Papers, Please - The Short Film

23 Games like Papers, Please - The Short Film that you should try

Games like Papers, Please - The Short Film · Find similar →

More about this game →

Papers, Please - The Short Film is hard to replace: few games combine deep simulation, strong narrative focus and single-player focus in quite the same way. We analyzed over 2,000 titles across 11 gameplay attributes and found 23 genuine alternatives — not generic genre suggestions. Papers, Please, There Is No Game: Wrong Dimension and Do Not Feed the Monkeys lead the list, with Papers, Please reaching a 97/100 similarity score. Every game here is ranked by how closely it replicates what makes Papers, Please - The Short Film special.

iRank89/ 100

Did you find what you were looking for?

GenreSimulationSubgenreJob Sim

Tags

NarrativeDarkSolo

Year 2013Dev Lucas Pope

Stores

Steam ↗GOG ↗PS ↗itch.io ↗

Quick answer

The closest game to Papers, Please - The Short Film is Papers, Please — scoring 97/100 on our similarity scale. There Is No Game: Wrong Dimension and Do Not Feed the Monkeys follow close behind.

#1Papers, Please97 #2There Is No Game: Wrong Dimension95 #3Do Not Feed the Monkeys96 #4Beholder95 #5100 Asian Cats92

🗳️

Help us build the best rankings

Community powered

Vote on each result below — good match or not. Every vote directly shapes how we rank similar games for everyone.

Games like Papers, Please - The Short Film

23 similar games foundUpdated May 2026

#1Papers, Please

97

Papers, Please

GenreSimulationSubgenreJob Sim

SoloNarrativeDarkCasualHardcoreFirst PersonPixel Art2D

Steam👍 97%· 79KRAWG👍 91%· 1.8KMC85IGDB82· 5

Year 2013Dev Lucas Pope · 3909Playtime ~4hOn PC · PS · iOS

✓ Nearly identical: deep simulation, adventure storytelling and puzzle design.

#2There Is No Game: Wrong Dimension

95

There Is No Game: Wrong Dimension

GenreSimulationSubgenreJob Sim

SoloCasualNarrativePixel Art2D

Steam👍 98%· 25KRAWG👍 90%· 143MC88OC88· 18

Year 2020Dev Draw Me A PixelPlaytime ~5hOn PC · iOS · Android

✓ If you enjoyed Papers, Please - The Short Film, expect deep simulation, adventure storytelling and puzzle design

≠ Its own twist: deep RPG systems and melee combat, while skipping dark, oppressive atmosphere

Steam GOG Nintendo

#3Do Not Feed the Monkeys

96

Do Not Feed the Monkeys

GenreSimulationSubgenreJob Sim

SoloNarrativeDark2DPixel ArtFirst Person

Steam👍 93%· 12KIGDB75· 1OC77· 21

Year 2018Dev Fictiorama Studios · BadLand PublishingOn PS4 · Linux · Android

✓ Like Papers, Please - The Short Film, it's known for deep simulation, puzzle design and adventure storytelling

≠ Stands apart with resource management, while skipping vibe casual

95

Beholder

GenreSimulationSubgenreJob Sim

SoloNarrativeDark2DStealth

Steam👍 92%· 30KIGDB80· 3OC76· 27

Year 2016Dev Warm Lamp Games · Alawar EntertainmentOn Linux · Android · PC

✓ If you enjoyed Papers, Please - The Short Film, expect deep simulation, adventure storytelling and puzzle design

≠ Where it differs: brings deep RPG systems, stealth mechanics and visual 3d, while skipping vibe casual

#5100 Asian Cats

92

100 Asian Cats

GenreSimulationSubgenreJob Sim

SoloCasual2DFree to Play

Steam👍 97%· 8.5K

Year 2023Dev 100 Hidden Animals · 100 Cozy GamesPlaytime ~1hOn PC

✓ Like Papers, Please - The Short Film, it's known for deep simulation, adventure storytelling and puzzle design

≠ Where it differs: brings sports simulation and free to play, while skipping strong narrative focus

#6Gnomes Garden

94

Gnomes Garden

GenreSimulationSubgenreJob Sim

SoloCasualNarrative2DFantasy

Steam👍 88%· 326

Year 2015Dev 8Floor · 8Floor GamesPlaytime ~4hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Like Papers, Please - The Short Film, it's known for deep simulation, puzzle design and adventure storytelling

≠ Its own twist: horror tension, fantasy world and horror setting, while skipping dark, oppressive atmosphere

#7Farmer Against Potatoes Idle

92

Farmer Against Potatoes Idle

GenreSimulationSubgenreJob Sim

SoloCasual2DFree to Play

Steam👍 95%· 8.0K

Year 2022Dev Oni GamingPlaytime ~2hOn PC

✓ Like Papers, Please - The Short Film, it's known for deep simulation, puzzle design and adventure storytelling

≠ Its own twist: deep RPG systems and free to play, while skipping strong narrative focus

#8Cultist Simulator

95

Cultist Simulator

GenreSimulationSubgenreJob Sim

SoloNarrativeDarkProceduralFantasy

Steam👍 80%· 14KIGDB85· 2OC78· 22

Year 2018Dev Weather FactoryOn Linux · Android · PC

✓ Like Papers, Please - The Short Film, it's known for deep simulation, adventure storytelling and strong narrative focus

≠ Where it differs: brings deep RPG systems, card game strategy and turn-based strategy, while skipping puzzle design

96

911 Operator

GenreSimulationSubgenreJob Sim

SoloCasualNarrativeDark2D

Steam👍 89%· 19KIGDB76· 1OC57· 14

Year 2017Dev Jutsu Games · SONKAOn PS4 · Linux · Android

✓ If you enjoyed Papers, Please - The Short Film, expect deep simulation, vibe casual and strong narrative focus

≠ Its own twist: combat tactical, setting modern and resource management, while skipping adventure storytelling

Steam Epic Xbox

93

Loom

GenreSimulationSubgenreJob Sim

SoloNarrativePixel ArtMagicFantasy

Steam👍 89%· 699

Year 1990Dev Lucasfilm GamesOn Linux · PC · Mac

✓ Like Papers, Please - The Short Film, it's known for deep simulation, adventure storytelling and puzzle design

≠ Its own twist: combat magic, fantasy world and historical setting, while skipping dark, oppressive atmosphere

95

Observation

GenreSimulationSubgenreJob Sim

SoloNarrativeDarkFirst PersonHorror

Steam👍 78%· 5.1KIGDB82· 11OC76· 81

Year 2019Dev No Code · Devolver DigitalOn PS4 · PC · Xbox

✓ If you enjoyed Papers, Please - The Short Film, expect deep simulation, adventure storytelling and puzzle design

≠ Stands apart with horror tension, horror setting and setting scifi, while skipping vibe casual

#12Human Resource Machine

93

Human Resource Machine

GenreSimulationSubgenreJob Sim

SoloCasualHardcoreIsometric

Steam👍 94%· 4.6KIGDB74· 6OC71· 21

Year 2015Dev Tomorrow CorporationOn Linux · Android · PC

✓ Like Papers, Please - The Short Film, it's known for deep simulation, puzzle design and vibe casual

≠ Stands apart with visual isometric, while skipping adventure storytelling

#13Governor of Poker 2 - Premium Edition

93

Governor of Poker 2 - Premium Edition

GenreSimulationSubgenreJob Sim

SoloCasual

Steam👍 83%· 302

Year 2010Dev I Sioux Game ProductionsPlaytime ~2hOn PC

✓ Like Papers, Please - The Short Film, it's known for deep simulation, adventure storytelling and vibe casual

≠ Where it differs: brings card game strategy, while skipping puzzle design

#1413 Sentinels: Aegis Rim

92

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim

GenreSimulationSubgenreJob Sim

SoloNarrative2DTacticalSci-Fi

IGDB84· 9OC86· 121

Year 2019Dev Vanillaware · AtlusOn PS4 · Switch

✓ Like Papers, Please - The Short Film, it's known for deep simulation, adventure storytelling and strong narrative focus

≠ Where it differs: brings combat tactical, setting scifi and post-apocalyptic world, while skipping puzzle design

#15Game Dev Tycoon

92

Game Dev Tycoon

GenreSimulationSubgenreJob Sim

SoloCasual2DManagementIsometric

Steam👍 95%· 45KRAWG👍 86%· 758MC68IGDB80· 1

Year 2012Dev Greenheart GamesPlaytime ~8hOn PC · iOS · Android

✓ Shared with Papers, Please - The Short Film: deep simulation, vibe casual and single-player focus

≠ Where it differs: brings resource management and visual isometric, while skipping adventure storytelling

Games like Papers, Please - The Short Film

This Is the Police

This Is the Police

Simulation · Adventure

TIS-100

TIS-100

Simulation · Puzzle

Golf Story

Golf Story

Simulation · Sports

Uplink

Uplink

Simulation · Puzzle

Yakuza

Yakuza

Simulation · Sports

Always Sometimes Monsters

Always Sometimes Monsters

Simulation · RPG

The Graveyard

The Graveyard

Simulation · Adventure

Pokémon Snap

Pokémon Snap

Simulation

Rankings in the same genre

Best Job Sim Games Best Simulation Games

Frequently asked questions

What is the best game similar to Papers, Please - The Short Film?: The closest game to Papers, Please - The Short Film is Papers, Please, scoring 97/100 on our similarity scale. They share 11 gameplay attributes, including deep simulation, adventure storytelling and puzzle design. It's the most faithful alternative currently available.
What are the top games like Papers, Please - The Short Film?: The three closest games to Papers, Please - The Short Film are: 1. Papers, Please (97/100, 11 shared attributes) 2. There Is No Game: Wrong Dimension (95/100, 8 shared attributes) 3. Do Not Feed the Monkeys (96/100, 9 shared attributes). All share Papers, Please - The Short Film's most important gameplay attributes, ranked out of 23 candidates across 11 dimensions.
Is There Is No Game: Wrong Dimension similar to Papers, Please - The Short Film?: Yes, very much so — There Is No Game: Wrong Dimension scores 95/100 similarity to Papers, Please - The Short Film. They share 8 attributes, including deep simulation and adventure storytelling. It's one of the most direct alternatives available.
What Simulation games are similar to Papers, Please - The Short Film?: The best Simulation games similar to Papers, Please - The Short Film are Papers, Please, There Is No Game: Wrong Dimension, Do Not Feed the Monkeys and Beholder. All share the Simulation genre alongside other key Papers, Please - The Short Film attributes like deep simulation, adventure storytelling and puzzle design.
How is similarity to Papers, Please - The Short Film calculated?: We compare Papers, Please - The Short Film against every game in our catalog using 11 gameplay attributes: genre, atmosphere, world structure, play modes, combat style, and more. Each category is weighted differently — genre matters more than visual style, for instance. The result is a 0-100 score reflecting how closely a game replicates the Papers, Please - The Short Film experience, not just whether it shares the same genre label.