Credit: Ikon
Developers from Ikon Studios, through the IGN portal, presented Arbiter 131 – a dark, story-driven real-time tactics game that combines elements of XCOM, Papers, Please, and Door Kickers.
The game takes place in the futuristic metropolis of Arcadia, controlled by large corporations. The player assumes the role of an arbiter—a specialist who analyzes citizen data, identifies potential threats, and coordinates police units during operations.
The developers describe Arbiter 131 as an unusual combination of ideas from XCOM, Papers, Please, and Door Kickers. Players are promised complex tactical missions, moral dilemmas, and a nonlinear storyline.
Before each operation, squads can plan their actions in advance through a dedicated interface, but the situation on the battlefield may require instant decisions. The story will also change based on the player’s behavior: the system tracks decisions and shapes the story’s development without rigid “right” or “wrong” options.
Arbiter 131 is being developed exclusively for PC (Steam) and currently has no estimated release date. The announcement was accompanied by a gameplay trailer—the two-minute clip is embedded above.