Lil Guardsman is coming to PC and consoles this month, inspired by Papers, Please and Night in the Woods

The Steam demo is now live

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

Hilltop Studios has announced that its point-and-click narrative puzzle gameLil' Guardsmanis coming to PC and consoles on January 23.

Set to launch onXbox Series X|S,PlayStation 5,Nintendo Switch, and PC viaSteam,Lil' Guardsmanis described as a “comedic fantasy” game inspired by games likePapers, Pleaseand the popular 2017 single-player adventure gameNight in the Woods.

Hilltop revealed more footage of the game, showcasing gorgeous visuals paired with a 2D art style and a fully voice-acted cast. You play as 12-year-old Lil, a substitute gate guardsman who has to take over her wayward father’s job at the entrance to the Kingdom of the Sprawl.

As you encounter 100+ “zany and chaotic” characters, it’s up to you to deduce their intentions with dialogue and a host of tools at your disposal, giving you the power to decide whether or not to deny them entry.

One instance in the trailer shows Lil using a rewind ability after making the wrong decision, which results in one character going to jail for being a bit too shady. There’s also an x-ray ability that lets you investigate NPCs, and even draft or deny characters to help win the war.

When you’re not guarding the gate, it looks like you’re also able to explore the kingdom, with locations like the docks, curious alleyways, and a tavern filled with knights and wizards.

“WithLil’ Guardsmanwe wanted to mix the deductive puzzle-solving and branching storyline ofPapers, Pleasewith the warmth and humor ofMonkey IslandandGrim Fandango,” Artiom Komarov, Hilltop co-founder and co-game director said in a statement.

Get the best Black Friday deals direct to your inbox, plus news, reviews, and more.

Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable Black Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content.

“We’ve been cracking each other up for two years coming up with scenarios, dialogue, visual gags, and picturing the voice cast that make upLil’ Guardsman’sworld, we’re so excited to finally share it with everyone on January 23!”

Pre-orders are now available, and you can wishlist the game right now onSteam, or check out the playabledemo.

For more, check out our list of thebest indie games, along with our list of thebest PS5 games.

Best Dragon Age games in 2024 - every series entry ranked

I reviewed the PS5 Pro and recommend these 7 enhanced games to try first

Google TV will require more RAM for future upgrades – which might leave older TVs and streaming boxes behind