Paper Trail

About

"Paper Trail" is a top-down puzzle adventure game where you play as Paige, a student exploring a foldable, paper world. By folding and manipulating the environment, you'll solve puzzles, uncover secrets, and meet unique characters. The handcrafted, beautiful environments and engaging puzzles make for a captivating journey.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

97%

Audience ScoreBased on 440 reviews

story114 positive mentions

grinding4 negative mentions

Unique and innovative paper-folding mechanics that provide a fresh take on puzzle-solving.
Beautiful art style and soothing soundtrack that enhance the overall experience.
Challenging yet rewarding puzzles that gradually introduce new mechanics, keeping gameplay engaging.

The story feels underdeveloped and lacks depth, leaving some plot points unresolved.
Some puzzles can feel rigid and inflexible, leading to moments of frustration.
The hint system may not always provide sufficient guidance, making certain puzzles feel like trial and error.

story
272 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
54%
4%
The story of "Paper Trail" follows Paige, a girl yearning to leave home for university, intertwined with her ability to manipulate space and time through origami mechanics. While the narrative is heartfelt and visually engaging, many players feel it lacks depth and coherence, often feeling tacked on to the gameplay rather than fully integrated. Overall, the story is seen as charming but somewhat simplistic, with some unresolved plot points that leave players wanting more.
- “The story is beautiful, the art is stunning; if you like puzzle games, give this one a go.”
- “Clever puzzles in a beautiful world with a heartfelt story.”
- “Paper trail folds together a captivating story, intricate puzzles, and a unique art style to create a standout experience in the puzzle adventure genre.”
- “Everything surrounding Paige and the story felt like they were created after the core gameplay was settled on as a foundation for development.”
- “Unfortunately, the story just continues to meander around, with the characters of each area being introduced without any real thought.”
- “If I had to give one criticism, it would be that the mysteries in the game's plot seem to be left purposefully vague, perhaps to tease the possibility of a sequel, yet nevertheless leaving the narrative feeling more confused and disappointing at the end.”
gameplay
257 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
62%
2%
The gameplay of "Paper Trail" is centered around a unique paper-folding mechanic that offers a refreshing and engaging puzzle experience, with new mechanics introduced in each world to keep the gameplay dynamic. While the core mechanics are praised for their originality and clever design, some players feel that the narrative and puzzle complexity could be improved, as certain elements may become repetitive over time. Overall, the game is recognized for its charming art style, soothing soundtrack, and the satisfying challenge it presents to puzzle enthusiasts.
- “The folding mechanic feels fresh and exciting, and the challenge in each stage constantly pushes you to learn and adapt.”
- “The game’s innovative mechanic of folding the environment to solve puzzles is both refreshing and challenging.”
- “Each chapter you go through poses a new challenge with fresh puzzle mechanics, so it never feels like you're doing the same thing over and over as you progress.”
- “Unfortunately for me, the core puzzle mechanic really felt limited; the puzzle/gameplay possibility space of a two-dimensional sheet that can't fold more than once got old fairly quickly, especially when combined with not being able to see the puzzle pieces you were working with clearly.”
- “While the folding mechanics and art themselves are occasionally wondrous, the narrative and puzzles that weave it all together border on boredom.”
- “But there really isn't much in terms of presentation (as expected for a small game like this), and worse, gameplay.”
music
170 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
35%
2%
The music in the game is widely praised for its serene and relaxing qualities, enhancing the overall atmosphere and gameplay experience. Reviewers highlight the beautiful soundtrack as a key element that complements the charming art style and engaging puzzles, creating a cozy and immersive environment. Many players appreciate the emotional depth conveyed through the music, making it a standout feature of the game.
- “The music is very serene and relaxing in effect.”
- “The soundtrack is very beautiful and engaging, suitable and evocative, it reflects well and highlights the feelings of the protagonist.”
- “The music is perfect for this game and it will never distract you or bore you; on the contrary, it will help you feel closer to it, as if you are indeed a part of its vast atmospheric world.”
- “Your 'reward' for most puzzles is another puzzle, with no indication of progress, and your only accompaniment being the 'atmospheric' music.”
- “My one complaint is the music.”
- “There are some aspects that could use fixing like the repeating soundtrack and maybe a more precise hint system, overall, Paper Trails is a fascinating journey in a modern fairy tale, worthy of the attention of puzzle fans.”
graphics
143 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
62%
36%
2%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful, charming, and unique art style, often described as soothing and reminiscent of hand-drawn illustrations. The visuals, complemented by a calming soundtrack, enhance the overall immersive experience and contribute significantly to the game's appeal. Players appreciate the vibrant colors and thoughtful design, which create a cozy atmosphere that aligns well with the puzzle-solving mechanics.
- “The graphics are just soothing to look at and the art style is on point - unique puzzle game highly recommended.”
- “The game’s artistic style is a standout, with its watercolor-like visuals creating a serene atmosphere.”
- “Everything about this game is magical from the hand-drawn artwork to the music, you can see how much love and devotion has been poured into it.”
- “The art works in a basic cartoon style; however, for how the game is put together, it works really well. It's well thought through, and the animation flows into itself even when you're folding different bits of art into another section.”
- “The graphics are cartoonish and lack depth, which detracts from the overall experience of the game.”
- “While the art style is cute, it feels overly simplistic and doesn't offer much in terms of visual variety or detail.”
emotional
41 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a heartfelt narrative that resonates with players, particularly through the journey of the character Paige, which many find touching and relatable. While some reviewers felt the emotional core could have been stronger, the overall experience is described as sweet, heartwarming, and enhanced by beautiful artwork and sound design. The combination of clever puzzles and a wholesome story creates a rewarding and enjoyable atmosphere, making it a memorable adventure for players.
- “A marvelous game with a lot of passion, an emotional narrative, and beautifully drawn art.”
- “The story is touching and the credits are well worth playing this incredible game.”
- “The narrative, which follows Paige on her journey, is enough to resonate emotionally with players.”
atmosphere
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
33%
7%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its beautiful watercolor-like visuals and serene, immersive music, creating a relaxing environment that enhances the puzzle-solving experience. While the storytelling may be lacking, the charming artistic style and atmospheric sound design effectively draw players into its vibrant world, making it a highly recommended choice for fans of tranquil puzzle games.
- “The game’s artistic style is a standout, with its watercolor-like visuals creating a serene atmosphere.”
- “The music is perfect for this game and it will never distract you or bore you; on the contrary, it will help you feel closer to it, as if you are indeed a part of its vast atmospheric world.”
- “But the endearing atmosphere makes it oh-so easy to underestimate the puzzles ahead.”
humor
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by original and bizarre dialogue that enhances the overall experience, making it lively and entertaining. Players appreciate the adorable voice acting and the cute, heartwarming art style, which together create a cozy and silly atmosphere. Overall, the game's humor is a delightful highlight that keeps players engaged and amused.
- “The dialogues are original, with characters using a bizarre and funny language that livens up the game.”
- “Additionally, the humor in the dialogue adds a delightful touch.”
- “The voice acting is also hilariously adorable at times.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
33%
33%
The game offers a high level of replayability, particularly due to its puzzles, which players can approach with a fresh perspective despite having a general sense of previous solutions. Additionally, the inclusion of collectible elements, such as origami, further enhances the incentive to replay the game. Overall, players can expect a rewarding experience upon revisiting.
- “I imagine the replayability in terms of the puzzles is actually on the higher side of things because you'll likely have a sense of how you previously solved a puzzle, but you probably haven't memorized the solution (the game doesn't really lend itself to that).”
- “I like that there is replayability, including finding all the origami.”
- “Yet, I imagine the replayability in terms of the puzzles is actually on the higher side of things because you'll likely have a sense for how you previously solved a puzzle, but you probably haven't memorized the solution (the game doesn't really lend itself to that).”
- “And don’t worry, it’ll be replayable when you come back to it.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate the concept behind the grinding mechanics but find the execution to be overly tedious, leading to a lack of motivation to pursue achievements.
- “Really love the idea, but the execution was too tedious, to be honest.”
- “[b]Grinding achievements:[/b] no”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players report a highly stable experience, with no bugs, glitches, or errors encountered during gameplay, contributing to a smooth and uninterrupted gaming session lasting around eight hours.