If you've been craving the bureaucratic responsibilities of Papers, Please, you might be interested in Lil Guardsman — although the tone couldn't be more different. Due to arrive on PS5 and PS4 on 23rd January, this cartoonish, 2D adventure has you admitting — or denying — entry into a fantasy kingdom.

You play as Lil, a child covering her father's shift at the guard shed. The game features over 100 unique characters, each fully voiced and with their own motivations. Based on what they say and other clues, you'll need to determine if they make it through or not — or even if they should be sent straight to jail.

Unlike its inspiration, you will spend time outside the booth too. You can explore the town yourself, interacting with its inhabitants, engaging in mini-games, and uncovering secrets with a range of equipment. Back at the guard station, you'll also need to decide whether some characters are drafted into the war effort. Because this is all based in a fantasy land, you'll need to think about more than what's on the surface. In the above trailer, for example, one character turns out to be a werewolf, while an x-ray scan of others reveals a hidden ghost.

It looks like a charming spin on the formula, and there's not long to wait to find out if it all works. What do you think of Lil Guardsman? Show your credentials in the comments section below.