Toge Productions—the brilliant Indonesian studio behind Coffee Talk and A Space for the Unbound—is back at it again with another narrative knockout, and this time, it trades heartfelt barista chats for the cutthroat world of land acquisition.

Their latest venture, Compensation Not Guaranteed, is a gritty yet charming document-checking thriller that lets you play judge, jury, and relocation officer in a fictional post-colonial Southeast Asian country. And good news—the demo is now available on Steam as part of the ever-delightful narrative game showcase, LudoNarraCon.

So, what’s the pitch? You’re a low-ranking government official sitting behind a desk, sorting out who owns what land as your rapidly-modernising nation barrels toward “development”—which, as always, is code for kicking people off their homes to build shiny new things. You’ll examine documents, cross-check records, interrogate landowners, and ultimately decide who gets compensated… and who gets quietly bulldozed into history.

But it’s not just red tape and ink stamps. Toge’s signature flair for storytelling is alive and well here, wrapped in a Southeast Asian setting bursting with cultural nuance and metaphor—featuring a cast of anthropomorphic animals who each bring personal tales of hardship, heritage, and resistance to the table.

What Makes It Worth Your Time?

• A Post-Colonial Papers, Please: It’s bureaucracy-meets-bombshells. Every document hides a story. Every choice echoes across the nation.
• Fur-midable Characters: Yes, they’re animals. No, it’s not a gimmick. These are rich, well-written characters shaped by a world that’s constantly trying to erase them.
• Your Decisions Matter: Are you upholding the law, or just playing a part in institutional injustice? That’s for your conscience to figure out.
• Narrative With Teeth: It’s political. It’s personal. It’s paper-pushing with a soul.

This is more than a form-filling simulator—it’s a striking reflection on development, displacement, and the fine line between justice and obedience. If Coffee Talk was your late-night comfort drink, Compensation Not Guaranteed is the sobering morning headline.

Catch the free demo on Steam starting 1 May 2025 at LudoNarraCon—and prepare to lose sleep over paperwork.