How Hirogami went from fond memories to gorgeous 3D action platformer

Hirogami's lead game designer walks us through the universal experience of playing with paper and how it led to such a lovely game

Kakehashi Games

Bandai Namco Singapore, Bandai Namco Malaysia, and publisher Kakehashi Games just announced Hirogami, an absolutely gorgeous 3D action platformer made entirely out of paper and inspired by origami. The game was announced during the Convergence Games Showcase, and if initial reactions are anything to go by, people are definitely fond of it. 

We were lucky enough to be able to chat with Hirogami’s lead game designer Yandhie Pratopo ahead of the game’s announcement during the showcase, and we found out some pretty interesting stuff. Pratopo talked us through the inspiration behind Hirogami, where that curious name came from – it’s deeper than it sounds – the stop-motion-like animation, and potential console availability in the future. 

GLHF: What was the inspiration behind the origami art style and concept? 

Yandhie Pratopo: It actually started as one of the entries for an internal game idea pitch. As you can guess, the origami aesthetic immediately stood out, and the reactions were super positive. Almost everyone had memories of playing with paper, folding it into shapes—especially paper planes. Those fond memories convinced us that this was a direction worth pursuing. We wanted something visually refreshing, instantly recognizable, yet familiar and aesthetically pleasing.

It took some time to reach the current art direction. There were many iterations, and it was quite challenging to nail a style that does justice to the art of origami while also being suitable for a video game.

Along the way, we felt that origami was a perfect visual representation of both calmness and fragility. This world is beautiful, but also easily damaged—something that may resonate with players, especially in light of the current state of the real world.

Ultimately, we want to provide a warm, comforting place where players can find solace in the world of Hirogami.

How does the world being made of paper affect how the game plays, and what unique mechanics are available because of it? 

 The biggest influence comes from the nature of origami itself—transforming a piece of paper into many shapes and forms. We adopted this concept as one of the game’s core pillars: transformation. Playing as Hiro, players can unlock new forms and gain new abilities. Once unlocked, players can transform into most of these forms at will, making the game dynamic and giving them the agency and freedom to find the best solutions to challenges. Each form has its unique strengths, and while some challenges require specific solutions, many can be approached in multiple ways, especially during combat.

Did the decision to go with origami as a game mechanic and visual style start on the gameplay side or the art side? 

The original pitch was actually done by a group of concept artists! While it started with a strong visual inspiration, the decision ultimately became a bit of both. Our designers have experience with action games, and this genre was something we wanted to explore with a fresh IP. When the origami concept came along, it was a perfect match. There were so many gameplay possibilities, though we could only realize a fraction of the ideas due to the reality of our small team.

A 3D action platformer turned out to be the optimal way for us to combine the team’s strengths and showcase the origami-inspired gameplay.

How many animal transformations are in the game, and are there non-animal transformations too? 

Without spoiling too much, as shown in the reveal trailer, there are three animal forms and a paper plane. Not to mention a sheet of paper! You can perform interesting actions as a piece of paper too!

Where did the name Hirogami come from? 

It’s a cheeky wordplay on origami. Our protagonist is Hiro, who lives in a world made of origami. But is there more to it? Yes, there is, but I won’t spoil that too early!

I noticed the character animations are at a lower rate than the world, creating an almost stop-motion-like effect. How did this decision come about? 

Glad you noticed! Yes, the stop-motion animation effect was deliberate. We wanted to further emphasize the handcrafted feel of origami and stop-motion animation complements that perfectly. Initially, we had doubts about whether it would work for an action game, but it turned out really well. Additionally, we’ve incorporated a tilt-shift camera effect where it fits the gameplay.

Tell me about your partnership with Kakehashi Games and how that came about. 

 While our parent company is part of the Bandai Namco group, the publishing machinery there is too powerful for the scale of Hirogami. We knew that the Kakehashi Games team had a decade of experience and a great reputation in managing indie games and titles of similar scale. So, we felt this partnership was the right fit to bring out the best in Hirogami. 

Roughly what percentage of the game is platforming, combat, and puzzle-solving? 

 It’s hard to draw clear boundaries between the three because platforming, combat, and puzzle-solving often overlap. For example, a platforming section might involve solving puzzles or fighting enemies, and sometimes defeating an enemy is a puzzle in itself. If I had to estimate, the balance is roughly 50% platforming, 30% combat, and 20% puzzle-solving.

Tell me about the gorgeous Japanese-inspired soundtrack. 

All credit goes to our composer, Tsubame-san - she’s behind all the magic. We wanted a soundtrack that would bring out the best of the origami theme and energize the game. It had to evoke the variety of themes, characters, and settings in Hirogami while being fresh and fitting with the traditional art of origami. Somehow, she managed to blend modern beats with traditional Japanese instruments, and it works beautifully.

Is there any hope for a console version of Hirogami?

As a 3D action platformer, Hirogami is best experienced with a gamepad, though it can be enjoyed with a mouse and keyboard too. Naturally, it fits well on consoles. It’s still early, but we are working with Kakehashi Games to ensure that more players can experience the world of Hirogami as the journey unfolds.

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Hirogami is coming to PC via Steam in 2025. You can wishlist the game on Steam now.