KAMI Review

Do you indulge your antisocial side and tune out every last groan about the price of a ticket on public transport, or do you embrace every stranger that plonks themselves down next to you on the bus or train with open arms? If the former describes you, then State of Play’s Japanese-themed paper puzzler may very well prove to be a blessing on the long ride home - the best way to enjoy its crisp, casual gameplay.

As casual games have increasingly taught us over the past few years, you don’t need skill trees, levelling systems or statistics to have a good time with a video game; no, you just need an addictive and enjoyable mechanic that forces you to neglect responsibility and pour all your efforts into achieving the end goal.

In KAMI’s case, that goal is to complete each of its 63 puzzles by changing the colour of paper. To elaborate, each puzzle features a multicoloured sheet of paper that must be converted to a single conforming colour to proceed to the next head-scratching stage. Like we said - all you need is a single addictive mechanic.

KAMI’s premise isn’t unique by any means, but its handcrafted aesthetic and plinky-plonky soundtrack certainly are, and help to elevate it above the tidal wave of other, similar titles. Split into classic and premium sections, the meat of KAMI’s mental exercises reside in the former category, and unless you want your brain to bleed out of your ears, this is probably where you want to start. Each puzzle gets progressively more difficult, and if you reach the end of classic mode, it will look like a mere warm-up for the dastardly conundrums that await you in premium mode.

Depending on your skill - or lack thereof - when it comes to puzzle games, KAMI is an excellent time waster for any given day with copious amounts of down time, but outside of these situations, KAMI lacks any longevity for playing in the home. Whilst the content and singular mechanic on offer is flawless, KAMI would benefit greatly from a much larger pool of puzzles to choose from.

Given the cheap price though, it’s hardly surprising that content is a little on the slim side. If you’re out and about or trying to pass the time, KAMI will delight in keeping your noggin active. If you’re searching for something meatier to play whilst in the home though, you’re probably better off saving KAMI for the occasions when your attention could be interrupted at any given moment.