Hirogami

Hirogami is the latest entry in the curiously specific subgenre of “platformers set in an arts-and-crafts-themed world”, following the likes of Yoshi’s Woolly and Crafted World, as well as Sackboy: A Big Adventure. As the name suggests, Hirogami’s gameplay and general aesthetic are based on the Japanese paper-folding craft of origami. Featuring a richly textured world and some fun platforming, Hirogami is a real joy to play.

Papercraft-styled games remain a surprising rarity, despite the cult success of Tearaway and its PS4 remake. It’s been five years since the adventures of Iota/Atoi, so Kakehashi Games' Hirogami serves as a welcome reminder of the striking impact of playable paper art. It’s a slight and breezy experience, but one with an intoxicating visual presentation.

With a striking papercraft style, Hirogami instantly wins you over with its beautiful art. This platformer uses origami to provide you with a wealth of skills and abilities, but sometimes switching between them can prove to be a little frustrating. Still, if you're a platforming fan and you have a bit of patience, there's a lot to like here.

Hirogami is a charming origami based platformer with great movement and gorgeous visuals, but its combat and frustrating objectives hold it back.

Hirogami is a pleasant adventure with innovative ideas that don’t quite land. The ability to transform into different creatures is engaging, especially in later levels where switching between forms is essential to progress. Unfortunately, the lackluster encounters, basic level design, and the need to revisit earlier stages to move forward create frustration. While Hirogami brims with creativity, it never quite comes together into a truly memorable experience.

Hirogami is an origami platformer. What that means is that much of the world around you is made of paper, folded into elaborate shapes, and so are you. In fact, you can fold yourself into a variety of animal themed shapes to help you navigate your way through Hirogami’s levels, puzzles, and fights. But is it worth taking a gamble on, or should you just…fold?

I'm bummed that Hirogami didn't hit for me like I'd expected it to. There are lots of cool ideas and mechanics here that feel fresh and exciting, and different challenges for each level give you lots to strive for. Unfortunately, the platforming eventually starts to feel frustrating due to bad checkpointing, questionable hitboxes, and ultimate lack of variety. Combat is frequent, repetitive, and ended up feeling like a chore. There's heart and charm here, and I think a sequel could eventually turn this into a viable franchise. As it stands, however, Hirogami isn't a must-play.

Overall, Hirogami is a visually stunning adventure taking place in a beautifully folded world. There’s a lot to get out of each level with many different challenges to sink your teeth into, but unfortunately, it’s all let down by a lack of polish in gameplay. Platforming feels clunky, and gameplay feels undercooked; it made my time with Hirogami a mixture of being in awe of my surroundings and dismay when I launched myself off the map.

A lovely looking origami-themed 3D platformer that’s let down by dull combat and pedestrian puzzle design, and then positively ruined by its use of fixed camera angles.