PAPERHEAD EP.0 vs Full Game: What Happened to the Prologue

Before the full game, there was PAPERHEAD EP.0, a free prologue on Steam. Here is what it was, how players received it, and where it stands now.

What EP.0 actually was

EP.0 launched in November 2024 as a free demo-length prologue, and it received a major overhaul in February that added new stages, per Japanese press coverage of the publisher's announcement. Reviewers at the time described it as an hour-plus experience, which is generous for a free prologue. It shipped with Steam achievements and a ranking system, and its soundtrack ran over an hour and stayed free.

The prologue introduced the full toolkit early. The magic pencil could already draw bombs and doorways, edit details on control panels, and even graffiti player-uploaded PNG files onto level walls, according to Alpha Beta Gamer's coverage of the prologue build. The shotgun, the dash-kick combat, and the cardboard world that bleeds were all present. EP.0 footage shows boss encounters, including a Chief Janitor fight, which gives a sense of the prologue's scope.

EP.0 by the numbers

EP.0 collected 3,769 Steam reviews at a 93% positive rate, a Very Positive rating, per SteamDB and steambase data. That is a strong reception for a free prologue and one of the signals behind the full game's 190,000+ Steam wishlists reported in the publisher's September 2026 press release.

The June 2026 Steam Next Fest demo told a similar story. Gamebrief reported that the Next Fest build drew overwhelmingly positive early reviews, with players singling out two things: the visual consistency of the cardboard world, and how much the pencil actually does in combat. That demo included an exclusive new level, the core pencil mechanic, and the abandoned research facility where the story unfolds.

EP.0 was removed from Steam

The publisher removed EP.0 from the Steam store on September 24, 2026, per the official announcement and delistedgames.com. Steam's store text now states that PAPERHEAD EP.0 is no longer available. Players who already added it keep it in their libraries. The removal is a standard pre-launch move to stop the free prologue from splitting attention away from the paid release.

The Next Fest demo followed the same path. Gamebrief confirmed the Steam page no longer listed a demo as of October 8, 2026, one day before launch, so the June build can no longer be downloaded. The itch.io demo, which dates back to 2023, was the earliest public build, though its current availability is UNVERIFIED.

What the full game adds over EP.0

The publisher's launch press release, covered by HappyGamer and Hooked Gamers, draws the comparison directly. The full game adds more weapons and enemies, larger and more varied locations, and new mechanics, all beyond what the prologue offered. It also leans harder on narrative, exploration, and environmental storytelling than EP.0 did, with the mystery of the research facility mattering more the deeper you go.

The structural difference is the clearest one. EP.0 was a prologue slice. The full game is a complete 18-chapter release, with chapters running from The Descend through to The Manager, the final boss, per the launch-day full-game walkthrough cataloged by the research community. That is a different scale of game from an hour-plus prologue.

The soundtrack also steps up. The full game features an original score by Joonas Turner, known for Cult of the Lamb, Noita, and CARRION, moving between atmospheric soundscapes and industrial tracks that shift with exploration and combat.

What carries over from the prologue

The core does not change. The cardboard world, the magic pencil, the shotgun, the mighty boots, and the dash-kick combat all carry straight from EP.0 into the full game. The central question, why cardboard would bleed, remains the hook. If you played EP.0, you already know the game's fundamental verbs: shoot, kick, draw, and run.

Whether EP.0's story continues directly into the full game, or whether the full game retells that ground, is UNVERIFIED. Whether EP.0 save progress or achievements carry into the full release is also UNVERIFIED. Treat them as separate purchases in separate libraries unless the publisher says otherwise.

Can you still play EP.0

If it is in your Steam library, yes. Delisted games remain playable for everyone who claimed them before removal. If you never claimed it, the store page is gone and there is no legitimate way to add it now. EP.0 footage on YouTube shows older builds, so mechanics and visuals may differ from the release version. For anyone coming in fresh, the full game is the way to play. It contains the complete experience, and the prologue is no longer required reading.