Paperbark

About

Paperbark is a single player casual simulation game with a kids theme. It was developed by Paper House and was released on December 12, 2018. It received positive reviews from players.

Paperbark is a charming game that tells a beautiful short story of a wombat, the bush and a very hot Australian Summer.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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89%

Audience ScoreBased on 247 reviews

story46 positive mentions

stability5 negative mentions

Beautiful watercolor art style and immersive sound design create a calming atmosphere.
Charming story about a wombat that is both educational and heartwarming, making it suitable for all ages.
Simple gameplay mechanics allow for a relaxing experience, perfect for short play sessions.

Very short playtime, typically under an hour, which may not justify the price for some players.
Gameplay can feel limited and repetitive, with some frustrating controls and bugs affecting movement.
Lack of depth in the story and gameplay may leave players wanting more engagement and exploration.

story
110 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
55%
3%
The story of *Paperbark* is a charming and heartwarming tale centered around a wombat's journey through the Australian bush, presented in a visually stunning, watercolor art style. While the narrative is simple and brief, often likened to a children's storybook, it effectively conveys themes of adventure and resilience, particularly in the face of challenges like bushfires. Overall, players appreciate the game's soothing atmosphere and the emotional connection fostered with the adorable protagonist, despite its minimal gameplay elements.
- “You guide a wombat through a hand-painted Australian bush, uncovering a quiet story told through beautiful visuals and gentle narration.”
- “The story is heartwarming and it is such a beautiful, short story to watch.”
- “Paperbark is a charming game that tells a beautiful short story of a wombat, the bush, and a very hot Australian summer.”
- “Paperbark is a cute little story for a children's book, but it didn't really transfer well to a game.”
- “The story only consists of 2 sentences for every chapter; the voice is soporific. I'm sorry to say that, but the voice is so flat that you just bless the option to cut it.”
- “I had played tons of walking simulators and cheap flash and mobile games about animals with more gameplay and story depth than this so-called 'video game'.”
graphics
75 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
71%
25%
4%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning hand-painted, watercolor art style that beautifully captures the Australian bush, creating an immersive and calming atmosphere. Players appreciate the charming animations and the way the visuals complement the gentle narration and soundscape, although some have reported performance issues and graphical glitches. Overall, the artwork is considered the standout feature, enhancing the game's storytelling and emotional impact.
- “You guide a wombat through a hand-painted Australian bush, uncovering a quiet story told through beautiful visuals and gentle narration.”
- “The game’s stunning hand-drawn, hand-painted visuals bring the bush to life, creating an atmosphere that feels immersive and deeply relaxing.”
- “Probably the standout feature here is the watercolor art style, which is genuinely beautiful and effectively showcases some of the diversity of Australian wildlife; the developer's passion for this natural world is clear to see.”
- “It ran kind of bad on my PC; I don't know why. I've managed to play much bigger, graphic-heavy games without issues, but this ran quite poorly.”
- “- In chapter 1, there were some graphical glitches.”
- “It tries to charm you with art style and visuals, but sadly the entire substance, form, and gameplay of this 40-minute long 'game' is as dry and dull as wombat lifestyle.”
gameplay
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
79%
7%
The gameplay is characterized as intuitive and charming, primarily revolving around simple mechanics like clicking and exploring, which some players find relaxing. However, many reviews highlight its minimalistic nature, describing it as a walking simulator with linear progression and a lack of substantial gameplay elements, leading to mixed feelings about its value given the short playtime and repetitive tasks. While the art and sound design are praised, the overall gameplay experience is often seen as lacking depth and challenge.
- “Gameplay is intuitive and fun, with plenty of things to click on, from plants to bugs and birds.”
- “Highly recommend picking up the game for its intuitive gameplay and marvelous storytelling.”
- “The mechanics are so simple that it does not require much thinking, so it is really nice to play to relax and unwind.”
- “Gameplay is slow-paced and very linear.”
- “Unfortunately, the gameplay is clumsy.”
- “The gameplay is minimal, as it is a walking simulator where you click around to unveil the landscape and make the wombat move.”
music
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
68%
24%
8%
The music in the game is widely praised for its calming and atmospheric qualities, enhancing the overall experience with serene soundscapes that complement the beautiful art style. Many players appreciate the subtlety of the soundtrack, which evokes a range of emotions and fits well with the game's environments, although some express a desire for more diverse musical influences. Overall, the combination of lovely visuals and soothing music creates a delightful and immersive experience for players.
- “An adorable short game, beautiful art and soundtrack.”
- “The music fits each environment and when the game nears its climax you absolutely feel as if there is a sense of urgency required.”
- “The music and sound design is great and the story is very sweet and a little surprising.”
- “The music complements the scenery, and it is interesting to see which species of animals live in that part of the world.”
- “The game manages to make you feel peaceful, uneasy, and a whole range of emotions just through subtle changes in the soundtrack and in color.”
- “The music's okay, if nothing memorable, but only the main path is permanently visible, so if you want to look around and see what hides behind all the whiteness, you'll have to 'paint' areas with the mouse, only for them to turn back to white almost immediately.”
emotional
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its heartwarming and wholesome storytelling, which resonates deeply with players, often evoking feelings of joy and nostalgia. Users appreciate the beautiful artwork and calming atmosphere, describing the experience as akin to an interactive storybook that offers emotional upliftment rather than traditional gameplay. Overall, the game is praised for its touching narrative and charming visuals, making it a memorable and moving experience.
- “Seriously, enjoy the calm storytelling, the realistic and heartwarming story of this adorable wombat just vibing through the bush and dealing with what life throws at them, and you won't regret however much you paid for the game.”
- “This story is quite short, yet during more than just one moment I ended up getting emotional and hoping that everything I did would make things okay for the little marsupial.”
- “Gorgeous artwork and a moving, heartwarming story.”
atmosphere
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
78%
22%
The game's atmosphere is characterized by its stunning hand-drawn visuals and immersive sound design, featuring real nature recordings that create a calming and relaxing environment. Players appreciate the beautiful watercolor art style and minimalistic sound effects, which enhance the overall charm and tranquility, making it particularly appealing for casual play and a soothing experience. Despite some critiques regarding collectibles disrupting the atmosphere, the game is generally praised for its enchanting and atmospheric qualities.
- “The standout feature is its sound design: real recordings of birds, insects, and rustling leaves create an incredibly immersive atmosphere.”
- “The game’s stunning hand-drawn, hand-painted visuals bring the bush to life, creating an atmosphere that feels immersive and deeply relaxing.”
- “Lovely watercolor artwork, sound effects, atmospheric soundtrack, and an extremely cute and very nicely animated wombat.”
- “The watercolor graphics style looks beautiful, but the minimalistic sound effects and music create a very calming atmosphere that feels lacking in depth.”
- “I recommend paperbark for its beauty and particular atmosphere, but it ultimately falls short in engaging the player fully.”
stability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game experiences some stability issues, including graphical glitches and buggy movement controls, particularly in specific chapters. While these glitches can be frustrating for some players, many still find the overall experience enjoyable despite these technical shortcomings.
- “The only real issue I had with it is that the movement is a bit buggy and I wish you could control the wombat with WASD instead of the mouse.”
- “It does also have a few glitches that can be frustrating but overall is a lovely experience.”
- “In chapter 1, there were some graphical glitches.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious, often requiring significant time investment to achieve 100% completion. The presence of non-obvious obstacles and frustrating visual effects further detracts from the exploration experience, leading some to recommend against pursuing all collectibles.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “I wanted to 100% it, and it's kind of tedious. The fog/whiteout around your character is really annoying.”
- “There are some achievements for collectibles, but there are also a bunch of non-obvious one-way gates that make fully exploring the levels tedious, so I'd advise not to bother with them at all.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
The game offers solid replayability, appealing to both casual players looking for a relaxing experience and completionists aiming for 100% completion. With beautiful artwork, an engaging story, and various collectibles, including animals and multiple endings, players are encouraged to revisit the game. Active development and a positive cause further enhance its replay value.
- “It's perfect for a chill hour or so, though there's also replay value for those who enjoy 100% completionism.”
- “Replayable, beautiful artwork, nice story, active developers, good cause!”
- “Plus, there's replayability to collect all the animals and 'stickers' as well as the different endings.”
- “The game lacks meaningful choices, making replayability feel pointless.”
- “Once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to play again.”
- “The limited variety in gameplay mechanics really diminishes the replay value.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the humor in the game particularly enjoyable, noting that many of the achievements are cleverly designed and amusing.
- “Many of the achievements are hilarious.”
- “The dialogue is filled with witty one-liners that keep you laughing.”
- “The game's quirky characters and absurd situations provide endless comedic moments.”