Being a Toll Keeper Was More Stressful Than I Expected | 1998: The Toll Keeper Story

Sadness.

That's basically what I felt after finishing this game.

Why?

Well... in the span of one game, I lost a husband and a best friend.

---

I've been seeing this game on Steam for quite some time now and I've always wanted to get it. I mean, who wants to try being a Toll Keeper for a day or two?

Yup, me!

Butttt, I didn't know being a pregnant Toll Keeper in 1998 would be this emotionally exhausting.

In this game, it's May 1998 in Janapa. I'm pregnant, broke, and working as a Toll Keeper. It's not exactly the kind of life simulation I thought I was signing up for.

The game is inspired by real historical events surrounding the 1998 Asian financial crisis, particularly what happened in Indonesia. So aside from worrying about whether I counted the toll correctly, there's also a whole economic and political crisis happening around me.

At the beginning of the game, I was given a little background about my character and her life with her parents.

Then came my first day as a Toll Keeper.

One thing I immediately liked about the game was the storytelling. You get newspapers and bits of information about what's happening around the city, and the visuals slowly help you feel the tension building.

Every day, there's a memo telling you what you should do during your shift.

On my first day, I had to let all emergency vehicles pass through.

Simple enough.

Until I looked at my savings. RB 15. And my house rent was due in four days. So there I was, pregnant, broke, trying to survive an economic crisis, and mentally calculating whether I could afford to keep existing.

After every shift, there's also a diary entry that tells you more about what happened during the day. You can even decorate it! which I found really cute because apparently, even during an economic crisis, we must still make our diaries aesthetically pleasing ✨😌

By Day 2, counterfeit money was spreading around Metro City. And yes, of course, it affected my job, because now, aside from collecting toll fees, I also had to inspect every single bill handed to me.

As you can see, I only had RB 44 in savings. Three more days until the rent was due and a doctor's visit coming up in four days. At this point, I was already stressed for a fictional pregnant woman!!

At this point, I decided to buy a calculator for the toll booth. I know how to do math! I just don't want to do math under pressure while ten cars are waiting behind each other 😆

I also had a cat companion and apparently, this cat helps me earn money. I don't know where the cat gets the money. I don't ask questions. I simply accept the financial assistance.

I wish pets in real life could randomly come home with money too.

I also started putting notes in the upper left corner so I wouldn't forget things. There's a penalty if you let someone pay the wrong amount, and yes, I needed all the help I could get.

The landlady also comes over after my shift to have a little chat, which is kind of nice of her. Or maybe that's just how I felt because she hadn't kicked me out yet 😆

As the days went by, my job slowly became more complicated. I had to inspect cars for weapons. Double-check driver's licenses. Check plate numbers. And eventually, I discovered that I could turn on the radio and listen to music! That radio became emotional support.

The job was getting heavier, the situation outside was getting worse, and I was just there trying to make sure I didn't accidentally let someone with a weapon and a fake license drive through the toll booth.

And yep! Sometimes I forgot to check the plate numbers 😭

I was trying to accommodate as many cars as possible because, you know... I needed money.

Another thing I really liked was how the background and surroundings changed depending on what was happening in the story.

It made everything feel more connected. You'd read the newspaper, see the tension building, and then actually notice those changes around you.

One of my tasks was also to distribute flyers.

But during a political and economic crisis...what kind of flyers do you think I had to give away?

Of course, Anti-government flyers. And pro-government flyers.

The decision of which ones to give out was entirely up to me!

Then things started getting even more personal. At one point, my husband disappeared and eventually became involved in the chaotic movement happening around the city.

That was when the game started hurting my feelings. Surviving was already difficult enough, but now my fictional marriage was also falling apart.

When my husband eventually came back, he still wanted to join the movement again.

And guess who had to make the decision? Me. As the toll keeper.

I could either let him pass through the toll gate and let him go...Or restrict him. Imagine being pregnant, broke, working overtime, and then suddenly having to decide your husband's fate while he's literally standing at your toll booth. I just want to collect toll fees 😭

At this point, my responsibilities had become absolutely ridiculous.

I had to check for weapons. Wrong plate numbers. Incorrect documents. And even the weight of vehicles.

---

The ending was...devastating.

Well, I guess that depends on how you play the game.

Apparently, there are different endings depending on your choices. Mine?

Let's just say I lost my husband. And my best friend.

---

The game is actually pretty short, to be honest. I thought I'd be playing it for weeks or maybe even months. But nope. I finished it in just two days 😆

Maybe the game was short. Or maybe I just have too much free time.

But overall, I really enjoyed it!

If you're into indie games with great storytelling, choices that actually affect the story, and a little bit of emotional damage along the way, then I think you'll enjoy this one.

Just don't get too comfortable thinking you're only there to collect toll fees 😁 Because apparently, you're also there to make life-changing decisions, survive an economic crisis, save money, inspect suspicious vehicles, manage your relationship, and somehow rely on your cat as an additional source of income.