Lil Guardsman
What if cult-classic bureaucratic-’em-up Papers Please ditched its grim Iron Curtain influences for a bright and whimsical aesthetic instead? You’d get Lil’ Guardsman, a pleasant surprise set in a fantasy world. As Lil, the 12-year-old hero covering their dad’s shift at the guard shed, it’s up to you to process more than 100 people, dealing with the passes of humans, elves, goblins, and other fantastical creatures to see who’s worthy to pass through the castle gates. It’s a charmingly silly combo of deduction-based gameplay, puzzles, and storytelling that makes paperwork fun.
Metascore: 85
