Security 51: Review
Prevent harmful individuals from leaving Area 51 as a security guard in Security 51, a game developed and published by Alawar. It works great with Proton on both Steam Deck (Verified) and on desktop.
Establishing the routine
First day of your job is very simple. People will try to leave the building, and they will show their documents.
If they look official and the information matches with the individual in front of you they can be let out.
As the threat increases, your job gets more complicated. You will have to inspect if they have body modifications both internal and external, test their blood, administer a Rorschach test, and photograph for signs of the occult.
Every day you will have a different list of things to check. In some scenarios, if certain conditions are meet, you will have to call security instead of just blocking their passage. And other criteria will allow them to leave even if their documents are not in order.
But wait, there is more. Something bad is happening outside, and as the situation gets worse, you will need to also check the people coming inside for contamination. From fungi infection to flesh eating organisms, you will need to decide to either eliminate or quarantine them while they are still locked in the elevator.
Quarantining helps will to learn about ways to deal with what is going on outside. As you can run tests on the subjects which results will lead to different expeditions (yeah, more work that was not listed in the original job description).
Each day you can send a task force to execute one of the options available. Dealing with in time will prevent a game over, but it will also start another event outside depending on what you did. For example, if you solve a zombie problem by microchipping people, you will start a hacker dictatorship. Then you will have to solve that as well.
When I reached the ending, and thought I was done with the game, there was one more thing. Now you can go back to any day of the past and branch from it. Try to solve the problems a different way. What if you used flesh eating locusts to deal with the zombies instead of microchipping.
The Papers, Please in the room.
The game has its similarities there is hard to not compare them. I crave more games like Papers, Please. While they scratch the itch, they all go their own way for good or not. And the same goes with Security 51, some are improvements, some are downgrades, and some are just what make it unique.
The first thing that got my attention was the quality of the pixel art. Such a marvellous work of creativity and attention to detail. Between every day there is a nice little animation of the security guard waiting to start their shift. And while you attend people there is always something happening around, from the janitor taking care of the people, or some easter eggs showing here and there.
The soundtrack reminds me of sci-fi shows but gentle enough that it does not steal the scene, more like a background sound that you would not be humming after. I wish there were some changes on the sound as the day progress, even more if something is afoot. I like the sound effects and the people talking noise, the characters “voice” sounds familiar, but I could not pinpoint where from.
Security 51 has plenty of more things to check from the passersby than Papers, Please, but I don’t think it is well utilized and some are redundant. Like 4 different scanners on a person’s body, or the things you are checking has nothing to do what is going on outside. To not overwhelm you, they only ask for a couple of things each day, like take a photo and a blood test. But the requirements are different from the day before.
I think, to add insult to injury, there is also a way to spend the money you earn every day to improve how you do those tasks. But they were mostly useless, as you never know what is going on the next day. I upgraded one of the body scans, and used it on only 2 days out of 24.
The game feels a lot more chill than Papers, Please. There were no worries about your family starving, or bosses asking you to let their friends through the gate (or else). It leans more on the humor of things. Also, if you are not happy with your performance, you can restart the day. I think because of those I was way more detached from my decisions.
You still have to eat and take care of your sanity. Every day you get a bit hungry, and sending people to execute tasks outside takes a toll on your mental health. You have options between food, medicine, or entertainment to buy.
You make money each day by correctly allowing people in or out, and by doing it fast. By again, because of the humour tone and relaxed atmosphere I never felt the rush, and fear of mistakes I felt with Papers, Please. I think this is one of the neutral things. Depending on my state of spirit I might prefer a game with low stakes, like Security 51.
Last, there were no side stories to connect or care for, at least not that I witnessed one. While there were some common names and faces that repeat, except for the easter eggs, like this guy that ripped the flesh from his arm when I asked for the medical papers for his prosthetic limb, there were not much story. I remember people struggling to get through the gate in Papers, Please, and the interactions with my corrupt boss. But here I remember little.
Steam Deck (Verified)
The game works well with controller, I think I was working faster on the Steam Deck than in my TV thanks in part to the buttons shortcuts.
I also think the superb pixel art works better on the small screen of the Deck. Often I like game art on the Deck and I suspect the quality of the OLED there is better than in my OLED monitor. I think because of the small screen, I can focus easy on things on the screen, that also aids my working speed.
Last Remarks
If you are looking for a Papers, Please successor, you will not find it here, while they share similar mechanics the feelings are not the same. Security 51 is chill and filled with humour and pop culture references. For me, that is not bad or good, just different and tickles a different part of my brain.
Despite the poor utilized and redundant mechanics I still had plenty of fun with the game. And it was always a joy to look at the art. I do recommend the game, and will make case for it to enter Boiling Steam recommended list.
Security 51 is available on Steam.
Note: we received a review key from the publisher.