‘Strinova’ Is the Goofy Love-Child of ‘Paper Mario’ and ‘Valorant’, and I’m All in on Its Gimmick

Strinova asks a difficult question. What if you made a shooter with waifus and husbandos that could turn into paper? It’s a question likely nobody has ever even considered before, but now? With the magic of video games, it’s a reality. Introducing Strinova, the latest entry in the shooter genre with one of the wackiest gimmicks I’ve ever seen. And I need it now.

I Hate That I Love This, and I Need to Play ‘Strinova’ as Soon as Possible

Strinova is making its way to current-gen consoles, mobile devices, and PC on November 21, 2024. We don’t have much longer to wait until we can finally get our hands on this one. But, it’s a shame it won’t be a contender for Game of the Year based on its premise alone.

If you’re anything like me, the absurd premise has already sold you. But watching gameplay? It looks like an actual blast to play. I’ll be the first to admit that most of the character designs are a little bland overall. However, I’m willing to look past this because the idea is so fresh and creative. 5v5 arena shooters are seeing a bit of a boom lately, with games like Project ARC and Strinova pushing boundaries to do something new and unique. And right now? Games like Strinova are leading the charge.

The genuinely unhinged concept of turning into what is essentially a piece of paper to navigate through the environment and avoid enemy fire is brilliant. It’s such a fresh take on the shooter genre, and I’m very intrigued to see what other ways it’s utilized in the game. From the trailer, I see that it can also be used like a glider, giving players the chance to flutter throughout the stage like an anime paper airplane. It’s just so hilarious to see in action.

A lot of games are falling into the same type of rhythm over and over again, with games like Call of Duty losing their identity because they’re trend-chasing and trying to keep up with the likes of Fortnite. I’m all for weird and wacky games like this trying new things, especially when the gameplay itself looks like it’s going to be fantastic to enjoy.