Paperstory cover art

Paperstory

Side-Scrolling Action RPG by giminycricket0, released October 25, 2026. Free in your browser.

Open on itch.io

Paperstory is a free side-scrolling action RPG in the spirit of MapleStory, released on itch.io on October 25, 2026. The world is a living book drawn in ink on paper. The free Proof Copy covers the first twenty levels, called lines, with boosted experience so a first session takes about 90 minutes by the developer's estimate, and ends with a boss fight.

What kind of game is Paperstory?

Paperstory plays like a classic MapleStory-style side-scroller: towns, hunting grounds, quests and a class choice. Everything is hand-inked, the characters are stick figures with a swappable hair, face, hat, outfit and weapon rig, and every hit is painted with the same brush as the backgrounds.

What's in the Proof Copy

  1. Start in Quillmarket, below the old paper mill, and meet Orla the Bookbinder and Tatter the scarecrow. Early quests teach moving, jumping, the basic attack, your first bolt, loot, the bag and a tonic.
  2. Hunt across the Pulpwood, the Flax Fields, the Retting Ponds, the Coppice, the Wormways, the Millworks and the Carters' Road to the inn at Catchword.
  3. At line 10, swear to one of six crafts.
  4. Fight the Press Guardian in the Press Hall, the last fight of the Proof Copy.

The six crafts

CraftRole
BinderHeavy melee and tank
CutterQuick positional finisher
PostriderRanged harrier
RubricatorSustaining fighter who marks foes
FolderBrawler of forms
InkwrightCaster of words

Each craft's first techniques arrive between lines 10 and 20, with their own animations.

Paperstory screenshots

Paperstory running in the browser, screen 1 captured by FreshPlay on October 26, 2026
Our capture: first screen after loading
Paperstory running in the browser, screen 2 captured by FreshPlay on October 26, 2026
Our capture: after the first click

Paperstory FAQ

Is Paperstory free?

Yes. The Proof Copy is free and plays in your browser on this page.

How long is the Paperstory demo?

The developer estimates about 90 minutes for a first session, based on a scripted bot.

What game is Paperstory like?

It is a side-scrolling action RPG in the spirit of MapleStory, drawn in ink on paper.

How many classes does Paperstory have?

Six crafts, chosen at line 10: Binder, Cutter, Postrider, Rubricator, Folder and Inkwright.

What is the last boss in the Proof Copy?

The Press Guardian, asleep in the Press Hall at the end of the Millworks.

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