When comparing Cogs vs Papers Please, the Slant community recommends Papers Please for most people. In the question“What are the best Puzzle games on Steam?” Papers Please is ranked 3rd while Cogs is ranked 27th. The most important reason people chose Papers Please is:
Papers Please has a unique puzzle solving element. Instead of using mathematical logic, or quick matching thinking, the puzzles in Papers Please involve checking people's background information to make sure everything matches the immigration requirements and following clues to find anything amiss.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Eases the player into the gameplay
The game starts out pretty easy and gradually introduces new elements into the gameplay in order to get the player used to all aspects of the game as later levels can be pretty involved.
Pro Gear based puzzles
If you're into mechanical machines and clocks, you'll like the puzzle aspect of Cogs. The goal of the game is to construct a series of gears in 3D space to rotate a golden gear.
Pro Unique puzzle solving through clue based deduction
Papers Please has a unique puzzle solving element. Instead of using mathematical logic, or quick matching thinking, the puzzles in Papers Please involve checking people's background information to make sure everything matches the immigration requirements and following clues to find anything amiss.
Pro Will require making ridiculously hard decisions
There is a fine line to walk while playing, whether it is worth following the rules and ruining lives or bending the rules at the risk of getting caught in order to help destitute people. The moral choices in the game are often difficult and require hard decisions.
Pro Endless mode
Once the main story is beaten there is an optional endless mode for those that want to see how long they can play without losing.
Cons
Con No hint or help system
Users are on their own if they get stuck as there is no help system in the game. This can get frustrating when the puzzles get tougher and tougher.
Con Simplistic gameplay mechanic
The gameplay itself, once the player gets a grasp of it can get repetitive pretty quick due to there really being not much deviation from a singular gameplay mechanic.