MOVING CAN BE FUN!

Moving is something that is essential in every individual’s life; like a rite of passage that everyone must face, symbolizing a fresh start or the end of a particular chapter. It’s something that can be filled with excitement once it’s finally done, but one that is EXCRUCIATING because of the numerous elements you need to anticipate; like packing/unpacking boxes. Unpacking, from Australian studio Witch Beam, recaptures the tranquility of progressively setting up your new home through a Puzzle game that is very relaxing and charming to discover. It tells its ‘story’ through hidden subtleties with its objects and rooms that ends up being a short experience, but one that is immensely memorable to play through.

Taking place between the years 1997 to 2018, Unpacking tells the story of a woman that you get to know throughout different steps of her life. From her childhood, through her teenage years, all the way to moving in with your boyfriend, the little story that is told through this 2-3 hour experience is showcased with the objects that you unpack from your moving boxes and through the little music that plays in the background. There is no dialogue or text (despite some small instances) in Unpacking, so it is pretty much open for interpretation. However, it’s obvious enough to spot what is happening beyond the boxes that you unpack through the eight levels offered in the game. We underestimate a lot the history behind some of the objects that are a part of a daily routine and Unpacking tries to bring out this element throughout each and every one of them.

To my big surprise, Unpacking is not only a title with a big artistic reflexion, but also a Point-and-Click Puzzle game that is really fun and addictive to play through. You simply need to unpack boxes and place its numerous items at their most suitable spot. Pretty easy, right? Well, to a certain degree because, like I previously mentioned, it’s still a Puzzle game, so you can’t place the items anywhere you want and call it a day. Each one of them must be placed in specific locations corresponding to the right category. For example, a toothbrush goes in the bathroom, but needs to be placed near the sink in order for the game to validate its placement successfully. This is Unpacking’s core aspect and it all becomes a little more complex once you have to manage restrained spaces with multiple objects that need to be placed in different rooms. Thankfully, the game does a good job of indicating when you are in the wrong, even if you think you found the right spot. 

What’s interesting about Unpacking is how it is so easy to approach thanks to the level of freedom that accompanies its main task. Sure, there is an end goal in all of this by placing everything at the right spot, but the game gives you so much leeway to experiment to your own degree and own way. Whether it be through the objects’ position or the order in which you want to tackle unpacking your boxes, Unpacking succeeds in offering a peaceful feeling through one of the most stressful and annoying tasks in the world. My guilty pleasure was to find the easter eggs that unlock Achievements/Trophies by combining certain objects or using the in-game Photo Mode to create some cozy pictures.

The main flaw I had with Unpacking is its lack of variety with certain items that are just there too often. Once again, I get that bringing them back constantly adds some cohesion to the narrative, but it’s not by piling up books on shelves over and over that there is going to be some sort of payoff in the end. Still, there are a lot of different objects to take out and interact with in Unpacking. I just wished there was a little bit more complexity through the experience that still pleased me even with its short runtime. While some objects are not well identified either, it didn’t stop me from finding their placement with a little experimenting. Also, I noticed that the music wouldn't loop immediately after it stopped. I don’t know if this is a creative decision to allow us to have a peaceful moment of silence, but I would’ve preferred having music the entire way through instead.

VERDICT

Unpacking is able to turn something that everyone despises into something that is fun and relaxing through a zen puzzle experience that is all about unpacking moving boxes. Other than its clever subtleties in the way it tells the events that happen in the life of the main protagonist, it’s a simple game that is easy to understand and charming in the way it touches certain elements that will certainly surprise you from the moment you start unpacking stuff. It’s a unique game that is definitely one of the most adorable titles that I have played this year.

Pros:

• Simple Concept to Understand

• Story Told Through Subtleties in the Objects and World

• Charming Short Experience

Cons:

• Lack of Item Variety

• Awkward Silence in the Music

Final Score: 8/10

Unpacking is available on Xbox Series, Xbox One, Switch and PC. It is also available through Xbox Game Pass. This review was made with the Xbox Series X version of the game.