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Universal Paperclips Review
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Posted: 13 months ago, last updated 3 weeks ago.
Author: @GeekDadGamer and Jo Robertson.
Overview
Universal Paperclips is an adventure game about making paperclips. It sounds simple, but behind the incremental process of clicking a button to create these paperclips is a story about how the desire to make paperclips (or anything) if fully realised and unrestrained will take over the entire world.
You play an entity whose sole purpose it is to make paperclips. It starts by clicking on a box to create a single paperclip at a time but soon develops into a mechanised process to automatically churn out ever more paperclips. As you go on, more options open up. Soon you are investing the profits in the stock market, and investing the stock market profits into computer upgrades, all for the sake of making paperclips at the cost of all else. Steadily everything else is commodified in pursuit of more paperclips.
It's as much a thought experiment as it is a game. But it succeeds at being both. It's enjoyable to play, and just as much fun to talk about.
You play an entity whose sole purpose it is to make paperclips. It starts by clicking on a box to create a single paperclip at a time but soon develops into a mechanised process to automatically churn out ever more paperclips. As you go on, more options open up. Soon you are investing the profits in the stock market, and investing the stock market profits into computer upgrades, all for the sake of making paperclips at the cost of all else. Steadily everything else is commodified in pursuit of more paperclips.
It's as much a thought experiment as it is a game. But it succeeds at being both. It's enjoyable to play, and just as much fun to talk about.
Game Details
Content Rating: PEGI 3
Release Date: 09/10/2017
Platforms: Android, Web and iOS
Genres: Adventure, Point-and-Click, Simulation and Strategy
Accessibility: 17 features
Lists
Commitment
Costs
Does not offer in-game purchases, 'loot boxes' or 'battle/season passes'.
Age Ratings
Accessibility
VoiceOver works well as all the buttons are clearly labelled. You do need to use VoiceOver gestures including three-finger swipe up/down to navigate between pages. You also have to drag your finger over the screen to read the numbers and text.
The Split Tap VoiceOver setting can be helpful to reduce the strain of a large number of clicks. Instead of selecting an item and double-tapping, split-tap enables you to hold an item with one finger, then tap the screen with another finger.
Our Universal Paperclips Accessibility Report documents 17 accessibility features:
The Split Tap VoiceOver setting can be helpful to reduce the strain of a large number of clicks. Instead of selecting an item and double-tapping, split-tap enables you to hold an item with one finger, then tap the screen with another finger.
Our Universal Paperclips Accessibility Report documents 17 accessibility features:
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