Black Border 2

[H1]The real border is the one blocking you from level 19[/H1] [quote]Edit: As you can see below, the developer has updated the game. If this message is still up, it means I haven’t tested it yet (or at least not enough to write a whole new review). Because of that, some parts of the review below may no longer be up to date. Thank you for your understanding, and happy gaming![/quote] Black Border 2 absolutely blindsided me (in the worst possible way). Because here’s the thing: the game itself is genuinely fun. It nails that [url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/239030/Papers_Please/]Papers, Please[/url]–style inspection loop while adding its own twist with base-building, resource balancing, managing fame, choosing whether to take bribes, all wrapped in a cute, slightly Fallout-flavored dystopian aesthetic. The learning curve is perfect, the variety of tools and cargo checks is engaging, and the whole ambiance pulls you in immediately. I was fully ready to stamp “strongly recommend” on this one. And then I hit level 19. And… nothing. Because the game stops at level 18. Out of 50. Yes. They’re literally selling a trial version. It’s even still labeled “TRIAL VERSION” on the bottom-right corner of the screen, and clicking on later levels gives you a pop-up to wishlist the game. I genuinely thought it was some UI leftovers from early development, but nope, the game is designed to lock you out. And since I already earned every medal from the previous 18 levels, there’s no “progression requirement” blocking me. The content simply isn’t there. Which is a shame, because there are a lot of things to love: the base-building adds more involvement than Papers, Please since you choose which tools to upgrade first, there’s a fun spread of modes (base building, secret, endless, though I only experienced the first), the UI is cute, and there are plenty of in-game achievements to chase. Even light character customization is there (shirt color and gender) though clearly incomplete. But the cons add up fast on the technical side: no fullscreen mode, no volume control beyond on/off, no subtitles in the opening, and some gender criteria can feel unclear for more androgynous looking characters. Time limits also vary across levels, and because checking daily regulations eats into your timer, you’re forced to read fast (plus the tutorial pop-ups steal some seconds too). The x-ray animation and manual truck-calling also eat time, so if you’re squeezing every second, these matter. Yet none of these issues compare to the actual dealbreaker: this is not a full game. It’s a paid demo wearing the clothes of a release. As much as I truly enjoyed what is here, I can’t recommend it in this state. I’ll hold onto it for a little while to see if the devs update it or unlock the remaining content, and I’d be glad to update my review accordingly, but as it stands? Even for the low price, this kind of release practice is not something I can support… especially when they’ve already announced a sequel for June 2026. [quote]For more reviews like this one, please check out [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/45639970-Ele%2527s-Little-Recommendation-Corner/][b]Ele's Little Recommendation Corner[/b][/url]![/quote] [quote]For reviews covering all types of indies, recent and old, don't hesitate to drop by [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/32732116-IndieGems/][b]IndieGems[/b][/url]![/quote]