What kind of game is it
PAPERHEAD is a boomer shooter — a fast, old-school FPS built around constant movement — mixed with an adventure horror game. It is set in a cute cardboard world where "something went horribly wrong": you explore an abandoned research facility and find out why cardboard… bleeds.
The key ingredients, according to the developers:
- Combat: a shotgun and other weapons, plus kicks — toss enemies into the air, kick exploding barrels at them and stomp on their heads.
- The magic pencil: a weapon and a tool at once. Sketch bombs and kick them at enemies, draw doors to kick down, write words on walls.
- Tone: cute cardboard, but "with more meat than expected" — the game is meant to be scary.
- Music: an industrial soundtrack by Joonas Turner, composer for Cult of the Lamb, Noita, Nuclear Throne and Broforce.
The game is made by Paperhead te4m and published by HypeTrain Digital.
Price and editions
| Edition | Price (US store) | Contents |
|---|---|---|
| PAPERHEAD | $19.99 (launch −20%: $15.99) | the game |
| Supporter Bundle | — | the game, the Supporter Pack with 14 leg skins and the original soundtrack |
The developers have not said when the launch discount ends — check the store page before buying.
System requirements and Steam Deck
The minimum requirements are very low — it will run on practically any PC from the last 15 years:
| Component | Minimum |
|---|---|
| OS | Windows 7 64-bit or later |
| CPU | any 64-bit processor |
| Memory | 2 GB RAM |
| Graphics | GeForce 9800GT or equivalent |
| DirectX | 9.0 |
| Storage | 2 GB |
- Steam Deck: Verified.
- Controller: full controller support, including DualShock and DualSense.
- Platforms: Windows (Steam) only. No console versions have been announced.
Languages
English, French, German, Spanish (Spain), Japanese, Korean, Polish, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Portuguese (Brazil) and Turkish.
The road to release
- Years earlier the developers released a free prologue, PAPERHEAD EP.0. Its Steam page closed on September 24, 2026 — if you added it to your library before then, you keep it forever.
- On February 23, 2026 a new demo went live for Steam Next Fest, with a level from the full game and controller support for the first time.
- Launch was set for September 18, 2026, then moved three weeks to October 9 in July for "a better release window" and extra polish.
First reviews
Half an hour after launch the game had 17 Steam reviews, all positive ("Positive" rating). Players mostly praise the movement and pace of combat, the music and the art style; several compare it to ULTRAKILL and The Binding of Isaac. This is a very early picture — we will follow up once there are more reviews.
The game has 25 achievements, including five unlockable characters and some well-hidden secrets. Full list with unlock rates: PAPERHEAD achievements.