Unpacking is a puzzle game about finding a place for your stuff in a brand new living space, finding out about who you are as you decorate your home.
There’s often an excitement when you move into a new place. All the empty rooms are a blank slate for you to put your stuff into. You can choose the layout of how the furniture goes. Pick where you want appliances and chairs to sit so you can dictate the flow of the room. Best of all, you can decorate it with all kinds of neat stuff. As you bring things out of those boxes, you essentially spread yourself and your personality out over your living space. It’s a nice feeling, and this game aims to capture it by giving you boxes of stuff to put where you want.
Just like with packing, you get to see pieces of that personality come forward in all of the items you’ve kept over the years. Opening up a box can be a real trip for your memories, but here, you’re getting introduced to the person you’re playing as. What sorts of things do they enjoy? What do you feel you can learn about them by all of the things they’ve packed away. The game explores that sense of discovery that comes from going through your things, and the flood of memories that comes up when you’re moving. Plus, it also just feels nice to see how you can decorate these places!
Unpacking delves into the ways our possessions tell a story about us, as well as the simple joys that can be found in putting our things where we want in a new home. A lovely experience.
Unpacking is available now on the Nintendo eShop, Microsoft Store, Humble Games Store, and Steam.
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This was really clever and cute. I’m not sure I would have dropped 20 bucks on it, but as part of my Gamepass it was definitely one of the better options. I especially like how little elements in the game tell the story, and how you are rewarded for things like putting up old posters you find and making her stuffed animals sit together as pals.
I’m kinda glad I played it on PC, though. If my wife walked in and I had to explain why I was playing a ladies underwear drawer simulator, I’m not sure how I would do that. (For those who haven’t played the game, nothing sexy there, but it probably wouldn’t look right.)