Death, Taxes, and Paper jams

A fun fact about my gaming habits is that I mostly play games that can be easily picked up or put down on a whim. The reason is that I'm either short on time or hanging out with someone. So you'll hear no complaints from me, but it does make playing more immersive titles somewhat rare. Titles like Indivisible and Vampire: Shadows of New York are prime examples of games I owned on the PS4 but never really played until I purchased them on the Switch. It just seems easier to lose myself in a plot when all I have is a handle-held console and some background noise from my phone. And there are many unique games on the Nintendo Marketplace, which lead to most reviews being titles on the Switch. And found a title that allows you to play Grim Reaper and see how your choices affect the world from a simple desk with two drawers.

Death and Taxes drops you in the role of Death, or at least one of many Death, in an office run by Fate. You wake up in his office, where he explains your current state. Then, after a bit of dialogue, they send you to your desk with a phone and marker. This scene is where the gameplay begins.

The first thing you will notice is a card folded in half. You will find Fate's instructions and quota for the day when you open it. To the left will be your files of those who live or die. Your task is to kill as many as your quota requires while following Fate's requests which can vary from sparing all scientists to killing all bankers. At the end of the work day, you return to Fate and report on the labor. Once you finish, you can return to your room and rest for the next day.

The second day is when you want to check your phone. Again, you will find messages similar to tweets showing how your choices affected the outside world. But there is more to Death and Taxes than a cheeky reference to the most famous American Settler who was never President. There is an entire world within the confines of your new workplace. One of the many things you will learn is that if it dies, there is a department for it. When you consider something like that, reading and choosing human files seems preferable to working in the plant department, which is a thing in this title.

The shop in the lower level has accessories you can buy to customize your reaper and your office. But that's not the most exciting thing in the office. Individuals try to communicate with you as you do your duties. Some through a disembodied voice in the mirror, while others manipulate your paperwork to get the message across. Whatever the reason, it is up to you to solve the conspiracy if you choose. I'll let you guys know what has become of me when I reach my end-of-year review.

The music and voice acting bring this title together. The office music and light jazz are delightful. All of the characters you encounter have something to say. There is very little if any noise pollution in terms of dialogue. At one point, you will even find yourself arguing with a cat and sentencing plants to Death. Death and Taxes is a fun, quirky, enthralling title and the crew at Pineapple Works deserve a gold star for this release.