Experience History Through the Eyes of an Ordinary Hero 1998: The Toll Keeper Story asks what YOU would do in the face of crisis
Will you risk your job and safety to help a family in distress, or follow a corrupt rule to secure needed resources?
News
A Flesh Slant on Story Telling 7th October, 2025 - Today GameChanger Studio is excited to announce its upcoming emotional narrative simulation 1998: The Toll Keeper Story. The game releases worldwide on October 28, 2025 for Steam PC, drawing players into a gripping story of survival, resilience, and motherhood during a time of national crisis, inspired by the 1998 Asian financial collapse.
Struggle & controversy
1998: The Toll Keeper Story follows Dewi, a pregnant toll booth worker struggling to protect her family while navigating fear, unrest, and scarcity in the fictional nation of Janapa. The game combines choice-driven storytelling with tense “Papers-Please”-style mechanics, challenging players to balance morality, survival, and duty. Each day at the toll booth presents new dilemmas, and each choice ripples into Dewi’s home life, family safety, and the lives of strangers passing through.
Your choices write Dewi’s story
“This game is more than just about physical survival; it also tests emotional resilience,” said Riris, CEO of GameChanger Studio. “It’s a portrayal of how ordinary people must survive amid the uncertainty of security, food shortages, extreme fear, and not knowing what to do to escape such a pressing situation.”
- Choices Matter
Every decision shapes the story, from enforcing strict state rules to showing compassion for desperate citizens.
- Multiple Endings
Your actions, resource management, and moral choices determine branching outcomes.
- Daily Escalation
The crisis intensifies with each in-game day: new rules, new dangers, and new dilemmas.
- Resource Management
Balance limited food, money, and safety while providing for Dewi’s family.
- Distinct Visual Style
Sepia-toned, late-90s inspired art direction echoing newspapers and official documents of the era.
- Social Impact
A portion of the game’s proceeds will support Indonesian Women in Game (IWIG).
Unlike typical survival or simulation games, 1998: The Toll Keeper Story doesn’t place players in the shoes of a soldier, rebel, or leader - you’re an ordinary toll keeper whose courage lies not in combat, but in endurance. You’ll watch the struggles of a nation unfold, one vehicle at a time
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