1998: The Toll Keeper Story will follow Dewi, a mother trying to protect her baby while Indonesia faces the social unrest born from the country’s 1998 monetary crisis. In a PlayStation Blog feature, GameChanger Studio detailed how the game will tell that story from inside a toll booth rather than from the center of the conflict.
The game draws on an Indonesian saying about a mother’s love crossing all time. That idea becomes much harder to hold onto as Dewi’s surroundings grow more dangerous. The historical events behind the setting caused widespread unrest and harmed innocent people, giving the story a painful context that reaches beyond its homeland.
A Mother’s Story From Inside the Toll Booth
Dewi cannot stop the wider crisis by force. Instead, she works day after day at the booth, watching people struggle to survive while doing everything she can to keep her child safe and healthy. Characters such as Heru and Sinta will also be part of the story as the pressure around Dewi continues to build.
The core gameplay will revolve around checking documents and currency. The routine should feel familiar to players who enjoyed Papers, Please, but the booth serves a different purpose beyond processing vehicles. It becomes a refuge where people can speak about their fears and frustrations, whether they support or oppose the government of that period.
Those conversations and the decisions made during Dewi’s shifts will affect the conclusion of her story. Hand-drawn cutscenes will present the narrative in GameChanger Studio’s art style, while a diary at the end of each day will give Dewi space to process the anxiety she faces as both a woman and a mother.
How the PS5 Features Fit the Story
On PlayStation 5, the game will use haptic feedback to distinguish between the different types of vehicles passing through Dewi’s booth. The vibrations will also act as gameplay clues and represent the physical force of the challenges she experiences during pregnancy.
The studio says it wants 1998: The Toll Keeper Story to address its historical inspiration without romanticizing the tragedy. The result is a personal story about motherhood that keeps its focus on the people trying to endure events far beyond their control.
The game also has a page on the Indonesian PlayStation Store.
The trailer gives a look at Dewi’s toll booth and the game’s document-checking routine.
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