Bureaucracy
Description official descriptions
Bureaucracy is a text adventure game that describes the misadventures of a person who has recently moved to a new apartment and begins to fall victim to various bureaucratic procedures that always go wrong. He can't receive his mail, access his bank account, or generally lead a normal life; all his activities are impeded by needless and confusing hurdles. In order to retrieve the lost mail and put his life back on track, the protagonist will have to meet exotic characters and perform various tasks while being constantly threatened by various bureaucratic occurrences.
The gameplay involves typing commands composed out of verb and object combinations, used to interact with the game world and solve puzzles. In addition, a special "blood pressure" meter will gradually fill itself the more the protagonist is bothered by bureaucratic annoyances. Once this meter is completely full, the player character suffers an aneurysm, and the game ends.
Screenshots
Credits (DOS version)
19 People
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Reviews
Trivia
69,105
Infocom's famous 69,105 number is used in this game to refer to a ticket number and an internal error.
Cover
Unlike the other Infocom grey-box releases, which featured positive comments from publications and players on the inside box flap, Bureaucracy (in the spirit of the game's content) reprints some of the complaints Infocom received.
Extras
According to the Infocom Home Page, the game package contained "You're ready to move!" bank brochure, a letter from your new boss, a membership flyer for "Popular Paranoia", a red pencil, and a Beezer card application form (in triplicate).
Information also contributed by Sciere and Ye Olde Infocomme Shoppe
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Related Sites +
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Infocom Home Page
Fan site that is the last word about all things Infocom. -
Let's play Douglas Adams' Bureaucracy. [Your blood pressure just went up.]
A playthrough of the game with commentary, originally from the Something Awful forums. -
Solution to Bureaucracy
by Erik Futtrup, Denmark and Twan Lintermans, Holland -
The Commodore Zone
All about the game with introduction, images, related links and comments area. -
The Infocom Gallery
High-quality scans of the grey box package and manual of Bureaucracy.
Identifiers +
- MobyGames ID: 474
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Contributors to this Entry
Game added by Tony Van.
Commodore 128 added by Corn Popper. Amiga, Macintosh added by Terok Nor. Apple II added by Servo. Atari ST added by Belboz.
Additional contributors: Jeanne, Pseudo_Intellectual, mo , JudgeDeadd, c64fan, Patrick Bregger.
Last modified February 22nd, 2023.