The unnamed inspector is the main protagonist and player-character who works as an immigration inspector for the Ministry of Admission of Arstotzka.[1] He only appears in a family photo and as a silhouette at the beginning of most days when he walks to the booth.
Other border inspectors appear in the pre-release mini game, endings 16 and 18, and in the official short film adaptation where one is played by Igor Savochkin. They should not be mistaken for the protagonist of the main game.
Story[]
The inspector is from a village called Nirsk[2] and at least his father still lives there.[3] His family will move back to Nirsk if something happens to the inspector.[4]
The inspector's name is drawn in the 1982 October labor lottery and he is assigned to work at the Grestin border checkpoint where he starts on November 23rd, 1982. He has daily 12-hour shifts from 6am to 6pm. A class-8 apartment is given to him and his family.[5]
Eventually, the inspector may become an anti-government agent,[6] a loyal bureaucrat,[7] flee the country for snowier pastures,[8] get fired,[9] or get arrested and/or die.[10]
Family[]
- Main article: Family
At the end of each day, the inspector is expected to have enough credits to cover his entire family's needs, which include heat, food, and possibly medication if someone has fallen ill. His family consists of his mother-in-law, uncle, wife, and son, whose birthday is December 11th. Unlike anyone else in his family, the inspector does not get hungry, cold, or sick.
The inspector also has a sister, who is arrested on day 21 for an unknown reason. It is possible to adopt her daughter, but it will cost 40 credits. She will be added to the number of family members the inspector has to care for, but the day after she is adopted, she will bring her mother's savings with her, which will add 100 credits to the inspector's available cash.
Trivia[]
- His information audit takes place on December 24th, 1982.
- His prison cell number (if incarcerated) is 918533-6124 no matter what date or action he is imprisoned for.
- The fifth entrant on day 28 describes him as skinny.
Transcripts[]
See interrogation transcripts, articles for each day and character articles for additional lines. Every entrant is greeted with Papers, please.
When an Arstotzkan is approved:
- Glory to Arstotzka.
When a foreigner is approved:
- Cause no trouble.
When an Arstotzkan is denied on day 1:
- Try again.
When a foreigner is denied on day 1:
- Arstotzkans only.
When searching an entrant:
- You have been selected for a random search.
- followed by one of the following:
- Face the scanner.
- Turn towards the scanner.
When handing a passport seizure slip to an entrant:
- [entrant], one of the following:
- Where is my passport?
- My passport?
- Passport?
- What is this slip? Where is passport?
- It is being confiscated.
- [entrant], one of the following:
- How will I travel?
- What should I do?
- Why?
- You cannot do this.
- Contact number on slip.
References[]
- ↑ F.A.Q. section of Lukas Pope's official Papers, Please website. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
- ↑ Conversation with Sergiu on day 17
- ↑ Conversation with an elderly woman on day 19
- ↑ Endings 1, 11, 12, 13, and 16.
- ↑ Intro cutscene
- ↑ Ending 19
- ↑ Ending 20
- ↑ Endings 16 or 18
- ↑ Ending 2
- ↑ Most of the endings