Lil' Guardsmanis a deduction adventure game inspired by indie hit titles likePapers, PleaseandNight in the Woods. InLil' Guardsman, players take on the role of 12-year-old hero Lil, who has the tricky task of choosing who to admit into the fantasy kingdom.Lil' Guardsmandiffers from its various inspirations by fusing cozy, comedy, and fantasy elements, all three of which do not often appear together in video games.
Fans ofNight in the Woodsand point-and-click games likePapers, Pleasecould have a lot of fun withLil' Guardsman, while also treating themselves to something genuinely novel. In a recent interview with Game Rant, Hilltop Studios' co-founders Artiom Komarov and Scott Christian spoke about howPapers, PleaseandNight in the WoodsinspiredLil' Guardsman, plus other influences. Komarov and Christian also talked about how they feel about the comparisons to these games and howLil' Guardsmandistinguishes itself.
How Papers, Please And Night In The Woods Inspired Lil’ Guardsman
Although over ten years old,Papers, Pleaseis aclassic point-and-click gamethat still holds up well today. While it was always a race against the clock to process as many papers as possible, many long-time fans still delight in attempting speed runs. Komarov praisedPapers, Pleasefor its genre-defining success, describing it as “a towering achievement in indie gaming that jump-started a whole new genre.” While Komarov stated they enjoyed several games inspired by it, includingYour GraceandDeath and Taxes,he identifiedPapers, Pleaseas a core inspiration:
We really liked the idea of a funny, fantasy, cozy take onPapers, Please.
Night in the Woodsalso received a lot of praise for its storytelling, which inspiredLil' Guardsman’s own approach and is one reason the devs wanted humor at the heart of their game. Komarov addedNight in the Woodshas both humor and heart “in spades” while being “incredibly ‘vibe-ey’ and quirky.” Certainly,Night in the Woodshas a unique approach to storytelling through its humorous dialogue and interactions as protagonist Mae. Similarly, fans may enjoy the humor and character-driven storytellingLil' Guardsmanoffers, especially when players step foot into its world beyond the guard shed.
Lil’ Guardsman’s & Papers, Please
Equally, fans ofPapers, Pleasemay well appreciateLil’Guardsman’s different take oninterrogation mechanics. LikePapers, Please, there are different deduction methods and tools for such, like the bull whip, but some features could also reduce the stress thatPapers, Pleasemight induce in some players, potentially making repetition and failing fun. This includes the ability to rewind time, no timer, and the opportunity for multiple playthroughs. As Komarov explained,
Tying back intoPapers, Please- part of what makesthatgame so brilliant is the tension created by the setting and story, but also by the timer counting down. We knew we wantedLil’ Guardsmanto have a more cozy feel, and we also wanted to verify a player could experiment, poke around, go back, and try different things before moving forward. Early on, I would challenge the team to ‘make failing fun’. Scott and the writers came up with theChronometer3000idea - a device for the rewind mechanic that’s cooked into the plot and narrative.
Overall, many players could find a lot of joy inLil' Guardsman’s cozy, fantasy-themed comedy.
Lil' Guardsmanreleases July 02, 2025, for PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Xbox One.
