For some reason, we as gamers adore opportunities that simulate jobs. Even something which seems incredibly mundane can be an absolute blast as a video game when handled correctly, and experiences like Papers, Please are firm proof of that.
As part of the Kinetic Publishing Showcase, the publisher label created by Phasmophobia developer Kinetic Games has shown off its first wave of represented projects, which includes a starship job simulator known as Contact Protocol.
Coming from Cold Zephyr Games, this game is set in a cassette-future packed with spaceships and CRTs, and it asks players to take on the role of a security officer on a vessel known as the Pale Horse, where the aim is to simply keep tabs on the mining efforts of the GalCo firm as they travel to Jupiter's largest moon. The regular challenges of this role will include assessing the intentions of incoming ships, determining if they are friend of foe via studying data and information based on company records.
Essentially, it's a Papers, Please-like project where you have to use admin tools and systems to protect the Pale Horse and the people currently travelling on-board alongside you. And if this wasn't stressful enough, if you make too many mistakes, you may even face repercussions from the company itself...
Coming to PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch 2 sometime in spring 2027, you can see some images of Contact Protocol below.
