The Disturbing Game That Turns You Evil

Summary

In *Papers, Please*, players navigate a morally complex role as a border inspector in a dystopian state, where they must make increasingly difficult decisions that test their ethics. As the game progresses, the pressure mounts, and moral compromises seem more justified to ensure the survival of the player's family. Drawing parallels to real-world psychology experiments, *Papers, Please* explores how easily people can abandon their principles when faced with survival or authority. The game challenges players to confront their own moral flexibility, ultimately highlighting the fragility of human ethics under pressure.

Takeaways

• 😀 *Papers, Please* challenges players with complex moral dilemmas that escalate throughout the game, testing their ethical boundaries in the face of adversity.
• 😀 The game starts with simple tasks but gradually introduces more layers of complexity, forcing players to make difficult decisions that affect both their in-game family and the broader world.
• 😀 *Papers, Please* highlights how morality is not fixed and can be influenced by external pressures, such as financial hardship or the need for survival.
• 😀 The game contrasts binary good vs. bad choices in most RPGs with morally gray decisions, where there is no clear right or wrong answer, and outcomes are often unsatisfying or ambiguous.
• 😀 As the game progresses, players may justify immoral actions (e.g., smuggling drugs for a financial reward) in order to survive, illustrating how desperation can corrupt one's moral compass.
• 😀 The game's core mechanic—processing people at a border checkpoint—reflects the dehumanization of individuals, forcing the player to view others as mere problems to be solved.
• 😀 *Papers, Please* draws on real-world psychological studies, such as Milgram’s obedience experiment, which demonstrated how ordinary people can be manipulated into committing harmful acts under authority figures.
• 😀 The game simulates how a person’s ethical stance can deteriorate over time due to external pressures, similar to the way societies have historically justified atrocities (e.g., Nazi Germany).
• 😀 By exploring psychological and sociological concepts, *Papers, Please* forces players to confront their own potential for immoral behavior in extreme situations, challenging their self-perception.
• 😀 Ultimately, *Papers, Please* is a thought-provoking experience that not only critiques how easily morality can be manipulated but also invites players to reflect on their personal values and ethical lines.

Q & A

What is the central theme of the script?

The central theme of the script is the exploration of morality in video games, particularly through the lens of *Papers, Please*, a game that forces players to confront morally complex decisions in a realistic and unsettling way.

How does *Papers, Please* challenge the player's morals?

The game gradually complicates the player's decisions by introducing challenges that force them to choose between upholding their morals and ensuring their family's survival, making them question their values as the game progresses.

What role does the setting play in the game's moral dilemmas?

The oppressive, dystopian setting of the game—set in a fictional Soviet-like country—reinforces the moral dilemmas by emphasizing the bleakness and urgency of the player's choices, as well as the consequences of those choices on both a personal and societal level.

How does the game's increasing complexity reflect real-world moral challenges?

As the game introduces more paperwork, forms, and checks, the player is forced to make quicker decisions, increasing the likelihood of mistakes. This mirrors real-life moral decisions, where increasing pressure and complexity often lead to compromised values or actions.

What is the significance of the *Papers, Please* experiment with morality?

The experiment in the game highlights how fragile moral convictions can be when faced with desperation and external pressures. It shows how people can justify unethical behavior, like accepting bribes or detaining innocent people, when their personal survival is at stake.

What psychological theory is mentioned in relation to the game's moral dilemmas?

The script refers to Stanley Milgram's famous obedience experiment, which demonstrated how ordinary people could commit harmful acts when instructed to do so by an authority figure, illustrating the malleability of human morals under pressure.

How does the script connect *Papers, Please* to the rise of Nazi Germany?

The script draws a parallel between the moral compromises in *Papers, Please* and the historical events leading to Nazi Germany, suggesting that ordinary people can be made to commit atrocities when manipulated by those in power, much like the citizens of Germany during the Holocaust.

What does the script suggest about the nature of morality in real life?

The script suggests that morality is not as fixed as people like to believe. It argues that people's moral compasses are fragile and can be easily influenced by external pressures, leading them to justify harmful actions under certain circumstances.

What psychological experiments are cited in the script to support its argument about human nature?

The script cites Milgram's obedience study, the Stanford prison experiment, and the Bobo doll experiment, all of which demonstrate how people can conform to authority, participate in harmful behaviors, or act violently under certain conditions, revealing the malleability of human morality.

How does the *Papers, Please* game differ from other games with morality systems?

Unlike most games with clear-cut moral choices (good vs. evil), *Papers, Please* presents morally ambiguous decisions where there is no obvious 'right' or 'wrong' choice. The game forces the player to navigate complex moral landscapes, making them question their decisions in a way that binary morality systems do not.