TGS 2018: Hands-On with ‘Kamiori’, a Puzzle-Platformer About Folding Paper

While most of the games on the floor of the Tokyo Game Show are yet to release, others are just making their debuts in Japan or are simply trying to get a little extra publicity. In a way, it’s a nice second chance to catch things that may have slipped through the cracks before. Such is the case with Kamiori ($2.99), which actually hit the App Store a couple of months ago in the West. It’s a cool game that I had somehow missed out on, so I’m glad it was brought to my attention via this showing.

At its core, Kamiori is a puzzle-platformer that leans on one main gimmick: folding paper. You need to guide your little priestess character through each stage by strategically folding the screen in half to stamp a path for you to take. You can only have one stamp copy in play at any given time, so you need to think carefully about how and where you want to fold the page to give you a route forward. Between stages, you’re treated to visual novel-style cut-scenes that tell the story, such as it is.

While the main character’s movements are a little floaty, the game’s gimmick is a sound one that provides plenty of interesting level designs for you to chew on. The story is a little odd, but it’s entertaining enough to hold your attention as you work your way through the game. Best of all, Kamiori is a fully paid game with no IAPs, ads, or anything like that. Just pay once and you’re all set. I’m selling this like it’s a feature, because these days it seems like it is on mobile. Oh well. Anyway, if you happened to miss this game like I did when it came out, this is a reminder to give it a look.