Well, this was a nice surprise. Ahead of its reveal today in the Convergence Games Showcase during Tokyo Game Show week, I was invited to play a mysterious new project from Bandai Namco. A new creation from the home of Tekken, Ace Combat, and Tales? I wasn’t sure what to expect – and indeed, Hirogami is like none of those series.
Instead, Hirogami is an origami-inspired platforming curio that feels more indie game-like in scope – Paper Mario or Tearaway by way of Tunic. Hirogami was born as a staff side-project within Bandai Namco’s Singapore studio, I’m told, and propelled on from concept demo stage towards a public release thanks to internal enthusiam for the idea and a desire for it to find a proper audience. Happily, the version of Hirogami announced today already looks and feels pretty polished, despite still being some months from launch.
You play as Hiro, an origami kitsune warrior who can transform into other animals and use their powers. These abilities appear to be introduced quickly, with the focus immediately on your skill of platforming and defeating enemies while unfolding and rearranging yourself to pull off different play styles.
Hiro’s main form affords him a paper fan as a weapon, which you’ll first use to defeat an armadillo – cleansing it of the malevolent spirit that has overtaken Hirogami’s papercraft lands, filling it with mysterious enemies and blocking paths with thorns. Hiro can then take on the armadillo’s form himself, rolling up into a ball that can roll around – a little like Sonic – and barrel into enemies, or break through scrunched up paper obstacles.