When does Papers, Please get good?

Hooks you almost right away. In the first 2 hours 1 in 8 reviews are negative (13%); after 5h it's 1 in 100 (1%). The opening is criticised less than in 86% of games we track.

How many players finish Papers, Please?

At least 38% of players who start reach the ending.

All games

AdventureIndie

Papers, Please

Aug 8, 2013 Steam: Overwhelmingly Positive

Hooks you almost right away

Gets good by 3h almost every game dips in hours 2–3

Reach the ending at least 38% of players who started

Started playing 58% of owners

Steam reviews 97% positive of 80,771

What the data shows

In the first 2 hours 1 in 8 reviews are negative (13%); after 5h it's 1 in 100 (1%).
The opening is criticised less than in 86% of games we track.
At least 38% of players who start reach the ending.
Only 58% of owners have even the first achievement — the rest barely played.

When it gets good

Share of positive reviews by how many hours the reviewer had played when writing the review.

before it gets good opening up fully opened up

Based on all 81,399 Steam reviews in every language. Median playtime in a sample of 299 reviews: 9.1h for positive, 5.7h for negative. Almost every game is rated lower in the first 2–3 hours: that window includes refunds and quick first impressions. What matters is how deep the dip is and how fast the game recovers.

Where players quit

Share of players who started the game and reached each story milestone. 100% is the most common achievement (57.5% of owners), so people who bought the game and never launched it don't count.

Started playing 100%
Too Honest Turn over EZIC docs to M.O.I investigator ≥38% −62

story milestone ending (most common ending) biggest drop-off

Story milestones were labeled by AI from achievement names and descriptions; mistakes are possible.

All achievements (13)

story milestone ending side

Obristan Token Collect the hidden Obristan Token 100%
Antegria Token Collect the hidden Antegria Token 69%
Arstotzka Token Collect the hidden Arstotzka Token 64%
Too Honest Turn over EZIC docs to M.O.I investigator 38%
Kolechia Token Collect the hidden Kolechia Token 30%
Impor Token Collect the hidden Impor Token 29%
Hired Rifle Kill the man in red for EZIC 26%
United Federation Token Collect the hidden United Federation Token 25%
Glory to Arstotzka Ignore all EZIC requests and work dutifully 18%
Member of the Order Help EZIC overthrow the government 16%
Worker's Best Acquire a Class-5 Apartment 15%
Republia Token Collect the hidden Republia Token 14%
Snowier Pastures Escape to Obristan 13%

Steam page Updated: 2026-10-18.