New 3D platformer Hirogami is coming for Astro Bot’s crown

To rival Crash Bandicoot 4 and Ratchet and Clank, Bandai Namco Singapore is developing an origami-inspired 3D platformer called Hirogami.

Selfishly, I want more triple-A-backed 3D platformers. We’re not left wanting in the indie scene – A Hat in Time, New Super Lucky’s Tale, and the upcoming Rollin’ Rascal are all truly brilliant – but we don’t get ‘mainstream’ entries in the genre that much anymore. Of course, there’s Astro Bot, Crash Bandicoot 4, and Ratchet and Clank, but I want even more new ideas. In walks Hirogami, a stunning new platformer with some a neat premise, and we (hopefully) don’t need to wait long to play it.

Developed by Bandai Namco Singapore, Hirogami just oozes delight. You take up arms across an entire origami world in an effort to save your home from sort of evil digitization. Everything’s made of colorful paper, some animations have a lower frame rate to help them stand out, and there’s plenty of levels to explore. I’m immediately reminded of Tearaway and Unravel, two games that also have drop-dead gorgeous styles and are delightful platform games to boot.

You can even unlock bird, gorilla, frog, and armadillo transformations to completely change the gameplay. The bird can glide through Star Fox-style levels, the Gorilla can move heavy objects and squash your enemies, the frog leaps higher for platforming segments, and (by far my favorite) the armadillo can morph into a ball and roll around at high speeds. Transformations like this are a well-earned staple (heh) of the 3D platformer genre, but Hirogami is doing even more with them.

Those creature transformations will open up plenty of Metroidvania elements too, because while Hirogami is level-based you can take these powers back through completed stages and hunt for any secrets you missed. So you can get by just completing the levels, but there’s even more to be found if you take the time to explore your surroundings.

We don’t often get games like Hirogami, and I for one am glad we are. There’s a place for 3D platformers in the triple-A landscape, each with their own bold design. Not everything needs to be stuffed with DLC, battle passes, or focus on keeping you playing forever. Sometimes you just need an idea, and Hirogami has those in spades.

Hirogami is quite the departure for Bandai Namco Singapore though. The studio supported development on the likes of Tekken 8, Soulcalibur 6, and even Ace Combat 7.  Even with that experience, the team wanted to go back to the games they grew up with, and thus Hirogami was born.

Bandai Namco Singapore and Kakehashi Games are releasing Hirogami on PC via Steam in 2025. You can wishlist it right here.

There are even more upcoming PC games to get excited about while we wait for Hirogami, alongside plenty of excellent single-player games to scratch a similar itch today.

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