As soon as I saw this game, I knew it would be a contender! It has a simple yet challenging game loop, art that serves the game well, and a fantasy that's amazing! Great job!
If I were to add to this
I struggle to find things to add to this game. If I were to expand it, I would probably add conversations that you could listen to. I might also inject a substory, kind of like how Papers, Please tells a story without ever coming out and saying anything.
Game Design
I'm going to be using Jonas Tyroller's framework for fun for these reviews, so you can watch his video for more context around it. My day job is looking for ways to improve things, so just because I offer a lot of opinions on that, don't think that I didn't like the game. :D
Impact
There's a lot of good impact in this game. The small sound of plugging in the cables, the ring, and people talking all give weight to what you are doing. When a call completes, the bell is a pleasing sound that rewards the player. The post-game screen helps the player to decompress and examine how well they did.
Challenge
I thought the challenge curve was especially good in this one. The first two shifts are pretty easy going, but by the time you get to five or six, it's a frantic race to get them connected. I like how the names persist across the shifts, so that time spent memorizing the places in the earlier shifts pays off later.
Fantasy
I am jealous of the fantasy this game is able to conjure. From the game card on the itch.io page, I can see what the game is going to be. The title screen throws me into the era. The music is exactly what I would expect to listen to while I am waiting for callers. Everything in the game adds to the fantasy, and I think that even with the other strong points, this is the reason this game is so great!