Contraband Police Critic Reviews

Contraband Police gives players meaningful choices, both big and small, that make the player feel like they have an impact on the world they find themselves in. Fun and interesting adventures are frequent and well paced, and the game offers a polished core gameplay loop with an action spin that greatly expands on what Papers Please started.

Great combination of simulation and action elements. Lackluster visuals spoil the experience a little, but it's still worth giving this game a chance, because exploring its various gameplay mechanics is a lot of fun.

Contraband Police looks like a simple document checking game at the outset. But if you dedicate some time to play it, you will find a decent story and varied gameplay. A good balance of activities prevents the game from feeling boring too quickly, and the story is surprisingly deep. You actually feel like you are a border patrol officer with large responsibilities, managing more than just your welfare. While the game gets harder as time goes on, there’s always something to do that keeps you on your toes.

It's impossible for someone who likes Papers Please not to enjoy Contraband Police. Similar mechanics, similar story, similar depth... but all in 3D! There's also open-world driving, side missions, hidden treasures and gunfights. One of the nice surprises of the year.

To put it simply, Contraband Police is an FPS version of Papers, Please. As a ‘’border patrol sim’’, it offers a great experience and adds some interesting fresh elements to the genre, but is let down by its low replay value.

The best way to describe Contraband Police is a pinch of Paper's Please mixed with a lot of action and a bit of sim/management. The story and side missions are pretty good and well developed at the moment.

Crazy Rocks developers, under the auspices of a Polish distributor PlayWay, offer a successful probe into the life of a customs officer in a totalitarian state. It's not bad, and in particular, you can only rarely find such content in games.

Contraband Police is an enjoyable experience, but it has some annoying bits to deal with and there are definitely better alternatives with similar premises and gameplay.

Ultimately, Crazy Rocks makes a valiant attempt at evolving the formula but doesn’t quite stick the landing. If you want another game in the same vein as Papers, Please but with a little extra spice and an additional dimension then this is the absolutely game for you.

The campaign can be completed in a few sittings, and it’s punctuated by some fun choices — but I’m hungry to keep checking for contraband.