In fact, much of this is reminiscent of The Republia Times, a previous game from Pope that was launched last year. The distinctly depressing colour palette complements the world extremely well - and yet, it's also visually charming at the same time. To go into too much detail will spoil some of the surprises along the way, but it's directly tied to the fascinating setting of the game. There is also an overarching plot that runs in the background, which you can influence by choosing whether to interfere or not. For instance, you'll come across a wife who wants to be reunited with her husband on the other side of the border.
There will be several instances where it's clear a person should be rejected, but they beg for your leniency, such is their predicament. This is helped by the numerous moral choices you'll come across along the way. Staying on top of everything and earning enough money for your family is both rewarding and novel.Īnd aside from a couple of slow spots in the middle, it's really impressive that the repetitive nature of your job remains interesting for the whole four or five hours it takes to reach the end. You gradually get better at your responsibilities as you progress through the month, slowly finding the right balance between thoroughness and speed, but new rules constantly being introduced prevents you from getting too comfortable and keeps you on your toes. However, processing people incorrectly will penalise you with salary deductions, and it's incredibly easy to overlook something if you're not careful. Failing to provide for your family means they'll fall sick and possibly even die. There is a tense risk/reward element to the game, as the more folks you process, the more money you earn which is used to pay rent as well as for food and heating. On day one, you only need to check people's ID card - so basic things like photo, gender, issuing city and expiry date.īut with new twists being added after each day, you'll soon also have to ensure work permits are in good order, verify the authenticity of stamps, and scan suspicious people for concealed weapons or contrabands, as well as a whole lot more.Įverything is vividly glum, harsh and dreary, with hints that Arstotzka is ruled by an oppressive government. It starts off straightforward as the game eases you into things. Who fans, but SCP surprisingly got to the concept first and managed to make it even scarier.For each person in the queue, you have to cross-check all of the documents they provide before stamping their visa. Like that game, SCP Containment Breach draws inspiration from the SCP Project but this time your main opponent is a deadly statue that attacks whenever you look away.
THE REPUBLIA TIMES REVIEW FREE
Regular readers of Free Friday might remember another SCP game from a previous Free Friday column. There’s more to the game than that but revealing too much would be ruining the twist. To keep the government happy, and your family safe, you’ll need to carefully edit the paper so readers stay loyal to the government without boring them all to death. The Republia Times is an odd but compelling little game about running a newspaper in a dictatorship right out of 1984. To keep your love safe you need to guide her to a cage on each level without running afoul of the other, presumably less attractive zombies and other obstacles that stand in the way of your love.
Our first game this week, I Saw Her Standing There, is a touching tale of boy meets girl. This week’s roundup of free games is all about life or death situations with dangerous and deadly games about zombies, mysterious monsters and editing a newspaper in an Orwellian country.