How to play

Lifer is a text-based career and life simulator that moves month by month. Each month you make a call, and your calls come back months or years later.

Starting a career

Pick a name, then one of two towers: the megacorp OBSIDYNE or the State of Valdora. Then a department, a degree and a family background. Your degree gives lasting perks: a law graduate does better in disputes, a statistician in data scandals. A star next to a department means it fits your degree.

You can also start at 18, at university. There you juggle grade averages, clubs, internships and loans term by term; your choices at graduation decide which doors open.

How a month works

Pick a focus. Work hard, network, rest, suck up or lay low. Each focus nudges your stats differently.
Press Next month. Your salary lands, your costs go out, your relationships and health shift a little.
Read the memo. Most months an internal memo lands on your desk: a boss's request, a rumour, an opportunity, a trap. Pick one of two to four options and see what happens.

Some months are quiet. That is information too: in Valdora, when nothing happens, something is usually being prepared.

The six stats

Performance: How well you do your job. Too low for too long and you're out.
Network: Who you know and who mentions you. Most social dice rolls use it.
Loyalty: Your standing with the institution and your boss. It matters for promotions and protection.
Suspicion: The question marks over you. At 100: scandal, inquiry or worse.
Stress: At 100 you collapse. Rest, holidays, hobbies and a decent home bring it down.
Conscience: Your moral compass. A low one opens some doors and a few nightmares.

Alongside them sit health and happiness. Health moves with age, stress and habits; if it reaches zero, the story ends.

Dice and odds

Some options carry a tag like “Dice · Network · 55%”. Their outcome depends on a roll: the game picks a number from 1 to 20, adds your relevant stat and degree bonus, and if the total beats the scene's difficulty you succeed. The percentage is your real chance right now. A 20 always wins, a 1 always loses. A red “risky” tag means the option may cost you heavily in suspicion, conscience or money.

Promotions and the calendar

After enough time at a rank you can ask for a promotion; the answer depends on your performance, loyalty and network. The calendar on your desk shows the next twelve months: the annual review is every January, and April, July and October bring quarter-end rituals. On the corporate path that means KPI screens and calibration meetings; in the civil service, Court of Accounts reports and budget talks.

Private life

The Life tab holds your budget, home, vehicles, family and investments. From a shared room to a penthouse, from the metro to a hover-coupe, everything can be bought or rented, each with a monthly cost and an effect on stress. As your family grows the flat gets tight, and you'll feel it. Income tax comes off your salary, and living costs grow with your household.

On the People tab you can deal with your boss, rival, mentor and colleagues once a month each: coffee, lunch, gossip or a scheme. The Wellbeing tab has habits, hobbies, pets and holidays.

The end of a career

A career can end in retirement, the top seat, resignation, dismissal, prison or simply vanishing. Getting fired isn't always the end: you move to a job hunt, apply to rival firms or sit the civil service exam. With children, you can carry on as one of them. At the end you get a shareable career card.

Tips for beginners

Work hard in the first months while stress is low; rest for a month once it passes 60.
Network is everything. A lunch a month is a promotion a year later.
Don't play your cards at once. Some secrets are worth more in the drawer.
Frugal living adds a little stress but is the fastest way to a home of your own.
Picked the wrong option? Don't worry: in Valdora every mistake is a new story.

Frequently asked questions

What is Lifer?

Lifer is a free, text-based office and life simulator played in the browser. In the fictional Republic of Valdora you build a career month by month at the megacorp OBSIDYNE or in the state ministries: get promoted, marry, buy a home, or get caught up in intrigue.

Is Lifer free? Do I need an account?

Yes, Lifer is completely free and needs no account. There is nothing to download or install; it runs straight in the browser on phones and desktops.

Where are my saves kept?

Saves are stored only in your browser. To move to another device, use Menu > Move your save to get a code or a file, then load it from the title screen on the other device.

How long is a career?

A career lasts from about half an hour to a few hours. Events, colleagues and the national agenda are shuffled anew each time, so every career is different.

Which languages can I play in?

The game can be played in Turkish, English and French; every text, generated scenes included, is written in all three.

Is it game over if I get fired?

Not always. Getting fired moves you to a job hunt where you can apply to rival firms or sit the civil service exam. With children, you can carry on as one of them.

Last updated: 2026-11-09