What was the purpose of Jorji Costava? (Possible Spoilers)

[Mona]

Mechanically speaking. We have had many "Jorji" is many different games spanding many different genre, examples of which include Dishonored (the boat guy, sorry, can't remember name), the images in Antichambers, GLADOS (to some degree). They evaluate our actions in the game and sorta hand us judgement upon them. They will speak their mind and be our 'conscience' but in Papers, Please it is different.

The character Jorji is always doing something bad, he is always listed as a bad person who is not allowed into the country (by either him carrying drugs or him being on bulletins) and we have no reason to empathize with him. However, he treats us much better than any of the other characters/citizens in the game.

Well, maybe except the soldier guy but that is due to the fact that you save his life on many occassions. Jorji on the other hand, we have never really done him any favors (except possibily allowing him into the country but by doing so we are penalized)

So, why is Jorji so nice to us? Why does he find value us upholding our job even though it would cost him greatly? Why? He treats us like a friend even though we barely talk to each other and we never really socalize. What is his purpose in the game?

If any of you could give some insight, it owuld be awesome. <3

Thanks for your time.

[General Plastro]

Like other characters in video games (Safana & Eldoth from Baldur's Gate series comes to mind), Jorji is quite selfish, he befriends you to gain favors (including the Passport deal by the end of the game, probably benefits him as well). He is also quite well connected, as he mentions he has friends in the prison that can set him free in a few days.

Jorji is also a comic relief with his badly faked passports in the beginning.

[Tom Dover]

What he said. Even though I wish I could stamp DENIED on his forehead, I always manage to smile a little when I see his quirky Eastern-European style attitude.

[Pugnippets]

Spoilers.

Call me naive but... sometimes, people are just nice? In the case of Jorji, maybe a little dim, but nice. The game is extremely grim, and Jorji is a contrast to that. Lots of war and suffering and ♥♥♥♥? He's happy anyway. Maybe because of the drugs, maybe because he's just happy with his choices, I don't know. What is his purpose in the game? To be a character, because sometimes characters like him exist and that's how you represent them.

Also, he gives you money at the end of the game even if you get him arressted every time, for absolutely no personal gain, so he's not just doing it for himself.

I also have a poorly-tested theory that the game is often forgiving so that you don't get to hate the people you screw over. It would be easy to make them retaliate but making them forgive you drives the nail in a little more.

Edit: another way of looking at it mechanically -- and it's sort of an obvious point but whatever -- is that he, along with many other characters in the game, is trying to challenge your perception of what is right. You're getting penalised, but who cares? Maybe being friendly to strangers is more valuable than following the rules all the time.

[Atyno]

I think it's just selfishness. If you deny him when he's got the right papers and no inconsistencies because you know it's just a well done forgery, his "glory to Arstotska" attitude and general warmth to you instantly dissapears. He is probably smarter than everyone thinks, pretending to be the ditz so the inspector warms up to him. It has been surprisingly effective, with the following he gets and myself having let him in even when you are able to search him for drugs.

[Twelvefield]

I'm with Ugly Duck: Jorji is one of a set of characters that push on the moral boundaries that you bring to the game.

You get to be in Papers, Please something that you very likely are not in real life: a functional low level bureaucrat with the power of life and death over people, including your family. Your employer, The State, quickly becomes sociopathic. Do you follow orders like a good little Nazi (the Albert Speer Solution), or do you let your personal biases into your work life?

At one point, your are congratulated in the press for capturing a wanted criminal. Later, you are berated by a grieving father when you capture another criminal. In both cases, you are simply following the orders of The State, yet your personal values can achieve different outcomes. EZIC wants you to think more deeply about The State as well. Why are the people criminals? What did they do? Sometimes, their crimes are reported in the newspapers, but how reliable is that information?

Jorji is a lot smarter than he looks. Maybe you won't stamp his fake passport in the first game, but you probably will in a subsequent game. If you're like me, you'll play through a game as a complete Rules Nazi to unlock the Endless Mode. (Most people seem to just be pulling the code off the Internet, though). Then you'll play a game as an EZIC sympathizer. Then you'll play a game where you are trying to help everybody. They are only pixels, but it's still a sweet moment when you reunite the soldier with his wife.

[kittane]

WHAT IS POINT OF ME? POINT OF ME IS TO SMUGGLE DRUGS ACROSS ARSTOTZKA!
No, seriously, I think Jorji was intended as a comic relief within all the terrorist attacks.

[BananaJane]

Jorji wasn't in portal, what are you talking about?

[Coldflame]

Originally posted by BananaJane:

Jorji wasn't in portal, what are you talking about?

Yeah he was, in test chamber 20.

[Mona]

Originally posted by Jorji Costava:

WHAT IS POINT OF ME? POINT OF ME IS TO SMUGGLE DRUGS ACROSS ARSTOTZKA!
No, seriously, I think Jorji was intended as a comic relief within all the terrorist attacks.

Based Jorji is here.

[staryoshi06]

Originally posted by BananaJane:

Jorji wasn't in portal, what are you talking about?

They mean the character type.

[IncorrectTamtam]

This might be a little silly, but I kind of figured that Jorji was part of the MOA, a guy that they would send in to see how good you were at actually doing your job and sticking to the rules. I mean, it kind of makes sense, right? The whole 'lets send in a nice guy to see how well they can actually follow the stuff we've set them' attidute. I dunno, thats just my take on him...

[staryoshi06]

Originally posted by sharkbait:

This might be a little silly, but I kind of figured that Jorji was part of the MOA, a guy that they would send in to see how good you were at actually doing your job and sticking to the rules. I mean, it kind of makes sense, right? The whole 'lets send in a nice guy to see how well they can actually follow the stuff we've set them' attidute. I dunno, thats just my take on him...

Why would someone from the MOA give you a legitimate flyer for forged passports?
And why would they give you a free 40 credits for no reason?

[a person named Rose]

Originally posted by staryoshi06:

Originally posted by sharkbait:

This might be a little silly, but I kind of figured that Jorji was part of the MOA, a guy that they would send in to see how good you were at actually doing your job and sticking to the rules. I mean, it kind of makes sense, right? The whole 'lets send in a nice guy to see how well they can actually follow the stuff we've set them' attidute. I dunno, thats just my take on him...

Why would someone from the MOA give you a legitimate flyer for forged passports?
And why would they give you a free 40 credits for no reason?

And why would you necrobump a dead post?

[staryoshi06]

Originally posted by Caleaveforniaball:

Originally posted by staryoshi06:

Why would someone from the MOA give you a legitimate flyer for forged passports?
And why would they give you a free 40 credits for no reason?

And why would you necrobump a dead post?

Not really my fault the forums are so dead that 2 year old threads are not that far away from the first page.

[DJUNGELSKOG]

I was working on pitching a somewhat similar character for an indie game I'm helping make, which got me thinking about Jorji recently. Papers, Please is a game which questions the morality of people and has an overbearing tone of oppression and despair throughout. You can't do too well, you can't afford to do poorly and (especially during your first few playthroughs), you wonder how you will make it through or if you can even succeed. Jorji is a drug smuggler who does things he recognizes are bad because he knows they will benefit him. However he is comically inept in his endeavors and an energetic, positive face amid the endless crowds of sullen entry-seekers. His unflappable positive attitude, daring (if deeply flawed attempts) are a bit of a break from the tension of checking the info of other entrants. He also never faults the Player for turning him away, seeming to look forward to each new attempt. He is also the only truly friendly face the Player sees once Sergiu is gone (whether escaped or dead). He is the one who gives the Player the idea to escape Arastokzka and helps him get started in planning for that route (giving up his passport, as well as some money). Despite his deeply flawed nature, you cannot help but look forward to seeing this weird little man who comes to be your friend.