Unpacking is a calming, fun and low–stakes narrative game created by Witch Beam and published by Humble Games. It gained popularity, reaching an all-time user peak of 2,512 according to Steam, a gaming platform.
The gamer plays a woman unpacking the contents of her life throughout the years as she moves from place to place. The game takes you through major points in her life, starting in 1997 and ending in 2018.
As the player unpacks the contents of her many boxes, they get to see the bits of her personality and background come through within the various objects. Key details like reoccurring objects or pictures of people in her life make for an interesting narrative element that forces the player to pay attention to unpack the details of her life.
The game is easy to play: all the player needs to do is click on the boxes to open them, then drag and drop the contents wherever they choose.
This game is low-stakes, so no need to worry about a time limit. The player is free to do what they please, making it perfect for players who enjoy gaming at a leisurely pace.
But the player must not leave any contents on the floors or else they will not be able to advance to the next level. Some items in the game need to be placed in specific spots. If they are not placed in those spots, the items will flash red and the player will not be able to move forward until they put them in the right places.
Besides those two rules, the player is allowed to decorate and place items wherever they want, making this game fun to play over again as they’ll never place something in the same place twice. Another ode to this game’s re-playability is the hidden stickers you can unlock from engaging with the items.
Unpacking isn’t as long as most narrative games are, with eight levels and taking at most three to five hours non-stop playing through. It’s fun to play start to end, with a very rewarding ending to unlock once the game is finished.
The atmosphere of this game is cozy and calm. Playing this game feels like sitting by the fireplace on a cold day, wrapped in blankets and sipping on a hot chocolate. The wonderful sound design adds to the atmosphere as well.
The calm, light piano and electro beat soundtrack composed by Jeff Van Dyck accompanies the atmosphere, adding to the comforting feel this game gives off. The clicking and soft rustling sounds of the boxes as well as the realistic but low sounds the game gives off when you place an object down, are satisfying, and add to the addictive element of this game.
Overall, this game is a beautiful designed and executed game that draws the player into a delightful experience that is hard to hate. This game is perfect for anyone who enjoys cute, cozy, easy to follow games and can be enjoyed regardless of gamer skill level. So, if you haven’t already, go play Unpacking and jump into a relaxing adventure you can pick up anytime.