In Paperbound, warriors rip through their paper confines to perform gravity defying battles across a host of colorful worlds. Ninjas clash with guardians of Egyptian pyramids, while demons and skull-headed monstrosities fight tooth and claw. Paperbound is a frantic arena game promising hours of vivid combat, though some flaws make sure those hours are short.

Like 's Juggernaut, in which a king earns points while being hunted and the player who kills the king becomes the new king. Finally, Capture the Quill is, obviously, Paperbound's take on capture the flag, except with a quill, inkwell, and so on.

Paperbound at least attempts to add its own flair into some of the modes by not giving the top player an instant win once the point goal is reached. Instead, in modes like Survival and Versus, scoring enough points opens a tear that appears in the level’s fabric, which you must enter in order to make your escape with the victory; dying removes the tear, and you have to score another point to create another. This ramps up the challenge, giving other players a chance to make a comeback, all while creating some rather brief and shaky truces.

Beyond the handful of game modes, Paperbound doesn't have much else to offer. It is great in bursts, and when you have friends playing with you, Paperbound glows with energy. But the lack of online or additional content takes its toll. Yes, the matches are exciting but, while plenty of laughs and shouting can be had, that excitement wanes after several intense hours. Still, like a good short story, Paperbound is worth returning to on occasion when you would rather play something fun for a quick hour or so. Just be sure to bring along some reading buddies.