PaperKlay

About

PaperKlay is a single player action game. It was developed by WhyKev and was released on May 27, 2025. It received very positive reviews from players.

PaperKlay is a single-player 3D platformer adventure where you navigate a vibrant world crafted from cardboard, paper, and clay by rotating and unfolding environments. Join Chick and Nugget on a collectible-filled journey featuring masterful visuals, a stunning soundtrack, and creative puzzles solved with unique moves and teamwork.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

94%

Audience ScoreBased on 143 reviews

music22 positive mentions

grinding2 negative mentions

Charming and visually appealing art style that evokes nostalgia for classic 3D platformers.
Engaging gameplay with smooth controls and a variety of moves that encourage exploration and creativity.
Wholesome atmosphere with well-voiced characters and a fun, lighthearted story.

Some levels can feel overly linear and repetitive, lacking the depth and exploration found in other platformers.
Issues with hit detection and enemy interactions can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences.
The game may feel too easy for experienced players, with a lack of new mechanics or challenges introduced as it progresses.

music
37 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
59%
33%
8%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising its charm and ability to complement the vibrant visuals, creating a whimsical atmosphere. While some tracks are described as catchy and nostalgic, others find the soundtrack generic and repetitive, lacking standout moments. Overall, the music is generally well-received for its fitting tone and quality, though opinions vary on its memorability and variety.
- “The music is incredible.”
- “The soundtrack is lovely and fitting for our small wondrous adventure.”
- “The music in Paperklay is bright and cheery, pairing well with the visuals.”
- “The OST is generic and repetitive, with not a single one of its tracks standing out at all.”
- “The music isn't great, genuinely being grating to listen to.”
- “When the game was advertised on social media as having music by Grant Kirkhope and some pretty professional voice acting work, I had my hopes set high.”
graphics
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
62%
29%
9%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming and unique arts and crafts aesthetic, featuring beautifully designed characters and environments that evoke nostalgia. Many reviewers highlight the game's visual appeal as its biggest strength, noting the attention to detail and the delightful combination of cute character designs with vibrant themes. However, some criticism arises regarding the sparse environments, which can feel empty despite the overall beautiful art style.
- “The game's 'arts & crafts' aesthetic is beautiful and endearing, and the attention to detail in maintaining that handcrafted feel is worth celebrating.”
- “Beautiful art style with great music throughout (my favorites are in the snow levels).”
- “The art style is super creative and full of surprises.”
- “Outside of its charming arts and crafts aesthetic, the gimmick of being able to make entire level sections move and appear out of nowhere by spinning gear thingies and the good enough controls, this game doesn't do anything to keep itself interesting outside of that.”
- “At first I thought it was decent with its soundtrack and art (really beautifully made with the cardboard and paper visuals), but the movement is so simple and traversing is not fun plus the collision feels off as I go through walls or even the ground itself and some buttons go out of bounds meaning you have to replay just to get everything sometimes.”
- “Kind of sad to give this a thumbs down when the visuals/sound design (aside from all the characters yelling at you for some reason) seem pretty polished.”
gameplay
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
52%
11%
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its solid mechanics, enjoyable movement, and charming art style, while others criticize its simplicity and lack of variety. Players appreciate the forgiving nature of the experience and the engaging voice acting, which enhances the flow of gameplay. Despite some mechanical shortcomings and a slow pace, the game is seen as a heartfelt adventure that offers a cozy and satisfying experience overall.
- “For the price and the gameplay, it's well worth it.”
- “Good mechanics, good flow to movement.”
- “The good: solid 3D platforming with nice controls, getting collectibles is satisfying throughout, reasonable difficulty level, level design that encourages exploration, satisfying to obtain upgrades and costumes, a nice art style with cute character designs, solid voice acting that adds to the experience, a dev that is listening to the players to improve the gameplay experience.”
- “The game is slow, there is no variety in gameplay, the gameplay it has is not particularly engaging, and you fight a hostile camera for a lot of the time.”
- “The dive mechanic is the only semi-useful sort of inspiration from Super Mario Odyssey and honestly made the game just seem more like another Mario knockoff.”
- “The paper folding/rotating mechanic feels a little underbaked from the two and a half worlds I played.”
story
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
68%
14%
The story is generally described as cute and lighthearted, featuring a dynamic duo, Chick and Nugget, on a quest to rescue their village's eggs from the villainous Captain Nox. While the main narrative is simple and reminiscent of classic tales, the game enriches the experience with engaging side quests and fully voice-acted dialogue, allowing for a seamless and immersive gameplay experience. Overall, players appreciate the charming characters and whimsical setting, though some side quests may lack clarity or rewards.
- “The music bops, the sound effects are spot on and the storyline is just beautiful.”
- “Play as the dynamic duo, Chick and Nugget, and dive into this wondrous papercraft world, reminiscent of those pop-up storybooks of our childhood.”
- “The lighthearted characters and story make it easy to jump in and play casually, without feeling too pressured or serious.”
- “As for the story, I'm pretty neutral about it; it's kind of the classic whenever it comes to those types of games.”
- “Story was basic, but honestly I still had a good time.”
- “I did hope we got more for Midnight and Blinky story-wise though.”
emotional
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its calming tone, charming characters, and wholesome atmosphere, making it suitable for both adults and families. Players appreciate the emotional connection fostered by the delightful voice cast and the overall fun experience, despite some challenging levels. The developer's commitment to the community further enhances the game's emotional appeal.
- “This is an awesome game that reminds me of Mario Galaxy, Little Big Planet, and more. I can't recommend this game enough for its calming tone, charming characters, and wholesome atmosphere.”
- “While I may be a thirty-something who enjoyed it, I'd imagine this would also be a great pickup for a family looking for a wholesome game for their kids, too!”
- “Paperklay is very charming and wholesome :)”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
83%
17%
The humor in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players find the writing and character interactions charming and funny, others criticize the voice acting and dialogue as unfunny and bland. Overall, the game is described as cozy and enjoyable, with a blend of goofy NPCs that contribute to its comedic appeal.
- “Beyond the mechanics, the writing is funny, the characters are adorable, the voice acting is great, and the music is phenomenal.”
- “This game out-littlebigplanets 'Sackboy: A Big Adventure' in terms of charm, style, wit, and humor.”
- “This game is very fun and funny, you'll enjoy it a lot, it's very cozy and family type.”
- “I'm sorry, but the voice acting in this game is really bad; it's extremely unfunny and tiring to listen to, and the text speed doesn't even match what the characters are saying.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Overall, the game's stability is generally strong, with most users reporting good performance and only minor bugs that do not significantly impact gameplay. However, there was a notable crash when selecting a save file, which some players experienced. The game runs well on various platforms, including the Steam Deck, and movement is smooth without any major glitches.
- “Beautiful and runs great with amazing voice acting.”
- “Runs great on Steam Deck!”
- “Bugs - for the most part the performance is pretty good, but there was one major issue when I first tried to select a save file, and the game immediately crashed. There were also a few minor bugs or glitches that had no effect on the game and are only mentioned for pedantry.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its calming tone, charming characters, and wholesome vibe, reminiscent of titles like Mario Galaxy and Little Big Planet. Players appreciate the casual and inviting nature of the experience, which encourages them to engage with its chill and upbeat ambiance.
- “This is an awesome game that reminds me of Mario Galaxy, Little Big Planet, and more. I can't recommend this game enough for its calming tone, charming characters, and wholesome atmosphere.”
- “I haven't made it far in the game yet, and do expect the challenge to grow, but for now it's a charming, casual, and quiet adventure that sits on your desktop continually inviting you to experience its chill vibes and upbeat atmosphere.”
- “Atmosphere is great.”
- “The atmosphere feels empty and lifeless, lacking the depth and immersion I was hoping for.”
- “Despite the colorful visuals, the overall ambiance is dull and uninspired, making it hard to stay engaged.”
- “The game tries to create a whimsical atmosphere, but it often falls flat, leaving me feeling disconnected from the experience.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
Overall, the game's optimization is generally solid, with good performance and only minor bugs that do not significantly impact gameplay. However, there was a notable crash when selecting a save file, which detracted from the experience. The voice performances stand out positively, adding enjoyment to the game despite its linear design.
- “For the most part, the performance is pretty good. There was only one significant issue when I first tried to select a save file, and the game immediately crashed. However, there were only a few minor bugs or glitches that had zero effect on the game and are only mentioned for pedantry.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development in the game is enhanced by engaging 3D platforming mechanics, satisfying collectibles, and a variety of upgrades and costumes that encourage exploration. The charming art style and solid voice acting contribute to the overall experience, while the developers' responsiveness to player feedback further enriches character interactions and growth.
- “The character development is engaging, with each upgrade and costume adding depth to the gameplay experience.”
- “The voice acting enhances the characters, making them feel more alive and relatable.”
- “The level design encourages exploration, allowing players to discover new aspects of their characters as they progress.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players often find grinding in games to be tedious and boring, leading to frustration rather than enjoyment. Additionally, there is a lack of meaningful achievements associated with grinding, which diminishes its appeal.
- “They can become tedious and boring, and then become frustrating.”
- “Grinding achievements: no”