AHirogamideveloper recently explained some of the upcoming platform’s narrative themes and what the team’s mindset was while crafting the story. This story puts players in the role of Hiro, a “folding master” looking to redeem himself by saving the paper-crafted world ofHirogamifrom a mysterious entity known as the Blight. To do so, Hiro must utilize his paper-folding abilities to navigate the world around him.
As shown in the freeHirogamidemo currently available on Steam, players can transform into such alternate modes as a rolling Armadillo form to break through obstacles and attack more organic enemies, or a simple piece of paper that can float on air currents and glide short distances. In contrast to Hiro’s more traditional paper abilities, the Blight appears to be digital in nature, and this conflict ties intoHirogami’s themes and overall narrative.
Game Rant recently spoke withHirogami’s creative director Yandhie Pratopo and lead game designer Yi Hang Yong, with the former explaining that the dev team didn’t start the project with any specific philosophy. Instead, it began with the concept of theorigami world seen inHirogami. Pratopo explained that, from there, came its narrative: Hiro and the paper-based characters represent history, imperfection, and organic creativity, while the digital Blight emodies cold precision, replication, and sterilization.
Hirogami’s Story Balances the Extremes of Nature
This comes from a different take on good versus evil than what’s normally seen in video games. As Pratopo said,
“We wanted to explore what happens when one force tries to overwrite the other, not because it is evil, but because it deems the other unnecessary or obsolete.”
Pratopo continued by saying thatHirogamiisn’t just a reflection of therise of digital technologyover more traditional art like paper-folding. Instead, the game’s themes pay tribute to the Japanese notion ofwabi-sabi, or appreciation of impermanence, imperfection, and transience. Overall, it is about finding beauty in creativity and the incomplete.
Hirogami’sSteam Next Festdemo has garnered plenty of attention, which offered early access to a variety of new titles coming to Steam, but those who haven’t tried it out yet should.Hirogamiis set to launch on September 3, and a free demo of the game’s first level is now available to download and try out. Fans of the hand-crafted art styles of games likePaper Mariomight be interested inHirogami’s platforming and paper-folding gameplay, which serves a story that looks into the balance between old and new, and how the two can co-exist in a constantly evolving world.
Hirogami
WHERE TO PLAY
Hirogami is a 3D action platformer inspired by the ancient Japanese art of origami (paper folding).Everything you encounter has been crafted to convey the physical, often fragile, natural world of paper, amidst a story interwoven with threads of wistful intrigue.Discover new forms to traverse the world,solve puzzles, and best your foes. Roll through obstacles and enemies alike as a hardy Armadillo, traverse the treetops and pound pests as a mighty Ape, and leap to previously unreachable heights as a formidable Frog.A powerful force of digital creatures - the Blight - is invading the world, defiling the delicate natural balance that has held sway for an age.As Hiro, an enigmatic performer (and master of the art of folding) from Shishiki village, it falls to you to cleanse the mind-warped inhabitants of this world, and to bring peace back to the land.Explore every nook and cranny and discover all the world’s hidden secrets.Unfold into a sheet of paper to ride fiery updrafts, or to slide under deadly traps. Or become a paper plane to traverse dangerous chasms.This origami world is a fragile place, and you’ll need your wits about you to protect it.Wield Hiro’s paper fan to blow away the Blight, or pound, pummel, or poison them using your litany of papery powersBask in a soundscape composed using traditional Japanese instruments and styles- specially crafted to evoke the variety of themes, characters and settings of Hirogami.
