The Westport Independent

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Summary

"The Westport Independent is a censorship simulator about the last weeks on an independent newspaper which is to be dismantled according to a new government bill.

You play an editor in charge of choosing what will be printed in the paper, making sure that the content is nice and proper according to the government guidelines. With rebellions against the government rising slowly amongst the public, whose truth will you print?"


The Westport Independent Activation Instructions

The Westport Independent Reviews & Ratings

80
Review by Krakenfranhavet [user]
December 25, 2019

Well... you got what you paid for. For $1 i don't expect something on par with Papers please. It's very enjoyible and has it's complexity withWell... you got what you paid for. For $1 i don't expect something on par with Papers please. It's very enjoyible and has it's complexity with a couple of moral dilemmas. It's very short tough. I finnish the game in 1 hour. I wish that they can develop the game further into a full game because that has potential

70
Review by InfoGuy [user]
April 27, 2017

I agree with what others have said, I like the idea, but the actual gameplay could have been much better. First off, it's too short. There areI agree with what others have said, I like the idea, but the actual gameplay could have been much better. First off, it's too short. There are only 12 levels that might take 5 minutes to get through, or even less time later on when repeat articles start to show up at your desk.The characters' stories could use some work. Even though you only have 4 reporters at your disposal, I feel like I still barely know them, even after playing the whole game. The cutscenes in between levels could have been a good way to build their characters or comment on the player's decisions, but instead they never really discuss anything relevant to your progress.And speaking of progress, I never really felt that my decisions had any meaningful impact on the game. Aside from a few notes slipped onto my desk, or a staff member disappearing, the effects were fairly mild. There didn't seem to be any special events that stemmed from your editorial choices, such as disruption of delivery, or boycotts. But I did notice that some articles changed over time to reflect the effects of your choices, so credit for that.I wish there were more mechanics to the game. Edit articles, drag them onto the paper template, then drag the sliders for marketing, that's it? I feel like there were still many things to add: paper delivery, staff hiring, ad revenue, etc. If not, at least the current mechanics could have been more complex as time went on, like the increasing number of documents in Papers Please.Overall still enjoyable, but could have been much more thorough and engaging.

80
Review by GameSpew
April 3, 2016

A deceptively simple game, The Westport Independent is enjoyable, interesting, unique, and utterly immersive. I was thoroughly captivated playing it and I look forward to playing it again.

40
Review by LEVEL (Czech Republic)
March 22, 2016

Great idea wasted by a sterile execution, which removes the most important elements of the genre – fear, uncertainty and never-ending moral issues.

55
Review by COGconnected
February 7, 2016

Unless you’re interested in the subject matter — and, really, I was — you’d be better off spending your money elsewhere.

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Game Information
Release Date January 21, 2016
Publisher Coffee Stain Studios, Double Zero One Zero
Game Modes Single player
Genres Simulator, Turn-based strategy (TBS), Indie
Platforms Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, Android, iOS