Contraband Police
{{Short description|2023 video game}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox video game
| image =
| title = Contraband Police
| developer = Crazy Rocks Studios
| publisher = PlayWay
| released = 8 March 2023
| platform = Microsoft Windows
| genre = Puzzle, Simulation
| modes = Single-player
| engine = Unity{{cite web|url=https://blog.unity.com/games/made-with-unity-2023-review|title=Made with Unity: 2023 in review|work=Unity Technologies|last1=Saver|first1=Michael|last2=Pung|first2=Julia|last3=Stanton|first3=Devon|date=4 January 2024|accessdate=13 January 2024}}
}}
Contraband Police is a video game developed by Crazy Rocks Studios and published by PlayWay, released in March 2023. Two years prior a demo version, called Contraband Police: Prologue was published.
The premise of the game is working as a border guard and head of the border post, in a fictional communist country called Acaristan in 1979 (in some cases the game can go onto other years).
Gameplay
The player performs the duties of a border control agent. The player is responsible for controlling entrants, comparing passports and other documentation, and rejecting entrants with improper documentation and searching for smugglers with drugs flasks and fake money with a chance of terrorists raiding the base but be careful since some smugglers will not make eye contact or drive away in that case you must chase after them.in game play.{{cite web |last1=Marshall |first1=Cass |date=3 May 2023 |title=Contraband Police asks: What if Papers, Please gave you a gun? |url=https://www.polygon.com/reviews/23708583/contraband-police-review-border-simulator-papers-please |access-date=14 December 2023 |website=Polygon}} An endless mode has been added in March 2024 as a part of the Anniversary Update.
Reception
Contraband Police was positively received on release, with Metacritic aggregating reviews as "generally favorable" out of 10 critic reviews.{{cite web |title=Contraband Police critic reviews |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/contraband-police/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |access-date=30 December 2023 |website=www.metacritic.com |publisher=Metacritic |language=en}} A review from Eurogamer (Poland) commented: the game is a "great combination of simulation and action elements", and its "lackluster visuals spoil the experience a little, but it's still worth giving this game a chance, because exploring its various gameplay mechanics is a lot of fun".{{Cite news |date=2023-03-07 |title=Musicie zagrać w ten symulator. Recenzja Contraband Police |url=https://www.eurogamer.pl/contraband-police-recenzja |access-date=2025-05-01 |work=Eurogamer.pl |language=pl |trans-quote=Great combination of simulation and action elements. Lackluster visuals spoil the experience a little, but it's still worth giving this game a chance, because exploring its various gameplay mechanics is a lot of fun.}} Polygon observed that the game was a "surprise hit on Steam" and assessed it as "a little janky but deeply compelling".{{Cite web |last=Marshall |first=Cass |date=2023-05-03 |title=Contraband Police asks: What if Papers, Please gave you a gun? |url=https://www.polygon.com/reviews/23708583/contraband-police-review-border-simulator-papers-please |access-date=2025-05-01 |website=Polygon |language=en-US}}