Who would have thought there would be a relaxing game about moving?

Moving is one of the most stressful events I can imagine. All the hassle with settling into a new home and finding a fitting place for every single item you own. Unpacking, a 2021 puzzle game, manages to make moving into a new place relaxing, with its satisfying sounds and chill gameplay. In Unpacking, the player goes through the homes of an unnamed, invisible main character. The game spans 21 years, from 1997 to 2018, and tells the story of the protagonist’s life, simply by unboxing and rearranging their belongings in these homes.

Unpacking is a simple point-and-click indie puzzle game developed by Witch Beam. The whole premise is to unpack the boxes and find fitting places for every item. There are no timers or success ratings, just at the end of the level, the game highlights the items that are in the wrong place and the player can advance to the next stage when all items are in fitting places. The player has lots of freedom when it comes to placing the items, but it is understandable that the game does not let you leave a shoe in the kitchen cupboard or a plushie in the bathtub.

Although the gameplay is simple, sometimes I had a difficult time finding a perfect place for every item, especially when there was a huge number of items to fit into a smaller home. But I guess that’s how real life works too. When I moved into my first own studio apartment, I had similar struggles too. Another struggle that the game throws your way is that there are some items that cannot be placed in their obvious places because of some personal reason. For example, in one stage the game doesn’t let you leave a photograph in a visible place, and makes you hide it in a cupboard. That made me think about how I also have some photographs and other items that I most certainly hide, although they still have some personal value.

Even though the game can be played through in a couple of hours, the story makes the game memorable. The storytelling in Unpacking is spectacular. The game has no dialogue, almost no text, no names, or visible characters. The story is simply told through the items and homes. Every new home is a whole new chapter in the life of the mover, not only in the game but also in real life. That’s the thing I love most about this game, through its simple storytelling, it still manages to be extremely relatable. Unpacking takes the player through the protagonist’s life’s significant events, from moving into their first own place to university life and moving in with significant others. In the game, the player gets to see the protagonist’s low points, but also the best parts, yet again reminding how relatable the game is. It is astonishing to see, how the items that the player can find from the moving boxes unveil the protagonist’s whole personality, from career choices to specific interests.

Unpacking’s gameplay is already very satisfying but the cherry on top are the sound effects. There are over 10 000 different sound effects in the game, from picking up items to placing them down, unique to every single item. These funny little clicks and clangs along with the peaceful soundtrack, make the perfect atmosphere for the game.

I love the way Unpacking tells a moving (pun intended) story about a person’s life and its achievements simply through the items that the player unpacks from the boxes. The story is relatable and makes me think about all the times I’ve moved into a new home, and at the same time makes me wonder, what situation am I going to be in when I move next. Unpacking is an adorable puzzle game, and I had such a relaxing yet sentimental time playing it through.

 

Basic information:

Publisher: Humble Bundle
Developer: Witch Beam
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4&5, Xbox One, Switch
Release Date: November 2nd, 2021
Genres: Puzzle
PEGI: 3

 

Pictures: Mobygames

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