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FIXER · 2021 · Windows, macOS, Linux

Steam: 91 % positive of 3,859 reviews, as of Oct 28

Martial Law is a game about difficulties that came with Communism in Poland. The story is shown from the perspective of a man who is abandoned because of his low social status. He tries his best to be there for his daughter despite the difficulties.

24 games that play like Martial Law and 24 that look like it. Closest by gameplay: Svoboda 1945: Liberation, Papers, Please and Ukraine War Stories.

Player tags

  • Pixel Graphics
  • Free to Play
  • Choices Matter
  • Multiple Endings
  • Atmospheric
  • Story Rich
  • Adventure
  • Indie
Map region: Atmospheric Story Games
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Steam reviews

What players say

Mostly positive: players like its heartfelt, history-rich short story, but find it very short with weak writing and limited choices.

Most reviewers recommend Martial Law, and Steam's totals are very positive. Many players enjoy the pixel art, the atmosphere of everyday life in 1981 communist Poland, and the small historical facts worked into the story, and several say it made them want to learn more about the period. Some praise the branching choices and multiple endings, and the game's free price is often mentioned as good value. The main complaints are its very short length, with a single run taking around 10 to 15 minutes, and clumsy dialogue and translation that some find unrealistic. Some players also say the game feels like a walking simulator with few meaningful choices. Among recent reviews, negative opinions are more common than in the older helpful ones, with several calling the writing and pacing weak and a few saying the game is shallow.

Praised

  • Atmosphere and pixel art

    Players praise the pixel graphics, music and the feel of everyday life in 1981 Poland.

    Many players
  • Historical detail and education

    Reviewers say the game teaches real facts about communist Poland and makes them want to learn more.

    Many players
  • Heartfelt story and choices

    Players enjoy the warm father-daughter story and the branching choices that lead to different endings.

    Many players
  • Short and free

    Players say the short length and the free price make it an easy, low-cost play for a quiet evening.

    Many players

Criticised

  • Very short playtime

    Players say a single run is only around 10 to 15 minutes and wish the story were longer and deeper.

    Many players
  • Weak writing and dialogue

    Reviewers find the dialogue stiff, inconsistent or unrealistic, and say characters change attitude too fast.

    Many players
  • Limited choices and walking

    Players say many choices lead nowhere, the endings are few, and much of the play is simple walking.

    Some players
  • Technical issues and translation

    Players report a black screen problem on Steam Deck and stiff English translation.

    A few players
Who it suits
Suits players who enjoy short, quiet story games about history and everyday life, and who want something free to try in one sitting.
Who should skip it
Players who want a long game with many meaningful choices or polished writing should skip it.

Short vs. long playtime: Players with more hours tend to find the walking and slow pace tiring, and some note that repeat runs for achievements feel bland, while newcomers mostly praise the atmosphere.

Summarised by AI from 60 Steam reviews (English, helpful and recent), as of Oct 28, 2026.

By gameplay

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By look

Looks like Martial Law

Matched from screenshots. Each card shows the screenshot closest to the look of this game.

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At a glance

What games like Martial Law have in common

  • The tags they share most often with Martial Law: Multiple Endings (19 of 24), Story Rich (19) and Choices Matter (15).
  • They came out between 2013 and 2026, 9 of them after Martial Law (2021).
  • Best rated by Steam players: Felvidek (98 % positive of 5,701).

How these matches work

Matches come from embeddings of Steam descriptions, player tags and screenshots, computed offline. “Plays like” compares what the games are about and how players tag them; “Looks like” compares their screenshots. The share of positive reviews is based on Steam user reviews.

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