The game takes place in a single government building, in real time over four hours, the game advances without input from the player, but almost all in-game actions can affect the game's story.
The game is set in late 1987 within the same universe as White Paper Games' first title Ether One.
The game doesn't have a health bar or energy system, when the game needs to punish the player it does so by using up the player's time, for example if a player is caught doing something they shouldn't, they are taken to a security office and lose 15 minutes of game time, which shortens the time available to achieve the main aim of the game, obtaining knowledge.
The Occupation is uneven experiment to create a nonlinear political thriller with unpleasant restrictions and not always clear motives of the main characters. Bugs, terrible interface, problems with choices in the second half of the game and annoying stealth mechanics cause disappointment.
The Occupation is a serious and well crafted first-person thriller dripping with nuance and subtleties.
The Occupation is an intriguing video game with some cool gameplay mechanics, but it's flawed by many issues.
The Occupation brilliantly blends elaborate levels, breadcrumb-chasing, gotcha journalism, and a politically-charged drama to become one of 2019's most interesting games.
The Occupation has a politically charged story with a moral quandary you may not be able to answer due to the game's forced stealth.
