Tech Support Error Unknown (english)

Big Brothers Helpdesk

Everybody has some experience of dealing with helpdesks and helping phone. Tech Support lets you be the customer adviser of the multinational Quasar-mobile firm. However, as an intern, you receive disturbing rumors that Quasar is gathering illegal information on its customers. As a helpdesk employee, you are required to navigate between what the firm wants and what is right. The games developer Dragon slumber is an indie developer that has published both Arelite Core and Astral Traveller for the PC platform previously.

Game information

Name: Tech Support Error Unknown Publisher/Developer: Iceberg Interactive / Dragon Slumber
Platform: PC (Steam) Type: Simulation, Puzzle
Age ratings: n/a
Reviewers: Rami
Pictures and links:
Release Date Trailer

Perspective of the gamer?

Papers, Please has been a significant influence here. Tech Support delves deep into question 'what if helpdesk or customer service wouldn't be at your side?' While helpdesk might want to be of help the impression that we are seldom given is more cold one. The problems people have with cellphones sound quite familiar, and every kind of people call you for your support. Even the game developer has inserted himself to the end of the game.

Being satirical the game satirizes multiple things, selling, India cheap, and multinational firms.
Much like in Papers, Please the substantial doctrine changes and the player needs to puzzle out how to help the customers. The satire develops as far as selling overpriced virus protection to take advantage of the mass hysteria as selling is something that support phone never should do. Of course, this is a parody, but the game raises valid questions about today what kind of information the customer service can get access to? Could they log into my phone like in the game?

The game advances through email, chat, and tending Spectrum OS. Eventually the player can connect directly to the cell phone, by just knowing the customer number. This left me thinking how paper thin the privacy really is. If you break to the phone without reason you get complaints but nothing more...
Finally, you are given the option of extorting people with client information!

Tech Support is an interesting dialog-heavy game, but it still can't surpass 80s style Papers, Please-border customs. For example, the player's relatives connect him/her with the HelpDesk and ask money to treat the sick mother. The problem here is that the player won't invest emotionally as well as one would hope. If the mother dies, he doesn't even receive a picture of the funeral. Getting upgrades to the computer is a worthy goal but, playing excellent corporate worker is still monotonic and boring. So the proper way to play the game is to involve yourself with the police investigation and indigo. The game rewards you with multiple endings, so small things matter.

The plot picks up quickly from the start but slows down after that. The whole game takes thirty days to complete. There isn't much of multi-tasking, so the gameplay doesn't feel like a rush as Papers, Please did. Of course, a more laid back approach is right for some of the players. One minus is definitely that the story doesn't develop fast, but despite that, it's an overall excellent and intelligent game.

Perspective of the ratings

The game asks if the player wants to have swearing in his game. This is quite a nice option, but in the light of Finnish age ratings, this wouldn't raise the bar. PEGI-system could rate on implications so that ratings could be a bit higher there. While the developer doesn't elaborate on the suggested age, the ESRB rating might be somewhere around Teen-level.

Parents and game education?

If the helpdesk isn't familiar, Tech Support is the most enlightening game about the modern trend of remote work. The game ponders about the question of privacy in a manner that could spark interesting discussions between youth and parents.

During the game you can talk about...

• What information customer relationship management has accesas to?
• Do firms use their client information?
• What do you save in your mobile phone? Is it sensitive?
• Would you send money to your sick parents?