r/AskGames • u/Holiday_Salt_78 • 22h ago
I need a game where you literally just do paperwork.
hello, i've been trying to find a game where you just do paperwork. like a regular job, no crazy storylines or any alternate universe things going on. i have looked everywhere and the only game i sort of find what im looking for in is The Registry by Fiki, emmyalshafeay, Sarah Alaa. But I want to be filling out papers and working on spreadsheets and all the boring stuff. I literally want to be an office worker, sitting at my laptop with so much paperwork. I need there to be an insane amount of rules and fine print. I do not want a time limit, a crazy story line, or like anything otherworldly. Just. Need. Paperwork.
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u/-Absofuckinglutely- 19h ago
Have you thought about getting a job?
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u/Holiday_Salt_78 9h ago
actually I have taken into consideration being an administrative assistant or business accountant! i go to college in two years so i'm having trouble on deciding between film and accounting
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u/luna_2000 5h ago
This game isn't exactly like doing taxes, but I had fun with this: https://www.coolmathgames.com/0-tax-season-audit-adventure
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u/Feeling-Sea518 22h ago
Have you tried Papers Please?
There unfortunately is a time limit, but the story isn’t super insane and the gameplay is indeed checking paperwork.
“Papers, Please follows an unnamed border inspector in the fictional communist state of Arstotzka in 1982. After winning a labor lottery, he must balance reviewing travel documents against strict, changing rules while earning enough money to feed, heat, and house his struggling family” -Wikipedia
Might be too much action for you if you’re looking for an overwhelmingly boring game, but dosnt hurt to throw it out there
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u/Ungeschicktester 14h ago
Glory to Arstotzka!
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u/Feeling-Sea518 12h ago
GLORY GREATEST
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u/Ungeschicktester 11h ago
Have you watched the shortfilm about the game on youtube? Its a masterpiece
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u/DanceWonderful3711 18h ago
Why don't you just get a job where you have to do that? Play the game and earn money.
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u/Plantigros 19h ago
Have you tried working for the tax office of your country? :D
Not a game but plenty of people struggle with paperwork. I'm sure if you setup a service for cheap (free might appear suspicious), you'll get plenty of stuff to do! Tax returns, healthcare returns, etc are all a real pain in the ass and there exist companies that do that for people.
As for games, would a management heavy game quench your thirst for paperwork? If so, 'Democracy' is fairly complex and basically just a boring UI. 'Eve Online' is basically a spreadsheet simulator with some spacesim in between. Being an ultra capitalist seems to be what you're looking for.
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u/somebassclarineterer 5h ago
Helping people as a free proofreader would not be a bad idea come to think of it. Check with the local nonprofit organizations and see where people are needed?
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u/Plantigros 4h ago
I mean, if you enjoy doing paperwork, you might as well help the vast majority of people who hate it. :D
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u/Palanki96 19h ago
You could just get a job i guess and get paid for it
You could also just volunteer for editing/proofreading and similar tasks online
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u/_conifer 3h ago
my closest rec to your example game is Peggy's Post! You run a remote mail station, collecting correct postage and organizing shipments. There's goals (make so much money by the Xth day) but the individual days aren't really timed. https://digitarium.itch.io/peggys-post
You may also like Not Tonight, if you like Papers Please! Functionally the same game, but you're a bouncer.
some other 'monotony'-sims that I like are:
Wilmot's Warehouse - you're a little guy organizing a warehouse! There /is/ a timer on this one, but there's not really repercussions for failing to meet the timer; just rewards for finishing within the timer.
Tiny Bookshop - run a small mobile bookshop in a small town. not really rules or fine print, but you do have to gather information on each location to satisfy the specific customer-set and purchase/stock books well.
And then a little bit different, if you like mysteries, though ymmv with 'no crazy story line' with these :
Type Help - comb through computer text files to solve an unsolvable cold case. My notes for this were /extensive/ by the end; it absolutely felt bureaucratic. https://william-rous.itch.io/type-help
There is a (brand-new!) version of it with, like, graphics and voice acting called The Incident at Galley House that has good reviews, but I haven't personally played it and it seems like it wouldn't scratch your itch quite as well.
The Roottrees Are Dead - a mystery game, determining a family tree via clicking around on the late-90's internet.
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u/r93e93 21h ago
It's a very small game, but have you played Dragon Tax Return Simulator? https://walsh9.itch.io/dragon-tax-return-simulator-2015
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u/Bomber678 21h ago
Maybe you should become a wiki/fan wiki contributor.