If you make a purchase after following a link on our site, we may earn a small commission. Learn more.
There’s big Papers, Please energy to Thank You For Your Application, a new sim game out today from developer IceLemonTea Studio and publisher No More Robots. Working for a dystopian mega corporation, it’s your job to sort through early job applications, passing or failing candidates based on a number of arbitrary measures.
Did they go to a community college rather than a city university? They’re out straight away. And god help them if they’ve got too low a scoring on their psychological evaluation. Yikes. You’ll also need to ensure they’ve got relevant work experience, have the correct visas to work, and that all of their documents have the right information.
It sounds easy, but when you’re under pressure, checking everything you need in Thank You For Your Application can make you a little hot under the collar. You’re on the clock, and you’re paid per application, so the amount of applications you can get through in a day directly influences whether or not you’ll be able to pay your bills at the end of the week. No pressure, then.
You’ll need to keep your wits about you, too, because the corporation you’re working for frequently changes the rules. And as you progress through the game, hopefully climbing the job ladder yourself, you’ll need to handle candidates in new and questionable ways. You can simply do what you’re supposed to do and get your paycheck at the end of the day – or you can push against things. Do you let your own moral compass get in your way?
Stick to the straight and narrow, and Thank You For Your Application will frequently try to catch you out. Maybe someone’s social number doesn’t match between their resume and their university certificate. Or maybe the date on their psych evaluation is off, suggesting it’s been forged. Let something slip, and you’ll get away with the first two with a warning. But any more, and your wage will start to be docked.
Things get really interesting when you get messages from people asking you to pass someone’s interview even if they don’t meet the requirements. Some of the applicants might even know you, and literally beg to get through, even if they haven’t got all the documents they need. It’s a tough call. You need this job. You’ll be homeless without it. But those people desperately need work too.
It’s an interesting predicament to be put in, and making your way through Thank You For Your Application will give you more than your fair share of uncomfortably situations. But that’s the joy of the game: deciding whether to be cruel or compassionate is all part of the fun here, as is learning the consequences of both actions. Thankfully, it’s just a game, so if you want to be ruthless, you’ll still be able to sleep easy at night.
Even if you’re just here for the sim elements, though, there’s something seriously satisfying about going through application documents, spotting discrepancies and ensuring everything meets requirements. It’s a simple case of dropping applications into the ‘yes’ or ‘no’ pile once you’re done, along with sticking a label on the fails, explaining why they haven’t made it to the next round of interviews. It’s brutal, but hey, you’re just doing your job… right?
Thank You For Your Application is available now on PC.
Co-owner and editor-in-chief
Kim’s been into video games since playing Dizzy on her brother’s Commodore 64 as a nipper. She’ll give just about anything a go, but she’s got a particular soft spot for indie adventures, roguelikes and puzzle games. If she’s not gaming, she’s building Lego or watching Friends reruns for the 96th time. You’ll also find her work on That Brick Site and Space.com.
Featuring hundreds of pages of beautiful artwork and some great insights, Fatal Fury/Garou Densetsu: The Ultimate History is a real treat.
Case Files: Internal Affairs is an FMV game that puts you at the heart of a police investigation, figuring out the culprit of a murder.
Dave the Diver: In the Jungle brings a sizeable expansion to Dave the Diver, offering up new challenges in a new location.
If you’re a fan of puzzle games and laid-back point and click experiences, you might want to play Midnight Swamp, out now on PC and consoles.
Now available on Switch 2, Rise of the Tomb Raider remains one of the best action adventure games around, even after a decade.
Now available on Switch 2, Observer: System Redux is a compelling investigative horror game set in a cyberpunk world.
© 2026 GameSpew
Leave a Reply