The puzzle game Tengami by Nyamyam, released on iOS, Wii U, Microsoft Windows, macOS, and Android, is an adventure game that takes place in ancient Japan. It targets individuals 12+ who appreciate puzzle-solving adventure games.
Tengami is set in an origami world where players solve puzzles by interacting with a Japanese pop-up book. It is a form of meditative engagement set apart by its central mechanic: the player physically flips, folds, and pulls elements of the world like they are turning the pages of a handcrafted book. These tactile interactions fundamentally shape how the game evokes emotion and meaning in addition to how the puzzles are solved.
Tengami’s mechanics are minimal but deeply stylized. The player taps to move the character and interacts with the environment through folding, pulling, and rotating elements of the world. For instance, when crossing a bridge, I needed to pull down a tab to fold the landscape and reveal a new path. In the MDA framework, the folding/flipping mechanics generate a dynamic of discovery and contemplation. The aesthetics are somber and tranquil, appealing to those who enjoy meditative games.
This is a game that embraces slowness, unlike many other games on the market. Different from puzzle games that create tension through time limits or a more stressful atmosphere like Two Dots, Tengami is more aligned with walking simulators like Journey, inviting players to savor the experience. Additionally, Tengami encourages reflective play. The folding mechanics themselves are metaphorical, representing impermanence, transformation, and self-discovery. This aligns with the Japanese aesthetic principle of wabi (which I learned about during study abroad in Kyoto) which values imperfection and transience.
This commitment to atmosphere and minimalism is both a strength and a constraint. On the one hand, the folding-paper mechanic is visually striking and elegant. On the other hand, the pace can feel sluggish. In one instance, I found myself lost in a cherry blossom grove, having missed a subtle fold-out tab in a distant screen. This led to several minutes of wandering in mild frustration rather than reflection. One way the designers could improve this would be to more clearly telegraph interactive elements without sacrificing aesthetic minimalism, perhaps using a soft shimmer or wind animation to hint at manipulable areas.
However, this cultural grounding also raises ethical questions. Tengami draws heavily from Japanese aesthetics—origami, torii gates, cherry blossoms, and haiku—yet it was created by a UK-based studio. While Nyamyam’s team approached the art style with visible respect, the game still operates within a Western interpretation of Japanese tradition. It assumes familiarity with certain cultural symbols (like the significance of sakura or torii), which may be opaque to some players while overly exoticized for others. Moreover, puzzles such as the haiku clue assume literacy in poetic metaphor and some knowledge of Japanese traditions. This could inadvertently exclude players without such background, subtly reinforcing cultural or educational hierarchies. The designers might have mitigated this by offering optional context, such as in the form of a journal or footnote system, without disrupting the game’s minimalist ethos.
