8 Video Games That Taught You History Through Immersion

Despite some aspects of the Cold War being represented by games like Call of Duty and Tropico, the truly oppressive nature and banality of living in the Eastern Bloc during the latter part of the 20th century is barely explored through gaming. The exception though, is the visually gripping dystopian themed puzzle game Papers, Please.

Developed by Lucas Pope, Papers, Please assigns you the task of being an Arstotzkan immigration officer on the border of East and West Grestin (an allusion to East and West Berlin) in the year 1982. Your job is to process immigration applications and investigate people applying for passage through the border.

Although the game play itself is a wonderful exercise in noticing details and problem solving, the atmosphere created by the dreary color palette and references to the latter part of the Cold War will make you emotional when you realize the era actually happened.

Being a figure of authority who makes decisions that affect innocent people's lives, while simultaneously being crushed by the oppressive system above you, is the story that you will discover when playing Papers, Please and is an experience that is rarely shared through modern media.