When I first found out about Origament: A Paper Adventure, I was intrigued. It is a new indie game from a small team, and the aesthetic is fantastic. The story also seemed interesting, and the trailers I watched suggest the gameplay could be a lot of fun. Fortunately, it seems like all of that is true, as I have had a lot of fun during my time with Origament: A Paper Adventure.

After a short scene that sets up the story, you become a lost letter that is embarking on its journey to its destination. Throughout the journey, this letter will take various forms. If there was a town square I needed to cross, I would turn into a ball and roll across. If there is a river or a canal in a city, I would change to a boat shape and sail across the water. Is there a barrel in the way? No problem, as I would turn into basically a ninja star and destroy those barrels to clear my path. Then, of course, you can’t be a lost letter without turning into a paper airplane and soaring through the air, covering distances quickly. Although, like a real paper airplane, your time in the sky is limited. Initially, I had a bit of trouble with that and with how it handled in the air, and these particular controls could use some refinement, but I made it work and figured out that less is more here. This isn’t an instance where you can fly around the map to explore. You just need to worry about getting from Point A to Point B. Exploring the environment is more for when you are in ball form or boat form on the water.

This lost letter also has a cat companion that accompanies him on the journey. This cat will pop up in different areas and might give you a piece of lore about the story or give you a hint on where to go next. One instance that sticks out to me is when the cat was sitting on a ladder in an elevated position. Once I made my way up there, I went over to see the cat. Disappointingly, the cat ran away, but that did cause the ladder to fall in a way that let me use it to get back to that area if I wanted. I would no longer have to go the long way, and I appreciated both the shortcut and how they used the cat to show me where it was. In that respect, I really enjoyed the level layout in this game. It makes sense, and it kept things interesting.

Throughout the journey, the lost letter encounters different worlds. As you go through the first world, you will enter a key to access another one. Once you go through that second world, you will earn a key to access the third one and so on. Each world has a nice variety, with each one colorful and vibrant. One world might be more of a nature-themed world, while the next might be you rolling through town trying to deliver a gift for someone while on your own personal journey. Another world is a western-themed area that I personally had a lot of fun in, while there was another instance of me riding a mining cart, a bit like I might do in the Donkey Kong Country games, though from a different perspective. I don’t want to spoil the worlds you visit in the later part of the game, but I thought they looked great and really helped to drive home the story.

Of course, navigating these different worlds brings different challenges and enemies. At its heart, Origament: A Paper Adventure is a cozy platformer, and you use your different forms to navigate the landscape. One level might have some red flowers/grass that you must avoid at all cost, while another one has a target that you need to hit while in the air. Another instance is trying to cross a gap with machines that are trying to kill you, and dealing with weather conditions in the Old West. I really appreciated the variety on display here, as it helped to keep the gameplay fresh and the story going.

Throughout the adventure, your letter travels through time, and there will also be some puzzles to solve. I also enjoyed discovering some of the secrets the developers put into the game. I won’t spoil what they are, of course, but you should definitely explore a little during the parts of the game where you are able to do so. As I completed certain objectives or simply explored the environment, I came across these coins. I collected as many as I could, and then I went to the shop in the Sanctuary. The Sanctuary is the hub section of the game, where you can decide what world you want to play next. You can use these coins to buy different origami, such as a jet plane, a fox, a plane, and more. There are also skins to buy with this in-game currency, so your paper ball can look like metal, look like it is gift wrapped, and more. There is also another area that opens up in the Sanctuary as you get farther in the game, but I won’t spoil it. One really cool idea is that, for example, when you buy a jet plane, it comes with a diagram showing how to build it in real life. In my opinion, this is such a great idea and will keep people thinking of the game as they try to make these creations in real life. There are even achievements tied to doing some shopping, so if you are an achievement hunter, be sure not to miss these.

The audio in Origament: A Paper Adventure is also fantastic. It seems to match the mood perfectly for each level and helps deliver the cozy nature of this game, even if you are in a tense moment. It helps set your expectation at the beginning of each level and gives you a hint at what you are about to experience. Some of the noises the villagers make when you talk with them, as well as some of the sounds your ball makes, like if it drops down out of the sky, or is just soaring through the air, really help to lift the experience to another level as well.

Thinking about my time with Origament: A Paper Adventure, I don’t have many complaints. There is a slight learning curve, as the controls aren’t always the most intuitive, especially when flying. That said, I was able to adapt and get past the various obstacles the game had for me. There are some mini games you can also play, called “hidden paths” here, and some of them can be a bit obtuse. What this means is you might have to play some of them over and over again until you figure out what is going on and what the overall objective is that you need to complete. It would be initially frustrating for me as I tried to navigate this, but that also came with a great feeling once I did overcome and successfully complete the objective the game wanted me to do.

Origament: A Paper Adventure is a fun, cozy indie game that everyone should give a chance. The paper aesthetic is fantastic and initially gave me some Paper Mario vibes. Despite this inspiration, this game might be unlike anything you have ever played, and I feel that is a good thing. Despite my minor complaints, I really enjoyed my time on this adventure. There are some good ideas, and the development team did a great job putting together a fun and relaxing adventure. There is currently a demo available so you can try before you buy, and (at the time this review is being written) the game is on sale for only $11.99. If you are someone who is looking for a creative indie title that brings something different to the table, be sure to give Origament: A Paper Adventure a chance.