*Sources of screenshots are listed in their respective file-names.
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A popular thought is that video games are mindless entertainment that contain
no artistic value.
Kami* is one title that refutes this notion.
The gameplay of Kami is simple. Players choose a color, and begin flipping paper tiles to fill the screen in the fewest number of moves possible.
So you’ll be turning this:
Into this:
The game caps off your success by turning your creation into a neat package:
When the puzzles were easily solved, I felt like a genius.
However, by the fifth level, I was scrunching my face in intense concentration and soliciting advice from family members as things grew exponentially more difficult.
Yet I didn’t want to stop playing…
It might have been the softly cascading colors blending and folding into one another… Perhaps the addictive jingle played upon perfecting a level…Maybe even the process of gradually experimenting with the paper landscapes…
Whatever keeps me trying to perfect that next level, it’s hard to pull away.
Any suggestions?
The Japanese, handcrafted aesthetic used in Kami is LITERALLY handcrafted.
Art for the game is made out of real paper and cardboard, providing a remarkable feeling of tactility. Despite having a different interface (mouse and keyboard instead of touchscreen) the PC version retains this feeling.
One of the design mockups.
The finished product.
Speaking of the versions of Kami (PC and mobile), there are two main differences:
1. Hints
Hints on mobile devices are available for purchase in a few packages, including $3.99 for unlimited guidance.
Hints on PC are free, but you are limited to ten “hint credits” per day.
2. Premium Puzzles
Premium puzzles dramatically increase the already challenging difficulty (along with sense of mastery) of Kami.
These additional levels are free on PC, but available as an in-app purchase on iOS and Android.
Seriously, any suggestions?
Whichever version you choose, Kami is a beautiful and intense puzzler.
Conclusion:
Kami makes flipping pieces of paper into a relaxing, artistic and oddly addictive puzzle game.
Fold and fill paper,
So simple-yet so, so, hard…
A-ha! I see now.
Potential Concerns:
Kami (depending on the Japanese spelling/context) can also mean the spirits worshiped in Shintoism.
Interestingly, folding paper in a form known as “Shide” is an element of worship in Shintoism.
Types of Shide.
Shide at a Shinto shrine.
Shintoism also has a focus on nature and harmony (themes seen in Kami).
Whether or not this parallelism is intentional is unknown. However, players should take note of these elements to ensure compatibility with their beliefs/satisfaction with their purchase.
Buy Now! (PC)
Buy Now! (iOS)
Buy Now! (Android)
Video Games and the Bible 