Papers, Please on Steam - User reviews, Price & Information

Quick menu

Congratulations. The October labor lottery is complete. Your name was pulled. For immediate placement, report to the Ministry of Admission at Grestin Border Checkpoint. An apartment will be provided for you and your family in East Grestin. Expect a Class-8 dwelling.

Papers, Please is a indie, political and simulation game developed by Lucas Pope and published by 3909.
Released on August 08th 2013 is available on Windows, MacOS and Linux in 15 languages: English, French, German, Spanish - Spain, Portuguese - Brazil, Russian, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Ukrainian, Czech, Simplified Chinese, Turkish, Basque and Korean.

It has received 73,508 reviews of which 71,500 were positive and 2,008 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.6 out of 10. 😍

The game is currently priced at 9.75€ on Steam.


The Steam community has classified Papers, Please into these genres:

Media & Screenshots

Get an in-depth look at Papers, Please through various videos and screenshots.

System requirements

These are the minimum specifications needed to play the game. For the best experience, we recommend that you verify them.

Windows
  • Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
  • OS *: Windows XP or later
  • Processor: 1.5 GHz Core2Duo
  • Memory: 2 GB RAM
  • Graphics: OpenGL 1.4 or better
  • Storage: 100 MB available space
  • Additional Notes: Minimum 1280x720 screen resolution
MacOS
  • OS: OSX Mountain Lion (10.8)
  • Processor: 1.5 GHz Core2Duo
  • Memory: 2 GB RAM
  • Graphics: OpenGL 1.4 or better
  • Storage: 100 MB available space
  • Additional Notes: Minimum 1280x720 screen resolution
Linux
  • Processor: 1.5 GHz Core2Duo
  • Memory: 2 GB RAM
  • Storage: 100 MB available space
  • Additional Notes: Minimum 1280x720 screen resolution

User reviews & Ratings

Explore reviews from Steam users sharing their experiences and what they love about the game.

Dec. 2024
I'll admit that when I heard about Papers, Please...it didn't sound all that exciting. I mean the premise of game where you need to check people's information and documents just seemed mundane. However, it would prove to be a unique and compelling storytelling experience. The game takes place in the fictional dystopian country known as Arstotzka. You are tasked with being a border inspector, and ensuring that only the more desirable people are allowed into the country. As the days progress, more of the story unfolds. You need to work hard enough to earn enough money so your family doesn't starve or freeze to death. Your morality will be put to the test as you decide whether to follow the strict rules of the state or to allow certain people who are fleeing from oppression or worse. To compound matters, you also need to be able to process enough people in a day so that you aren't penalized. Visually the repressive mood is reflected in the the pixel graphic style. The sound work is simplistic but does a great job of conveying the authoritarian nature of the situation, and although the music is seldom, it is likewise impactful. There are multiple endings depending on the decisions made during the course of the game. Papers, Please is a gaming gem and proves that videogames can be a fantastic medium to convey distinct and thought-provoking narratives.
Expand the review
Nov. 2024
This game is great because it seems like the checking paper work would be really boring but then it IS fun and the next thing you know you are xenophobic communist.
Expand the review
July 2024
I was sceptical of this game at first. Where is the fun in checking documents? - I thought. But now I get why this game is so ridiculously popular. At first you are only checking small things like dates etc. but gradually it increases to at times having to check 5 documents etc.. But that is not where the fun lies in this game. There are tens of side stories missions and there is even a roleplay element involved. Will you be a heartless, cold and iron fisted border officer or rather a compassionate one that is willing to get his pay docked for the well-being of another person. It is for you to decide. I don't write reviews very often, but for this one I will. One personal fear I had with this game were the graphics, with everything being quite pixelated, but I have to say, while you notice it, it really adds to the game rather than subtracts from it. To sum up everything: 10/10 - Buy it
Expand the review
May 2024
* Papers, please. - What do you mean? I just want to review the game. * Due to a recent acts of vandalism, reviewers are required to provide proper id. - Oh, yes sure, here you go: ╔═════════════════════╗ β•‘ Steam-User-Certificate β•‘ β• =========================β•£ β•‘ Name: kamran β•‘ β•‘ SteamId: kamranmed β•‘ β•‘ Level: 52 β•‘ β•šβ•β•β•β•β•β•β•β•β•β•β•β•β•β•β•β•β•β•β•β•β•β• * The certificate states you are level 24, but according to our database this is not true. - Well yes, I have leveled up since. * I will have to search you, turn around. - What?! This is ridic... * There is something in your pocket. Is that a Bad Rats badge? - Erm I'm keeping that for a friend, I would never play such a... * With credentials like this you do not qualify as a reviewer. Guards! - Nooo! * Detain! - But papers please is great game! You hear me? It's AMAZIIiing... * Next!
Expand the review
May 2024
No joke, this game made me better at my job. Playing this has gotten me to be pretty good at quickly scanning documents and identifying potential discrepancies IRL, and I use that at my job when I check ID's, verify documents, and input them into a computer. 10/10
Expand the review

Similar games

View all

Not Tonight

Person of European Heritage #112: Welcome to Relocation Block B, your new home. Your designated role is 'Bouncer'. Work hard, stay out of trouble, and we might let you stay in the UK.

Similarity 80%
Price 16.79€
Rating 8.0
Release 17 Aug 2018

Beholder 2

You are an intern at the central ministry of a totalitarian state with your whole career ahead of you. Work your way up the ladder by scheming against employees, spying on your boss, and completing paperwork. Or do you turn against the state and expose corruption. The choice is still yours to make!

Similarity 75%
Price -94% 1.00€
Rating 8.5
Release 04 Dec 2018

Beholder

You’re a state-installed landlord in a totalitarian country. Place listening devices, steal and sneak into your tenants’ apartments. Use what you uncovered to report anyone capable of plotting against the state. You MUST! But WILL you?

Similarity 75%
Price -93% 1.00€
Rating 9.0
Release 09 Nov 2016

Orwell: Ignorance is Strength

Step into the shoes of a government official in a top-secret department of the Orwell surveillance program. Given the power to both uncover and fabricate "the truth", how far will you go in the service of your country? Season 2 of Orwell, the award-winning surveillance thriller.

Similarity 74%
Price -90% 1.00€
Rating 7.3
Release 22 Feb 2018

HEADLINER

Short, thought-provoking adventure where you are a News Editor and decide what stories get published, set in a fictional city where most people are genetically modified. Multiple unique endings let you share your story and see what the Headliner before you did.

Similarity 74%
Price 4.99€
Rating 7.4
Release 03 Oct 2017

Beholder 3

When a high-ranking security officer saves you from prison, you end up a pawn in her schemes. Now you must eliminate anyone standing in the way of her secret plans and try to get your life back while working two jobs. No tenant, employee or superior is safe from your spying.

Similarity 71%
Price -91% 1.62€
Rating 6.5
Release 03 Mar 2022

Ministry of Broadcast

Ministry of Broadcast is a narrative-driven single player cinematic platformer mixing Orwell’s 1984 with modern reality TV. A country divided by The Wall; to cross it and reach your family, you must compete on - and win - a reality TV show broadcast by the Regime.

Similarity 71%
Price 14.99€
Rating 7.8
Release 30 Jan 2020

Headliner: NoviNews

Award-winning adventure where you control the news and its impact on society, your friends and career. Different choices lead to unique combinations of endings. Share your story with the community, and see what the players before you did.

Similarity 70%
Price 13.79€
Rating 8.4
Release 23 Oct 2018

Primordia

Life has ceased. Man is but a myth. And now, even the machines have begun to fail. Lead Horatio Nullbuilt and his sarcastic sidekick Crispin on a journey through the crumbling world of Primordia, facing malfunctioning robots, ancient secrets, and an implacable, power-hungry foe.

Similarity 70%
Price 9.99€
Rating 9.3
Release 05 Dec 2012

JudgeSim

Things were worse than ever in Banana Republic, a somber island country. While anarchists roamed the streets, corruption was running deeper due to economic crisis and rising crime rates. Bearing these burdens were "judges" who tried to make things right with honesty...

Similarity 69%
Price 6.89€
Rating 8.1
Release 16 Jul 2024

Organs Please

A dark and satirical management sim, where you take control of a recycling factory with a twist: it recycles humans. Your job is to decide who gets to escape our dying planet in a cozy spaceship and who sacrifices their blood, sweat and tears for humanity. Literally.

Similarity 68%
Price -75% 3.48€
Rating 7.9
Release 05 Apr 2023

Mind Scanners

Greetings. Your Mind Scanner request has been approved. Your duty is to diagnose and treat the citizens of The Structure. The patient list is long so don't waste your time. We’ll let you see your daughter soon...

Similarity 67%
Price -75% 3.49€
Rating 7.4
Release 20 May 2021

Data sources

The information presented on this page is sourced from reliable APIs to ensure accuracy and relevance. We utilize the Steam API to gather data on game details, including titles, descriptions, prices, and user reviews. This allows us to provide you with the most up-to-date information directly from the Steam platform.

Additionally, we incorporate data from the SteamSpy API, which offers insights into game sales and player statistics. This helps us present a comprehensive view of each game's popularity and performance within the gaming community.

Last Updates
Steam data 07 April 2025 21:11
SteamSpy data 09 April 2025 23:06
Steam price 15 April 2025 04:43
Steam reviews 14 April 2025 03:55

If you'd like to dive deeper into the details about Papers, Please, we invite you to check out a few dedicated websites that offer extensive information and insights. These platforms provide valuable data, analysis, and user-generated reports to enhance your understanding of the game and its performance.

  • SteamDB - A comprehensive database of everything on Steam about Papers, Please
  • SteamCharts - Analysis of Papers, Please concurrent players on Steam
  • ProtonDB - Crowdsourced reports on Linux and Steam Deck Papers, Please compatibility
Papers, Please
9.6
71,500
2,008
Online players
466
Developer
Lucas Pope
Publisher
3909
Release 08 Aug 2013
Platforms