Published and developed by Newfangled Games, Paper Trail is a top-down adventure puzzle game set in an origami-like world. Paper Trail has been a long-awaited adventure for avid cozy gamers who have eagerly followed the game’s development for four years. And, as of May 21, you can find Paper Trail available on PC, Mac, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, iOS, and Android.
After learning about Paper Trail from cozy gaming YouTuber Payton’sCorner, I fell in love with the watercolor art style and distinct mechanics. Earlier this year, I also included it as one of our most anticipated indies of 2024. I played on Nintendo Switch and have been enjoying the immersive, colorful environment with zen music and challenging puzzles. I thoroughly enjoyed the story as well as the pacing of the gameplay. Despite its surprising difficulty, Paper Trail finds ways to guide you to where you need to be without much fuss.
Wander a World
In Paper Trail, you play as Paige, a young adult who wants to go to university, despite her parents’ disapproval. Paige knows her parents will never allow her to leave their home in Southfold so she therefore decides to sneak away. Along the journey, she encounters fresh faces in small villages, crosses bodies of water, and faces dilemmas. Throughout the game, you will learn the tragic origin of Paige’s confinement to Southfold through entries in her journal.
Paige’s journey in the paper world is split into levels, with each commanding you to make folds in specific ways to navigate. Newfangled described the game in 2022 as “a top-down puzzle adventure about leaving home, set in a paper world.” Each level is gorgeously rendered for Paige (page?!) to explore.
In a recent Reddit thread, Newfangled Games’ Art Lead Fred Hoffman explained the inspiration for Paper Trail’s design. In it, he states that his prior work in textiles and experience creating swatches for printmaking as his biggest influences (among the games Carto, Monument Valley, and The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker).
Hoffman’s love for the art of folding paper in the game is clear, and it makes sense that he had made origami before. He shared in the Reddit AMA, “My favourite [origami form] was this little star box I used to make, it was like a jewellery box kind of thing that you could put things in. I used to make them as presents for people when I didn’t have any money. (I also used to make clothes out of paper when I was at college).”
Paper Trail’s printmaking and watercolor art style is visually impressive, and it’s what initially drew me to this cozy indie. To me, the characters looked Eastern European-inspired in a Japanese-inspired world. The writing feels folk-tale inspired and overall the game reminds me of a visual novel, but enhanced with interactive elements, like in Coffee Talk or The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood.
As Difficult as Origami in Real Life
While playing on the Nintendo Switch, I found it somewhat tricky to be precise with each fold, although it isn’t much of an issue and should not scare you away. That being said, I felt that handheld is best suited for Paper Trail’s gameplay overall as you can better grip the sides of paper as you fold. As Paper Trail offers such unique mechanics, Newfangled Games did a fantastic job making it enjoyable to play on this console. (A quick skim of other reviews indicates it seems to also play well on other consoles too, like the PlayStation 5.)
To reach 100% completion, you can collect origami figurines—like an elephant or a giraffe—hidden throughout the world. If you aren’t a completionist, no worries, as your collection does not affect your progress through the story whatsoever. It’s simply a nice way to spend a little longer exploring a level. After completing a level, you can always go back to find the origami as well.
If you are stuck within a level, there are multiple ways to troubleshoot. You can reset, which is something I like to do to give me a fresh look at the puzzle again. There are also hints which will show you how to fold but won’t give you any context hints. As someone who is mediocre at puzzle games, I needed a hint at nearly every level. I felt confused at various times about how exactly to fold the paper.
While Paper Trail wasn’t entirely intuitive, it’s not impossible; with some patience and time, each puzzle was something I could eventually figure out. There were only a couple of times when I felt frustrated and thought I couldn’t go on. And yet, I always did—just like the heroine, Paige.
Impeccable Vibes
As I shared before, the visuals of Paper Trail are just gorgeous, and as I played, I kept finding more things to admire. While playing in handheld mode on Nintendo Switch, I also found that the level art would look a bit different when swiping the screen. For example, when swiping on a building, it would look closed up rather than ready to welcome newcomers. It shows you what the other side of the paper looks like without you having to fold it. It wasn’t necessary for gameplay but a cute feature for those who enjoy the art.
As for Paper Trail’s music, the soundtrack offers harmonic melodies that are great to chill out to. I also love the do-be-do-ba-boo noises that characters make when they speak, as it’s adorable and calming. There’s voice acting for Paige in some parts of the game, but otherwise it’s quiet and peaceful. The sound effects like footsteps and paper folding are perfect, as they help you feel immersed in this one-of-a-kind environment. Paper Trail is a good game to either play while watching TV, or while zoning out with your headphones on.
Performance-wise, Paper Trail is virtuously flawless. As I played through, I did not encounter any bugs. The experience itself was clean from start to finish, which is fantastic to see these days.
Final Thoughts
The time it takes to complete Paper Trail can vary. It may take longer if you struggle to get through the increasingly complex puzzles, avoid hints, or aim to find all the collectibles. Paper Trail is best enjoyed at a steady pace, so I’d say expect it to take around six to eight hours to complete.
At a $19.99 price tag, it’s slightly difficult to recommend Paper Trail because of how short it is. It’s worth noting that Paper Trail is included in Netflix subscriptions via mobile, and worthy of checking out if you are already a subscriber. If you can find it on sale on any platform, I’d definitely recommend picking it up. Even without a sale, please consider Paper Trail anyway.
All in all, the quality of Paper Trail is tangible. The art is lovely and immaculate, with a sweet storyline to boot. Like I found in my Rose & Camellia Collection review, there’s not another game like this on the market, and it’s a nice indie game that I can wholeheartedly recommend to most players.
If you like games with zen vibes and a charming story that is rich with puzzles, Paper Trail is likely a game for you. Don’t let its difficulty level scare you away, as there are resources to help you succeed. With this being Newfangled Games’ first game, I’m thrilled to see what they produce next.
Rating: 9.0/10
Paper Trail is available now for $19.99 on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Mac, and PC. It is also available on iOS and Android with a Netflix subscription.
Disclaimer: A review code was provided by the publisher.
In-game content warning: missing person.
