KAMI
- January 23, 2014
- State of Play
- 4h median play time
Get on Steam"Kami is a single-player platformer game with amazing gameplay, ingenious graphics, and splendid music. The game features 63 unique puzzles, created with real paper in a Japanese theme, and comes with premium puzzles and hints. Kami offers a calming and elegant soundtrack and was nominated for the SXSW 2014 Gamer's Voice Award and was the #1 game in the Mac App Store and iOS puzzle game in 12 countries."
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Reviews
- KAMI features beautifully designed puzzles that are both relaxing and challenging, making it a great way to unwind.
- The game's aesthetic, including the soothing sounds of paper folding and calming music, enhances the overall experience.
- The simple mechanics allow for a satisfying gameplay loop, where players can enjoy the challenge of completing puzzles in the fewest moves possible.
- The hint system is limited and can be frustrating, as it restricts the number of hints available per day.
- Some puzzles, particularly in the premium section, can feel overly complex or tedious, leading to a trial-and-error approach that may detract from the enjoyment.
- The game is relatively short, with only 63 puzzles, which may leave players wanting more content after completing it.
- music170 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its soothing and calming qualities, often described as a gentle, traditional Japanese soundtrack that enhances the relaxing atmosphere of the gameplay. However, many users note that it consists of a single repetitive track, which can become monotonous over time, and some prefer to play without it to focus on the puzzles. Overall, while the music contributes positively to the game's aesthetic, players express a desire for more variety and the option to adjust sound levels.
“Kami is a charming, little puzzle game with a 'zen', relaxing feel to it, especially with the gentle music in the background.”
“The music is gentle and soothing, allowing careful thought, making this a good go-to stress release.”
“The music is well produced and calming (with some nice oriental strings), the sound effects are good, the animations and visuals, while simplistic, are very polished.”
“I admittedly feel a bit torn about the music: it consists of only one track, and while it is a mellow and relaxing tune, it does get a bit repetitive.”
“Music and sound effects aren't really cool, it's a single loop of 'relaxing Japanese music' and tend more to annoy in the long term.”
“On the downside, the music is boringly repetitive (and more 'Asian junk' than real Japanese), and overall the game is a bit cheap on what it provides.”
- graphics136 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful, colorful, and aesthetically pleasing design, which effectively captures the essence of paper folding. Players appreciate the smooth animations and calming sound design that enhance the overall experience, although some note that certain visuals can feel repetitive or less relaxing. Overall, the game's art style and attention to detail contribute significantly to its charm and immersive atmosphere, making it a standout in the puzzle genre.
“The graphics consist of real photos of coloured paper and indicate a handmade surface texture with folding animations appearing like a haptic simulation.”
“This game is beautiful in graphics, animations, sounds, and music.”
“A deceptively difficult puzzle game with absolutely beautiful visuals.”
“The visuals were repetitive and bland, though the animation was very smooth and particularly well-done.”
“I was a bit less thrilled with the levels that had patterned squares, as the busy visuals were less relaxing.”
“(Lack of graphics settings is a shared downside for some games from this studio, including this and Lumino City. I haven't tried other titles, but I'd assume it's true for them too.)”
- gameplay64 mentions
- 53 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this minimalist puzzle game is characterized by its simple yet engaging mechanics, which are easy to learn but can become challenging in later levels. Players appreciate the relaxing atmosphere, beautiful visuals, and satisfying puzzle design, although some feel the paper folding aspect is merely aesthetic rather than integral to the gameplay. Overall, it offers a delightful and low-pressure experience, making it well-suited for mobile play.
“The level design and puzzle design is intriguing whilst also being pretty and smooth, making the gameplay incredibly entertaining and in fact a marvel for the eyes as well.”
“Relaxing gameplay and nice animations.”
“The atmosphere is awesome and so is the gameplay, that sometimes gets tricky, but never frustrating.”
“Paper folding in this game is entirely aesthetic - there's nothing to do with any actual physical mechanics of a sheet of paper.”
“Arbitrary and dumb mechanic.”
“In addition, I found myself wishing that the paper folding mechanic was a more integral part of the game; as it is, it's just an admittedly gorgeous, mesmerizing way to fill up a space.”
- atmosphere16 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its relaxing and meditative qualities, enhanced by charming Japanese aesthetics and a serene soundtrack. Players appreciate the smooth graphics and attention to detail, which contribute to a calming experience, even as gameplay presents low-pressure puzzles that can be mentally engaging. Overall, the atmosphere is described as oneiric and soothing, making for an enjoyable gaming experience.
“The atmosphere, graphics, and experience are smooth, with care put into the details.”
“Creates a relaxing, meditative gaming atmosphere.”
“Music is pretty cool and the serene, oneiric, and overall calming atmosphere is fitting.”
- story10 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
The reviews present a stark contrast in opinions regarding the game's story; some users criticize it for lacking any narrative or worldbuilding, while others praise it for being immersive and rich in symbolism. Overall, the consensus leans towards disappointment in the story aspect, with multiple reviewers noting its absence compared to other games.
“The game is engaging, the story is immersive and layered with a bunch of symbolism and depth, the soundtrack is beautiful, the graphics are top-notch, and the characters are just filled with color and greatly contrast each other.”
“No story, no worldbuilding, nothing like that.”
“C'mon, Rugrats: Search for Reptar had a golf game... similar par system, also a type of puzzle game... way more story and came out in 1998.”
“No story?”
- replayability6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, the game has limited replayability due to its short length and lack of additional content or meta features. With only 72 puzzles available, players may find little incentive to revisit the game after completing it, although some premium puzzles might encourage further exploration of solutions.
“The game is really short; there aren't a lot of puzzles and there isn't much replayability, so I'm not sure if it's worth this price tag.”
“There are only 72 (45 regular + 27 premium) puzzles, and the replay value is very small once you've found the perfect solutions. However, with some premium puzzles, you might want to examine your newfound solution in more detail.”
“The game is really short; there aren't a lot of puzzles and there isn't much replayability, in my opinion, so I'm not sure if it's worth this price tag.”
“There are only 72 (45 regular + 27 premium) puzzles and the replay value is very small once you've found the perfect solutions. However, with some premium puzzles, you might want to examine your newfound solution in more detail.”
“No meta features or additional content mean zero replayability.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game enjoyable initially, but it tends to become tedious over time, particularly with the last few bonus puzzles, which are often deemed unnecessary and frustrating.
“Don't bother with the last few bonus puzzles; those are tedious to play.”
“This is fun, though it can get tedious after a while.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users express mixed emotions about the game, appreciating the soothing sounds and animations that evoke a sense of relaxation, yet feeling frustrated by the jarring audio and punitive grading system that detracts from the overall enjoyment. This duality highlights the game's potential for emotional engagement, overshadowed by elements that induce stress.
“It instantly made me feel like I was relaxing on a warm, sunny day with not a care.”
- monetization4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The monetization model of the sequel heavily relies on microtransactions, offering only one free hint and no option for a flat purchase price. Many players express frustration with this approach, preferring a one-time payment over the current hint-by-hint system.
“The sequel pushes in-game transactions a bit harder; it seems you only get one hint ever for free, and there's no option to just buy the game outright—it's microtransactions for hints.”
“The sequel pushes in-game transactions a bit harder; it seems you only get one hint ever for free, and there's no option to just buy the game outright. Instead, it's microtransactions for hints.”
“I play it occasionally, just without hints, and would buy it if it were sold for a flat price, rather than hint-by-hint microtransactions.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The stability of the game is criticized due to a buggy hint system, which requires players to reset puzzles when seeking a second hint. This issue has been consistently noted by users, indicating a significant flaw in the gameplay experience.
“The hint system feels buggy when looking for a second hint; the puzzle must be reset.”
“The hint system feels buggy when looking for a second hint; the puzzle must be reset.”
