Hirogami: A Gorgeous Origami Dream That Folds Under Its Own Weight (And a Dodgy Camera)
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
Hirogami is a visually stunning 3D platformer from Bandai Namco with a unique origami aesthetic that unfortunately gets creased by repetitive combat, a frustrating fixed camera, and a late-game progression grind. It's a gorgeous game with some genuinely innovative ideas, but its execution doesn't quite live up to its stunning looks, leaving players with a beautiful yet frustrating experience.
Alright, gather 'round, mates. I've been poring over the latest reviews, and something rather intriguing, and frankly, a bit heartbreaking, popped up on my digital radar. It’s a game called *Hirogami*, and if you're anything like me, your eyes will be glued to the screenshots, utterly enchanted. But as we all know, sometimes the most beautiful spell can have a rather… *unforeseen* side effect, eh?
This deep dive into *Hirogami* was inspired by a thoughtful review originally published on Polygon by Austin Manchester, who clearly spent some quality (and perhaps, less-than-quality) time in this papercraft world. You should absolutely check out their full take over on Polygon.com for the nitty-gritty!
Developed by Bandai Namco Studios Singapore and Malaysia – a bit of a curveball from such a big name, giving it almost an indie spirit – *Hirogami* is a 3D platformer with a fair bit of combat thrown in for good measure. You play as Hiro, an origami hero (naturally), tasked with defending his exquisitely folded world from an invasion of 'digital glitchers' – these rather ominous black orbs that, for some reason, occasionally shoot lasers. Hiro's quest involves restoring crane shrines, battling the glitchers, and fending off prickly vines that are apparently quite rude to paper people. Sounds like a whimsical, high-stakes adventure, doesn't it?
And by golly, the visuals! Seriously, this game is a genuine showstopper. From the moment you first lay eyes on it, you can tell the art direction is something special. Imagine a world where everything, and I mean *everything*, looks like it's meticulously crafted from paper. Origami characters, sharp-pointed paper trees, construction paper toadstools, even the hub world sprawling out from an open notebook – it’s all just utterly delightful. Hiro himself, and the various other inhabitants, are lovely, intricate pieces of folded art. Traversing lush green forests or eerie purple swamps, the aesthetic is consistently breathtaking. It’s the kind of game that makes you stop and just admire the sheer creativity behind the world-building. You know that feeling when you first step into a beautifully rendered fantasy world and just want to *live* there? *Hirogami* absolutely nails that.
But here’s where my gentle skepticism – and Austin's review – starts to prickle a bit. The beauty, while undeniable, seems to be a delicate paper screen covering some rather, shall we say, *creased* gameplay mechanics. Hiro starts with just a fan, which feels a bit like trying to fight a dragon with a feather duster, but soon gains transformations: an armadillo, a frog, and an ape. Each of these animal forms comes with its own platforming abilities – rolling fast, springboarding, swinging – and, crucially, combat utility. Rolling into enemies as the armadillo, or slamming down as the frog, sounds like a right laugh. And for a while, it apparently is.
However, it seems the magic starts to wear thin pretty quickly. What begins as a clever rock-paper-scissors approach to combat quickly devolves into a bit of a repetitive mash-up. The review points out that once you find a couple of effective strategies, there’s little incentive to deviate. Why bother with fancy switching when a good old frog slam works just as well on most baddies? There are specific moments, like needing the frog's spit to take down a shielded glitcher, but even then, you can apparently just… wait it out. It feels like the developers built a fantastic toy box, but then forgot to write the instruction manual for truly engaging play. I can’t help but wonder if the game would have been better off ditching the combat entirely and just leaning into the glorious platforming… which, alas, isn't without its own set of goblins.
Now, about the platforming. In a 3D platformer, knowing precisely where you're going to land is, you know, *pretty fundamental*. It’s like knowing if your teleportation spell is going to drop you neatly on a platform or halfway through a wall. *Hirogami*, however, apparently suffers from a fixed camera angle that's more hindrance than help. Imagine trying to leap across a chasm when the camera decides to show you a picturesque view of the clouds instead of the actual landing zone. Austin's experience with judging distances, or even seeing gaps, sounds like a right pain. Even when floating as a flat piece of paper – a genuinely fun traversal idea – relying on a shadow to figure out your landing spot due to a dodgy camera? Bloody hell, that’s just asking for frustration.
And then, the late-game grind. Our hero, Hiro, needs 30 golden cranes to access a late-game level. These cranes are awarded for various objectives – collecting currency, maintaining health, speedrunning. Sounds alright on paper (pun intended), but when you're 28 cranes short and the remaining objectives force you to play in ways you simply don't enjoy – like speedrunning a level you've already slogged through, or restarting because Hiro took too much damage – that's when the magic really starts to drain. It's the gaming equivalent of a wizard's spell backfiring and turning all your progress into a pile of dusty scrolls. Nobody wants to be forced into a playstyle they dislike just to progress. It breaks the immersion, kills the joy, and makes you wonder if the designers were having a giggle at your expense.
So, what's the takeaway, then? *Hirogami* is a beautiful, visually arresting game – a true testament to the power of a strong art style. It’s got some cracking ideas folded into its core. But it seems those brilliant ideas are ultimately hampered by some frustrating design choices, particularly in its combat loop and, critically, its camera control and progression system. It’s like crafting the most intricate, stunning paper dragon, only to find its wings are a bit too flimsy to truly take flight. A bit of a shame, really. Here's hoping the talented folks behind it learn from these creases and iron them out for their next magical endeavor. It launches on PlayStation 5 and Windows PC on September 3rd, if you're brave enough to dive into its beautiful, yet sometimes vexing, paper world.
Tags: 3D Platformer, Game Review, Game Design, Action-Adventure, Visuals
Original article: Polygon