In this neat indie game, you play as an immigration officer for the border patrol of Soviet country Arstotzka, and your job is to handle the people wishing to come to your country by verifying their passports. Let only the pure people with genuine documents in, and keep out the vile cunning scum who try and get by with illegitimate information or stupid people who overlook expiration dates.

The strategic part around this game is that you have a struggling family to support and it's a poorly paid job. The more you incorrectly approve or deny a person's application, the more your pay is docked. The objective of the game is to keep earning enough money each day for your family to survive.

Arstotzka is known for its strict immigration laws which change frequently depending on current events and relations with neighbouring countries. It starts off simple enough with checking people's passports, but it gets much more difficult when you're juggling four documents at once for people moving to your country for different reasons.

What I find most captivating about this game is its morality choice. Some people who apply are desperate to get into the country for various reasons and request your help. You can let it slide and help them out, risking a penalization to help out someone in need, you can stay professional and follow the law to the book, or you can even exploit their situation for your own gain. The many choices you make lead to 20 different endings.

It's available on Steam, or if you'd rather test trial it, there's a free beta on the official website with the first few days available.
http://dukope.com/

Glory to Arstotzka!

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Hail Great Arstotzka!

Yeah this game looks fun and interesting and kind of emotional as well since I hear you gotta balance your poor wages against your family as well but alas I think it's too much on Steam for me right now, plus I doubt I'd have much time for it but perhaps in a sale.

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I also thought it'd be a tad expensive for an indie game, but I haven't regretted my purchase.

Gotta say, I really love the political turns in this game.

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Tough game, but loving every minute. I think I'm around like 13 or 14 days on easy mode.

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Truth be told, the letter of the law never really factored into my decisions when I decided on whether or not to let someone through with improper documentation. For me, it was the question of whether or not this person could be a threat. Repressive dictatorship or not, Arstotzka is regularly attacked by extremists, and if someone gets through and kills someone, I'm indirectly responsible. The people shouldn't have to suffer at the hands of both the state and extremists. Take the woman from Impor who claims to have not seen her son in six years. In my playthrough, her entry permit had expired. The problem here is that if the permit was legitimate, it had expired before the state had declared permits necessary. Maybe it's a simple mistake at the office, or maybe she's lying through and doesn't have a son in Arstotzka. What if she is going to be involved in one of the later attacks from within Arstotzka? Can I take that risk? That is what I weigh these situations against: not the law, but the people's safety.

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A legit thought process. The mechanics of the game cultivate these kinds of thoughts much like Missile Commander did. The morality of the game doesn't come through good/evil choices, it comes through the day-to-day struggle of life that demands survival above all else, and being caught in the middle of politics and the huddled, desperate masses as part of your job needed to survive.

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