see an arrow pointing left. Click that to slide out your Stamps. Then, just click either the 'Approve' or 'Deny' stamp while the entrant's passport is under it. Boom, decision made!
Quick heads-up: if you accidentally hit 'Approve,' don't sweat it. You can slap a 'Deny' stamp right over it, and the Deny stamp will win. This is a one-way street, though – you can't override a Deny with an Approve. So, be a little careful with those approvals!
If someone's paperwork is perfectly in order, you can just Approve them right away. Easy money!
Now, if things aren't quite right – maybe a document is missing, or there's an error on the paperwork like an invalid issuing city on the passport or an expired entry permit – that person needs to be denied. For the first 17 days, you can just Deny them without explaining why. But starting on Day 18, things get stricter. You'll have to point out the specific error using a 'Reason for Denial' stamp in addition to your regular Deny stamp.
To point out an error, you'll use the 'X' button on the right side of your screen. Once you get the booth upgrade, you can also use the Spacebar. This lets you click and drag a line to connect two pieces of information, highlighting the discrepancy. You can link up info on the documents themselves, rules in your rulebooks, issuing cities on the regional map, lines from the audio transcript, even the entrant themselves if their photo, height, or gender is wrong! If a document is missing, you can even point at the Inspector's desk to show that.
Sometimes, people will realize they messed up and try to fix it. If they forgot a document, they might present it. If their reason for entry doesn't quite match up with their permit, they might correct their stated reason. Even if they fix one thing, their entry might still be invalid for a *different* reason, so always double-check everything!
FINGERPRINTS
Learn how to use the fingerprint system in "Papers, Please" to verify identities and deny or detain entrants.
You will occasionally get the opportunity to fingerprint somebody. You will be handed a fingerprint form, and must give it to the person. When you get it back, you can verify the on-site fingerprints against a fingerprint record. If the fingerprints match, the person is who he or she says he or she is.
Fingerprint records will also include a list of alternate aliases, as a few people may have a second name.
If a person claims to have a second name due to two pieces of ID with different names, but the fingerprint record claims no known aliases, you can link the 'No Known Aliases' with the false ID and use this as a reason to Deny the person entry, or to detain him or her.
- Always compare the fingerprint form to the official fingerprint record.
- Pay attention to the 'No Known Aliases' section on the fingerprint record.
- A discrepancy between claimed aliases and the fingerprint record can be grounds for denial or detention.
SEARCHING
Learn when and how to use the scanner to search individuals in "Papers, Please", including rules for detainment based on discrepancies.
Searching is performed using a scanner on a person. This occurs when the person is from a specific country on a specific day (e.g., Kolechia on Day 8), if their stated weight on their ID differs from their actual weight, or if their gender does not match their appearance.
When you take a picture, you can rotate it to view the backside. If a person's gender does not match the picture (some men have female faces, and vice versa), you can link the picture to the person and detain them. If a person is carrying a weapon or contraband, you can link the item on the photo to the relevant rule in the rulebook (e.g., no contraband or drugs) and detain them.
- Pay close attention to the ID details, especially weight and gender, for discrepancies.
- Be ready to link scanned items or discrepancies to specific rules to justify detainment.
- Remember that you can rotate the scanned image to view the backside.
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