the opening montage of Up really destroyed a whole generation's concept of effective nonverbal storytelling by making them think a parade of prefab domestic clichés embellished with flavorless Milestone clipart set to overbearing music is in any way sophisticated or interesting huh
this girl is a tasteless unfuckable dweeb and i wish her all the worst. the way she's simultaneously a self-insert wish fulfillment character AND the most hapless and bland cozycore dork imaginable is really dark tbh. inexcusable taste in stuffed animals! stop decorating with your diploma already you absolute MONSTER!!! When a sappy celeste-adjacent chiptune ballad plays as it's revealed via context clues that she came into her own after a trip to Japan (and returned w/ a bevvy of basic tourist kiosk tchotchkes) and now feels confident enough to explore rockabilly-lite fashion...hell. It's all so flavorless and antiseptic--she is 30 where the hell is her hitachi wand and why CANT i stuff her horrid garb into the closet in the ideal organizational format--the pile? the subject here is so unpalatable that i honestly would have preferred they scrap the whole progressing narrative concept entirely (esp. when its used in such an unambitious way that communicates very little beyond trite sentimentality; life has its ups and downs, #gratitude, don't make time for haters who dull your shine, the more things change the more they stay the same, when god throws out a mug he buys you a wacom tablet) and instead present a medley of varying rooms/spaces occupying a plethora of subjects, aesthetics, and experiences, but also idt the same devs who chose this protag have anywhere near the worldliness or savvy to attempt something like that. impressive amount of unique isometric assets and cool implementation of foley though!
this girl is a tasteless unfuckable dweeb and i wish her all the worst. the way she's simultaneously a self-insert wish fulfillment character AND the most hapless and bland cozycore dork imaginable is really dark tbh. inexcusable taste in stuffed animals! stop decorating with your diploma already you absolute MONSTER!!! When a sappy celeste-adjacent chiptune ballad plays as it's revealed via context clues that she came into her own after a trip to Japan (and returned w/ a bevvy of basic tourist kiosk tchotchkes) and now feels confident enough to explore rockabilly-lite fashion...hell. It's all so flavorless and antiseptic--she is 30 where the hell is her hitachi wand and why CANT i stuff her horrid garb into the closet in the ideal organizational format--the pile? the subject here is so unpalatable that i honestly would have preferred they scrap the whole progressing narrative concept entirely (esp. when its used in such an unambitious way that communicates very little beyond trite sentimentality; life has its ups and downs, #gratitude, don't make time for haters who dull your shine, the more things change the more they stay the same, when god throws out a mug he buys you a wacom tablet) and instead present a medley of varying rooms/spaces occupying a plethora of subjects, aesthetics, and experiences, but also idt the same devs who chose this protag have anywhere near the worldliness or savvy to attempt something like that. impressive amount of unique isometric assets and cool implementation of foley though!
it's my playthrough and I get to decide where the toilet paper is stored!!
Pretty creative bit of storytelling through the lens of unpacking boxes over a multitude of years spanning the invisible protagonist's life. The organization of the items coming out of the box does a neat job at implying subtleties of what the protagonist is probably thinking or having to deal with in the moment. There's one level that pulls this off really well, while the rest are moreso the same.
It was fun, but really short and I think it would have benefitted a lot from being longer. I don't mind that the story ends on a wholesome note, but it does showcase the character's highs a lot more than their lows, and it would have been nice if there were like 2 extra levels that dealt with that part of the story a bit more. I don't need them to be outrageously depressed, but it kinda seemed like their life was exaggeratingly perfect almost the entire time. Give me some more layers to work with! Other than that, it's a pretty sweet game and a small morsel to enjoy.
It was fun, but really short and I think it would have benefitted a lot from being longer. I don't mind that the story ends on a wholesome note, but it does showcase the character's highs a lot more than their lows, and it would have been nice if there were like 2 extra levels that dealt with that part of the story a bit more. I don't need them to be outrageously depressed, but it kinda seemed like their life was exaggeratingly perfect almost the entire time. Give me some more layers to work with! Other than that, it's a pretty sweet game and a small morsel to enjoy.
A so-called zen decorator hampered by rules devised by the most maniacal of Feng Shui practitioners, Unpacking isn’t so much an easy-breezy meditation on passion and what we leave behind as we age, and more a reflection on the apparent issues of how I, as an individual, design and decorate.
While the assumed narrative follows a nameless, voiceless protagonist through their life, across break-ups, move-ins, and start-overs, the real story of the game hinges on you, the player, as you realize by way of accursed red-outlines that everything you know about interior design is fucked up and evil. Plates that refuse to go with other plates, lest you be judged, coasters that scream foul if you place mugs atop them, egg timers that rain misery on you for daring to place them a few inches away a cutting board, the inherent madness of owning an air fryer.
Combine weird systematic flaws in what is deemed right or wrong (something that seems bound to happen when working with something as nebulous and personal as interior design) with a storyline that basically equates to “quirky art student goes to college, dates a guy, hides her passion, breaks up, regains passion, dates a girl, there’s nothing to gleam from this game other than the introspection inherent to being told, time and time again, that your mind goblin-addled thoughts are deranged and objectively wrong. It's weird, it’s uncomfortable, and it’s not the takeaway I expect from a game that claims to be a chill, downtempo type experience.
Edit 1: Corrected Typos (11/28/2021).
While the assumed narrative follows a nameless, voiceless protagonist through their life, across break-ups, move-ins, and start-overs, the real story of the game hinges on you, the player, as you realize by way of accursed red-outlines that everything you know about interior design is fucked up and evil. Plates that refuse to go with other plates, lest you be judged, coasters that scream foul if you place mugs atop them, egg timers that rain misery on you for daring to place them a few inches away a cutting board, the inherent madness of owning an air fryer.
Combine weird systematic flaws in what is deemed right or wrong (something that seems bound to happen when working with something as nebulous and personal as interior design) with a storyline that basically equates to “quirky art student goes to college, dates a guy, hides her passion, breaks up, regains passion, dates a girl, there’s nothing to gleam from this game other than the introspection inherent to being told, time and time again, that your mind goblin-addled thoughts are deranged and objectively wrong. It's weird, it’s uncomfortable, and it’s not the takeaway I expect from a game that claims to be a chill, downtempo type experience.
Edit 1: Corrected Typos (11/28/2021).
Unpacking is a relaxing game that does exactly what it set out to do. It tells the story of a woman that’s grows from a little girl to a woman with a loving family of her own all by unpacking her belongings after her several moves in life. It isn’t anything special gameplay wise. You open boxes and put stuff where it should go. But it excels at telling a nice story that gives you a very good understanding of the user named woman just based off the different locations and items that you unpack. It isn’t going to be for everyone, it’s not a must play, but it was a relaxing time that respects your time while telling a good story.
It also teaches us that if you try and be with someone who prefers XBox as their console of choice you will never date that sex again and will find happiness not too long after. JK Microsoft fans.
It also teaches us that if you try and be with someone who prefers XBox as their console of choice you will never date that sex again and will find happiness not too long after. JK Microsoft fans.
Simples e relaxante mas com uma história super envolvente.
A gameplay e a ideia do jogo em si é super simples. Você se muda de casa e precisa desempacotar seus objetos na sua nova casa. Você precisa organizar os objetos nos cômodos mas determinados objetos tem um lugar especifico para eles (o jogo não dá nenhuma dica do lugar correto do objeto, é mais na tentativa e erro que você descobre mesmo). Isso exige raciocínio lógico para colocar cada objeto em seu devido lugar.
No começo o jogo parece ser só isso: desempacotar caixas. Mas é aí que a narrativa do jogo se torna INCRÍVEL. O game utiliza cada cenário/cômodo para contar uma história de forma subjetiva. Cada fase superada se torna uma fotografia registrada no livro de memórias da protagonista. Utilizando uma linguagem indireta, o jogador precisa capturar pequenas percepções a respeito da vida da personagem. Talvez ela seja uma garota apaixonada por pôneis e campeã de esportes, que ama música e moda e que colecionava diversos consoles como o GameCube, Xbox e Wii (as referencias com objetos da época é incrível).
Cada fase representa um ano importante na vida da protagonista, que começa na infância, passando para a fase escolar, chegando até a faculdade e criando sua própria família. O momento de saída da casa dos pais, criando sua independência, mudando para uma casa pequena e evoluindo até conseguir uma casa maior: tudo isso é contado de forma subjetiva, apenas desempacotando caixas e notando os objetos novos.
Com uma narrativa simples, Unpacking deixa tudo na sua imaginação e não utiliza textos, proporcionando experiência única para cada um.
(Amo jogos em que a gameplay em si conta a história, em Unpacking isso é feito de uma forma maravilhosa).
A gameplay e a ideia do jogo em si é super simples. Você se muda de casa e precisa desempacotar seus objetos na sua nova casa. Você precisa organizar os objetos nos cômodos mas determinados objetos tem um lugar especifico para eles (o jogo não dá nenhuma dica do lugar correto do objeto, é mais na tentativa e erro que você descobre mesmo). Isso exige raciocínio lógico para colocar cada objeto em seu devido lugar.
No começo o jogo parece ser só isso: desempacotar caixas. Mas é aí que a narrativa do jogo se torna INCRÍVEL. O game utiliza cada cenário/cômodo para contar uma história de forma subjetiva. Cada fase superada se torna uma fotografia registrada no livro de memórias da protagonista. Utilizando uma linguagem indireta, o jogador precisa capturar pequenas percepções a respeito da vida da personagem. Talvez ela seja uma garota apaixonada por pôneis e campeã de esportes, que ama música e moda e que colecionava diversos consoles como o GameCube, Xbox e Wii (as referencias com objetos da época é incrível).
Cada fase representa um ano importante na vida da protagonista, que começa na infância, passando para a fase escolar, chegando até a faculdade e criando sua própria família. O momento de saída da casa dos pais, criando sua independência, mudando para uma casa pequena e evoluindo até conseguir uma casa maior: tudo isso é contado de forma subjetiva, apenas desempacotando caixas e notando os objetos novos.
Com uma narrativa simples, Unpacking deixa tudo na sua imaginação e não utiliza textos, proporcionando experiência única para cada um.
(Amo jogos em que a gameplay em si conta a história, em Unpacking isso é feito de uma forma maravilhosa).
The bandwagon of games being made with the express purpose of calling themselves “wholesome” is torpedoing forward at mind-melting speeds and only continues to gain traction. By now, whatever authentic sentiment that used to drive this movement has since been appropriated into a manufactured “aesthetic” to serve anyone who wants a GIF of their game to blow up on Twitter. What this means for me is that I nearly passed up on an immaculate game because of my growing cynicism and jadedness. Make no mistake about it; Unpacking truly is the superbly unique game everyone is making it out to be.
Anyone else can tell you about the inspired marriage of puzzle game and narrative – an unprecedented twist on “environmental storytelling,” one of the humble video gamist’s favorite phrases to wield – but what struck me equally about Unpacking was its unconventional story structure. To leave things intentionally vague, it feels like the game ends about three separate times. This is because the game follows a clear narrative arc where things get worse, and then they get better. Normally stories end right there, when things get better. We’ve had our hero’s journey, let’s wrap it up; but Unpacking keeps going. The story pushes on to explore just how much better things can continue to become. “Better” isn’t something that just happens once, it’s a continued lifetime of joy and love that rolls onward and forward, and then onward and forward still. What would ordinarily be a footnote or epilogue in other stories is the crux of Unpacking’s heart: why not allow me to play through my own epilogue? If I go on to live “happily ever after,” why not allow me to actually live through that “happily ever after?” Why must stories always stop there? Critically, this “happily ever after” in Unpacking winds up being significantly longer than any of the tribulations that had to be overcome to reach it. Nothing bad lasts forever. There’s a light at the end of the tunnel, but the point is not to simply reach that light; it’s to bask in it, revel in it, sink into its comfort and its warmth and hold on to its embrace for as long as it can last.
Things get better, yes – but they can also keep getting better, too.
Anyone else can tell you about the inspired marriage of puzzle game and narrative – an unprecedented twist on “environmental storytelling,” one of the humble video gamist’s favorite phrases to wield – but what struck me equally about Unpacking was its unconventional story structure. To leave things intentionally vague, it feels like the game ends about three separate times. This is because the game follows a clear narrative arc where things get worse, and then they get better. Normally stories end right there, when things get better. We’ve had our hero’s journey, let’s wrap it up; but Unpacking keeps going. The story pushes on to explore just how much better things can continue to become. “Better” isn’t something that just happens once, it’s a continued lifetime of joy and love that rolls onward and forward, and then onward and forward still. What would ordinarily be a footnote or epilogue in other stories is the crux of Unpacking’s heart: why not allow me to play through my own epilogue? If I go on to live “happily ever after,” why not allow me to actually live through that “happily ever after?” Why must stories always stop there? Critically, this “happily ever after” in Unpacking winds up being significantly longer than any of the tribulations that had to be overcome to reach it. Nothing bad lasts forever. There’s a light at the end of the tunnel, but the point is not to simply reach that light; it’s to bask in it, revel in it, sink into its comfort and its warmth and hold on to its embrace for as long as it can last.
Things get better, yes – but they can also keep getting better, too.
Any game that subtly reinforces the lesbian agenda is a win in my book. Unpacking is a cute game, the idea of unpacking someones life as you see them move from place to place is very unique and I think it was done pretty well. But I dont know if I would describe this game as calming or chilling like everyone else. The game starts strong, the first few levels are actually pretty fun but then you start not being able to tell what some items are or where the game wants you to put things and you have three times as many items with a quarter of the space. Which you know, is the point. Moving into a new place is often stressful, but that kinda betrays the whole vibe the game is trying to put out, and by the last level, the largest yet, I was hastily putting stuff where the game would let me so I could hurry up and get it over with. In these final three or four levels, the game is a chore. Unpacking in real life often feels like a chore so sure It is realistic... But why? Why did a game that pushes itself as a cozy comforting game get so impossibly disorganized at the end? Theres probably a good answer, and I'm probably not smart enough to figure it out or am greatly overthinking. But I dont know. This is more of an unhinged borderline existential rant by now so Ill end with this: Unpacking is a good game, with some good ideas and I enjoyed most of my time with it, and I'll never want to play it again
Time Played - 5 Hours
Rating - 73/100
Completion #22 of 2022
March Completion #1
Time Played - 5 Hours
Rating - 73/100
Completion #22 of 2022
March Completion #1
A sutileza que unpacking conta a história da personagem SEM USAR UMA PALAVRA é incrível.
Com um olhar atento você consegue entender as emoções, os gostos e até mesmo seus momentos de vida apenas olhando para os seus objetos.
Um jogo super relaxante que trás uma mensagem LINDA de como a vida é sujeita a várias mudanças, e que mesmo assim podemos ser felizes nessas várias etapas da vida.
GO LESBIANSSSSS
Com um olhar atento você consegue entender as emoções, os gostos e até mesmo seus momentos de vida apenas olhando para os seus objetos.
Um jogo super relaxante que trás uma mensagem LINDA de como a vida é sujeita a várias mudanças, e que mesmo assim podemos ser felizes nessas várias etapas da vida.
GO LESBIANSSSSS
Don’t like to go for the “can relate” since I think anything can resonate with anyone despite not having anything in common. The thing that is making me wonder about Unpacking is that there was a single yet very strong “can relate” moment in the game, even when the situations are not that similar, while the game is generally unrelatable to me.
In short, right now I’m the opposite of this game. I have not moved a lot through my life, nor even done big rearrangements at home either, and I try to keep as few things as possible. So here I am playing a game about someone who has moved like 8 times and likes to keep a lot of books, games, consoles, figures, plushies… There are some more mundane things to unpack too, but the core is pretty clearly those things that tell about your hobbies, and maybe about you.
Sticking with my thinking that not being relatable does not matter that much, the problem is in what is supposed to be told about someone or not. And yeah, I know plenty of things about what the protagonist of the game likes, her hobbies, some of her aspirations (professional or personal), and even about some of the bigger events of her life… in other words, I don’t know that person. Knowing what someone likes, that is knowing them superficially, or even a bit of what they have gone through is a good entry point for establishing a deeper understanding, and just that. All of these very strong attachments to superficial characteristics are more common nowadays for a lot of factors, in an era when you can come to contact with millions of people, it’s easier to define someone for what they like, the fastest way possible, and to want to be defined by the hobbies that interest you most. All of that is natural, and again the problem is not so much in establishing a first contact through that but in being incapable of reaching further on.
What kept me thinking a bit is that in the last level, there is one very specific room that caused the exact opposite reaction than the rest of the game, a single scene where I could completely relate in the perfect moment. Ironically, a moment that does not tell anything about no one, in this one not even the preferences of the protagonist are important, but a moment that talks more about the impact in your life that such a thing causes where even the necessity of preparing a room is emotional. Maybe the key of Unpacking is in welcoming the changes, wanted or not… but after the moment I liked so much I spent 10 minutes trying to discover where some little red thing was supposed to fit for our protagonist's taste.
In short, right now I’m the opposite of this game. I have not moved a lot through my life, nor even done big rearrangements at home either, and I try to keep as few things as possible. So here I am playing a game about someone who has moved like 8 times and likes to keep a lot of books, games, consoles, figures, plushies… There are some more mundane things to unpack too, but the core is pretty clearly those things that tell about your hobbies, and maybe about you.
Sticking with my thinking that not being relatable does not matter that much, the problem is in what is supposed to be told about someone or not. And yeah, I know plenty of things about what the protagonist of the game likes, her hobbies, some of her aspirations (professional or personal), and even about some of the bigger events of her life… in other words, I don’t know that person. Knowing what someone likes, that is knowing them superficially, or even a bit of what they have gone through is a good entry point for establishing a deeper understanding, and just that. All of these very strong attachments to superficial characteristics are more common nowadays for a lot of factors, in an era when you can come to contact with millions of people, it’s easier to define someone for what they like, the fastest way possible, and to want to be defined by the hobbies that interest you most. All of that is natural, and again the problem is not so much in establishing a first contact through that but in being incapable of reaching further on.
What kept me thinking a bit is that in the last level, there is one very specific room that caused the exact opposite reaction than the rest of the game, a single scene where I could completely relate in the perfect moment. Ironically, a moment that does not tell anything about no one, in this one not even the preferences of the protagonist are important, but a moment that talks more about the impact in your life that such a thing causes where even the necessity of preparing a room is emotional. Maybe the key of Unpacking is in welcoming the changes, wanted or not… but after the moment I liked so much I spent 10 minutes trying to discover where some little red thing was supposed to fit for our protagonist's taste.
Really cute and chill game that was a nice use of a couple hours. Learning about this girl’s life while judging her for how she packs boxes was just a really pleasant time.
Como, me diz, COMO é possível eu ter me acabado de chorar com um jogo sobre desempacotar mudanças?
O jeito que Unpacking consegue transmitir a narrativa da vida de alguém, com mecânicas simples e com escolhas de design de fases é uma coisa incrível. Me impressionou de verdade, é de uma simplicidade e elegância invejáveis.
Eu não sei como um jogo sem diálogos, sem nem rosto, nem voz da protagonista conseguiu fazer tanto com tão pouco. A única coisa que temos são os objetos e a narrativa que os espaços nos contam. E eventuais frases curtas escritas no álbum de fotos (que são os finais de fase).
Me fez pensar muito. Pensar na vida, nas relações com quem dividimos um teto, nos objetos que escolhemos pra carregar conosco, no significado de lembranças e em como "coisas" muitas vezes são mais que isso, porque são transformadas pela nossa personalidade e história ou também refletem quem somos, as vezes.
Acho que resta dizer que além disso é um jogo extremamente relaxante de jogar. Fui jogando de pouco em pouco, uma fase (ou menos) por dia após o expediente de trabalho e foi uma ótima maneira de desestressar do dia. É tudo aconchegante e agradável nele.
Enfim, me impactou demais. Recomendo ele porque, mesmo que não te impacte do mesmo jeito, ainda é uma experiência gostosinha demais.
O jeito que Unpacking consegue transmitir a narrativa da vida de alguém, com mecânicas simples e com escolhas de design de fases é uma coisa incrível. Me impressionou de verdade, é de uma simplicidade e elegância invejáveis.
Eu não sei como um jogo sem diálogos, sem nem rosto, nem voz da protagonista conseguiu fazer tanto com tão pouco. A única coisa que temos são os objetos e a narrativa que os espaços nos contam. E eventuais frases curtas escritas no álbum de fotos (que são os finais de fase).
Me fez pensar muito. Pensar na vida, nas relações com quem dividimos um teto, nos objetos que escolhemos pra carregar conosco, no significado de lembranças e em como "coisas" muitas vezes são mais que isso, porque são transformadas pela nossa personalidade e história ou também refletem quem somos, as vezes.
Acho que resta dizer que além disso é um jogo extremamente relaxante de jogar. Fui jogando de pouco em pouco, uma fase (ou menos) por dia após o expediente de trabalho e foi uma ótima maneira de desestressar do dia. É tudo aconchegante e agradável nele.
Enfim, me impactou demais. Recomendo ele porque, mesmo que não te impacte do mesmo jeito, ainda é uma experiência gostosinha demais.
Achieves new heights in the field of synthesizing "boring enough to listen to podcasts" with "compelling enough to make you keep playing." Just one more box / room / house I say when it's already past midnight, and before I know it they've snuck in just enough plot and character to actually get me invested in a person I only know through the mutual contacts of a GameCube and a plushie collection. Plus anything that opts for a 2000s setting is a win to me.
Wish it was longer, though. There is more story than I expected but it ends rather abruptly at an arbitrary point in their life, or I suppose rather the only victorious/uplifting point while remaining toothlessly accessible. I expected to be here for the whole journey, the rise and the fall. Fair enough, it's a twee indie game, but when I think of a life story told through accumulated tchotchkes, the transient sentimental value of things destined for the landfill, 'happily ever after' is far enough away to almost feel disingenuous.
Still it's a nice time that delivered more substance than I expected, and I really ought to count my blessings that yet another indie game isn't trying to be 'That Dragon, Cancer' for once.
Wish it was longer, though. There is more story than I expected but it ends rather abruptly at an arbitrary point in their life, or I suppose rather the only victorious/uplifting point while remaining toothlessly accessible. I expected to be here for the whole journey, the rise and the fall. Fair enough, it's a twee indie game, but when I think of a life story told through accumulated tchotchkes, the transient sentimental value of things destined for the landfill, 'happily ever after' is far enough away to almost feel disingenuous.
Still it's a nice time that delivered more substance than I expected, and I really ought to count my blessings that yet another indie game isn't trying to be 'That Dragon, Cancer' for once.
i will burn all your fucking houses to the ground until you throw away that diploma
Jogo muito gostinho para quem curte organização!
When I first got to the apartment, I instinctively put the toaster inside of the bathtub, which earned me a sticker to use in the photo mode of a neon green skeleton getting zapped with bolts of lightning.
I think we were making two different jokes.
I think we were making two different jokes.
Unpacking is an interesting idea. It's essentially fairly freeform puzzle game of 8 levels unpacking boxes of someone moving into different houses. It follows an unnamed woman's life through her first room as a girl, through college house sharing and relationships to a middle aged adult.
The game makes use of environmental story telling to push what is happening along, moving in with their first partner, the lack of space or compatibility etc. Without meeting or hearing about this woman you can piece together the events of her life and interests. It's a really neat idea and I liked seeing the small changes to belongings from location to location or items she has taken with her through most of her life. It does wear out it's welcome after a little bit though as I don't feel it gets quite clever enough with it's items to progress that story as it could. There are only so many piles of the same books and socks I can unbox and put on shelves or in draws without feeling like the idea ran stale. There are also some sections where the simple music just stopped leaving an odd silence as I decided where to put the yoga mat under the bed again in the next bedroom.
Still I really appreciate what a neat idea and unique game this is. I would have preferred more interactive items, close up's of photos to show things our nameless protagonist had done, new hobbies or even problems in her life to flesh it out more. What I really took from this though is if someone unpacked my things for me if I moved house what sort of person would they think I am? So much of what we own, decide to keep and how we keep them at home speaks so much about us as people. For that alone I am grateful to this short and cute little game.
+ Interesting use of environmental story telling.
+ Unique game idea.
+ Nice pixel art style.
- Runs out of steam a bit in the last couple of levels.
The game makes use of environmental story telling to push what is happening along, moving in with their first partner, the lack of space or compatibility etc. Without meeting or hearing about this woman you can piece together the events of her life and interests. It's a really neat idea and I liked seeing the small changes to belongings from location to location or items she has taken with her through most of her life. It does wear out it's welcome after a little bit though as I don't feel it gets quite clever enough with it's items to progress that story as it could. There are only so many piles of the same books and socks I can unbox and put on shelves or in draws without feeling like the idea ran stale. There are also some sections where the simple music just stopped leaving an odd silence as I decided where to put the yoga mat under the bed again in the next bedroom.
Still I really appreciate what a neat idea and unique game this is. I would have preferred more interactive items, close up's of photos to show things our nameless protagonist had done, new hobbies or even problems in her life to flesh it out more. What I really took from this though is if someone unpacked my things for me if I moved house what sort of person would they think I am? So much of what we own, decide to keep and how we keep them at home speaks so much about us as people. For that alone I am grateful to this short and cute little game.
+ Interesting use of environmental story telling.
+ Unique game idea.
+ Nice pixel art style.
- Runs out of steam a bit in the last couple of levels.
This dopey trout has three pairs of underwear and five hundred journals. What are you writing about? Swamp ass?
What's fairly interesting to me about this game is the ambient storytelling explored as you progress through the acts. What the faceless and wordless protagonist chooses to bring with her and return to as she travels through time, and the wear & tear they each experience as they cling to their passions through young adulthood. A fresh new undecorated house offering you free reign to personalise as if you've just bought a new Habbo Hotel apartment would often be preceded by a move with roommates, where the living space is shared and belongings need to be negotiated and respected. Unpacking really can be surprisingly stressful for a game that purports itself to be a zen little experience.
What ultimately holds the game back for me is the bizarre rules you're made to follow before a level counts as clear. As the last box is unfurled, red highlights activate throughout the house and they rarely ever seem to be for good reason - you can't even leave mugs on coasters.
What's fairly interesting to me about this game is the ambient storytelling explored as you progress through the acts. What the faceless and wordless protagonist chooses to bring with her and return to as she travels through time, and the wear & tear they each experience as they cling to their passions through young adulthood. A fresh new undecorated house offering you free reign to personalise as if you've just bought a new Habbo Hotel apartment would often be preceded by a move with roommates, where the living space is shared and belongings need to be negotiated and respected. Unpacking really can be surprisingly stressful for a game that purports itself to be a zen little experience.
What ultimately holds the game back for me is the bizarre rules you're made to follow before a level counts as clear. As the last box is unfurled, red highlights activate throughout the house and they rarely ever seem to be for good reason - you can't even leave mugs on coasters.
it tells its story in a way only a game can, and it is all the better for it.
This review contains spoilers
It's incredible that games are still finding new ways to tell stories. I spent several minutes frustrated when I couldn’t find a single wall that fit the protagonist's diploma after she moved in with her boyfriend. I hovered over every corner of the apartment, yet there was never enough space. I lost my patience and haphazardly clicked all around the bathroom, kitchen, living room, and bedroom. When I accidentally placed it under the bed, my jaw dropped. Hiding it there was the only solution.
That annoyance I felt translates directly into the narrative: Her boyfriend refused to rearrange for her. A symbol of her achievements was seemingly unworthy of any space on their wall. A guitar and three framed posters, probably depicting his own band, were his priority. He put his music over their relationship.
That moment makes it clear he’s just a shitty person, and rather than being told through a cutscene, Unpacking forces the player to feel her frustration first-hand. That gameplay-fueled anger redirects towards him. It's a good example of how mechanics can synergize with narrative to tell a full story.
Beyond that, many other revelations will stick with me. I smiled when learning she’s a Dungeon Master for a D&D campaign. Or that she still kept the same plushies since she was a kid. And how her passion for doodling when she was little translated into a future in the arts. Seeing the illustrations she had been making turned into a career of children’s books nearly brought me to tears. Unpacking makes a solid case that you can tell a lot about someone through the items they own, and when it works, it’s pretty cute.
But jeez, unpacking is stressful. The small scale nature is initially therapeutic, but a lot of that satisfaction surfaces when finally finishing a task. If you’re cleaning up or organizing in real life, you can enjoy the fruits of your labor afterwards. You will feel at ease in a peaceful, uncluttered environment. That sensation is euphoric.
When the only sensation of completing a chore is to jump directly onto the next, it’s just stressful. At first I was granular in my organization, sorting underwear by type, carefully arranging figures or toys on a bookshelf, and figuring out which clothing to hang or stuff in drawers based on personal favorites.
By the end, my approach was nowhere near as thoughtful. There’s only so many times you can unpack the same items until you feel like an organization conveyor belt. Finishing a level only to see the next one grow in scale made me sigh. I dreaded tackling the final location when I realized it was a two-story home with 10 rooms.
Unpacking is an excellent example of game narratives continuing to innovate. It also illustrates how mechanics can tell a story. But I didn’t particularly enjoy it, and while it will absolutely stick with me, gamified organization isn't my speed.
That annoyance I felt translates directly into the narrative: Her boyfriend refused to rearrange for her. A symbol of her achievements was seemingly unworthy of any space on their wall. A guitar and three framed posters, probably depicting his own band, were his priority. He put his music over their relationship.
That moment makes it clear he’s just a shitty person, and rather than being told through a cutscene, Unpacking forces the player to feel her frustration first-hand. That gameplay-fueled anger redirects towards him. It's a good example of how mechanics can synergize with narrative to tell a full story.
Beyond that, many other revelations will stick with me. I smiled when learning she’s a Dungeon Master for a D&D campaign. Or that she still kept the same plushies since she was a kid. And how her passion for doodling when she was little translated into a future in the arts. Seeing the illustrations she had been making turned into a career of children’s books nearly brought me to tears. Unpacking makes a solid case that you can tell a lot about someone through the items they own, and when it works, it’s pretty cute.
But jeez, unpacking is stressful. The small scale nature is initially therapeutic, but a lot of that satisfaction surfaces when finally finishing a task. If you’re cleaning up or organizing in real life, you can enjoy the fruits of your labor afterwards. You will feel at ease in a peaceful, uncluttered environment. That sensation is euphoric.
When the only sensation of completing a chore is to jump directly onto the next, it’s just stressful. At first I was granular in my organization, sorting underwear by type, carefully arranging figures or toys on a bookshelf, and figuring out which clothing to hang or stuff in drawers based on personal favorites.
By the end, my approach was nowhere near as thoughtful. There’s only so many times you can unpack the same items until you feel like an organization conveyor belt. Finishing a level only to see the next one grow in scale made me sigh. I dreaded tackling the final location when I realized it was a two-story home with 10 rooms.
Unpacking is an excellent example of game narratives continuing to innovate. It also illustrates how mechanics can tell a story. But I didn’t particularly enjoy it, and while it will absolutely stick with me, gamified organization isn't my speed.
This person is awful at packing. I've moved house more than enough times to know there is no justifiying some of the mixed boxes in this game.
there's a lot to unpack here
quaint game, short and cute. Satisfying as well. But I feel the game is too feminine. I think a sequel where you play as a man, unpacking guns and disassembling them or just setting up your living room as a chair and a tv on a milk crate, anything but having to decorate my windowsill with shiny rocks or handle tmpons and brs.
My favorite bit of storytelling is how the main character is a professional digital artist and she keeps upgrading her computer and tablets while also moving the same two boxes of Copic Markers over and over. I just know her ass ain't using those.
The highlight of Unpacking is undoubtably the way it tells its story. Without a single line of dialogue it manages to get you emotionally invested in the main character's life, and it's beautiful. This is a story that really couldn't be done, or at least not in an entertaining way, outside of the medium of games. I love when games really take advantage of the fact that they are games in order to tell a story that couldn't be told in another medium.
That being said, I did want the game to be over by the time I started the final level. The simple gameplay had been stretched thin, and I was starting to feel a bit bored. This led to me kind of rushing it in order to just be done with the game. I also really dislike the end credits song. The rest of the game has pretty good music though.
That being said, I did want the game to be over by the time I started the final level. The simple gameplay had been stretched thin, and I was starting to feel a bit bored. This led to me kind of rushing it in order to just be done with the game. I also really dislike the end credits song. The rest of the game has pretty good music though.
Mostly impressed by the people who are able to find this relaxing. If the game weren't so insistent on outlining everything in little red lines I would probably be endorsing it as a little therapeutic adventure, but as time went on I found myself just flying through the levels, taking all the shit and putting it on the floor so I could just see those red lines as quickly as possible and figure out why the MC is so damn insistent that putting the microwave 8 feet up on top of a cabinet is better than leaving it on the countertop.
I really enjoyed one or two of these, mostly the ones with the most room for creativity, but unfortunately the game is a lot more interested in providing a dump truck full of little trinkets for you to use to cobble together a story. I don't think this is inherently bad! But I had a lot more fun arranging the GF's collection of horror movie merch than I did finding spots for the horribly bland MC's collection of Eiffel Tower souvenirs. There are a handful of very obvious plot points that nobody is going to miss, but it seems that most of what people enjoy about this game is the story that they've projected onto it. There's a chapter where the main character moves in with The Worst Video Game Boyfriend of the Year who the devs tried very hard not to make "too cartoonishly terrible" and his biggest crimes are... picking an overly grayscale apartment and having hobbies that are a little too "adult Redditor"? Zero sympathy for the main character trying to hang her movie poster-sized diploma in every apartment for the next 20 years after she graduates. Under the bed is absolutely the perfect spot. These two deserve each other.
Yeah, I've pretty thoroughly soured on this game at this point, having played through the whole thing and mostly feeling like the game doesn't have a real point that it's making. Life events happen? You can tell a lot about a person through their belongings? Clutter bad? Really makes you think! I could tell you almost nothing about this person, but I know enough to find them deeply annoying. The power of games!
I really enjoyed one or two of these, mostly the ones with the most room for creativity, but unfortunately the game is a lot more interested in providing a dump truck full of little trinkets for you to use to cobble together a story. I don't think this is inherently bad! But I had a lot more fun arranging the GF's collection of horror movie merch than I did finding spots for the horribly bland MC's collection of Eiffel Tower souvenirs. There are a handful of very obvious plot points that nobody is going to miss, but it seems that most of what people enjoy about this game is the story that they've projected onto it. There's a chapter where the main character moves in with The Worst Video Game Boyfriend of the Year who the devs tried very hard not to make "too cartoonishly terrible" and his biggest crimes are... picking an overly grayscale apartment and having hobbies that are a little too "adult Redditor"? Zero sympathy for the main character trying to hang her movie poster-sized diploma in every apartment for the next 20 years after she graduates. Under the bed is absolutely the perfect spot. These two deserve each other.
Yeah, I've pretty thoroughly soured on this game at this point, having played through the whole thing and mostly feeling like the game doesn't have a real point that it's making. Life events happen? You can tell a lot about a person through their belongings? Clutter bad? Really makes you think! I could tell you almost nothing about this person, but I know enough to find them deeply annoying. The power of games!
talvez a quantidade descomunal de vezes em que passei pelo processo de mudança na vida real tenha me impedido de verdadeiramente relaxar neste divertido joguinho - contemplando (reprisando!?) questões macabras como "eu vou ter que me mudar de novo mesmo, que importa onde vou colocar esses cadernos dessa vez?" ou "quando é que vai chegar a casa que vai ser uma Casa pros meus objetos?", uuuuuu, o processo de acomodação é duro, e ressignifica à força cada uma de suas tralhas a cada organização, eu que optei pela funcionalidade nos últimos dez anos me estressei tendo que colocar tantas pelúcias em cima da cama, e a distribuição de objetos por compartimento estipula sutilmente sua relação consigo então tome cuidado pra não tirar conclusões fechadas sobre essa esteira de yoga embaixo da cama há 3 casas seguidas...
que alívio crescer, que alívio aceitar que vamos sempre nos mudar (interna e externamente), que alívio encontrar um lar; se permanente que abençoe a longuíssimo prazo nossos pertences materiais e imateriais, e se temporário que possamos aprender o suficiente pra fazer melhor no próximo! e todo dia poder deitar a cabeça em sossego porque a mudança de hoje acabou.
ps: videogames... se podem transformar em diversão uma atividade tão enfadonha como desempacotar... quais teus limites?
que alívio crescer, que alívio aceitar que vamos sempre nos mudar (interna e externamente), que alívio encontrar um lar; se permanente que abençoe a longuíssimo prazo nossos pertences materiais e imateriais, e se temporário que possamos aprender o suficiente pra fazer melhor no próximo! e todo dia poder deitar a cabeça em sossego porque a mudança de hoje acabou.
ps: videogames... se podem transformar em diversão uma atividade tão enfadonha como desempacotar... quais teus limites?
Environmental Storytelling: The Game
I am SHOCKED at the feelings that Unpacking made me feel simply by observing an invisible character's living spaces and figuring out how to fit her possessions (and her life) in there.
The game sounds absolutely amazing. A killer score informs the vibe of each transitionary period in the protag's life, but the sound design is the real star. Every item sounds different depending on where it's placed, and subconsciously gives weight to the simple choices of where to set things down.
It's a nice short game, so beat it before you read the following spoilery word vomit:
--------
- I am SO UPSET with invisible ex-boyfriend. THERE WAS NO SPACE FOR HER ART SUPPLIES, and the correct place for her degree certificate was BRUTAL
- While the protagonist exclusively had Nintendo hardware, the BF had a 360. Maybe that was the real indicator that they weren't going to work out
- When I saw the lower back medication patches I was like "aww poor baby" but when I saw the WALKING STICK/CANE I was immediately upset. Hasn't she suffered enough?!?
- The song at the end sure was... something. Like the rest of the game, the music is fantastic! But the lyrics felt like someone performing an original composition at a Junior High Talent show.
- Love that the childhood drawings became characters in a published book! But do all the extra copies mean it didn't sell very well??? Or are they just extras and it's the new "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie"??? PLEASE LET HER SUCCEED
I am SHOCKED at the feelings that Unpacking made me feel simply by observing an invisible character's living spaces and figuring out how to fit her possessions (and her life) in there.
The game sounds absolutely amazing. A killer score informs the vibe of each transitionary period in the protag's life, but the sound design is the real star. Every item sounds different depending on where it's placed, and subconsciously gives weight to the simple choices of where to set things down.
It's a nice short game, so beat it before you read the following spoilery word vomit:
--------
- I am SO UPSET with invisible ex-boyfriend. THERE WAS NO SPACE FOR HER ART SUPPLIES, and the correct place for her degree certificate was BRUTAL
- While the protagonist exclusively had Nintendo hardware, the BF had a 360. Maybe that was the real indicator that they weren't going to work out
- When I saw the lower back medication patches I was like "aww poor baby" but when I saw the WALKING STICK/CANE I was immediately upset. Hasn't she suffered enough?!?
- The song at the end sure was... something. Like the rest of the game, the music is fantastic! But the lyrics felt like someone performing an original composition at a Junior High Talent show.
- Love that the childhood drawings became characters in a published book! But do all the extra copies mean it didn't sell very well??? Or are they just extras and it's the new "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie"??? PLEASE LET HER SUCCEED
This review contains spoilers
Honestly, looking around at the boyfriend's house, no wonder it didn't work out. That man's home is just cold and oppressive. Its all too expensive and upper class. It looks like the stuff my mom thinks looks nice and my mom is way too upper class. Don't trust him.
This game is nice. I didn't really get the cozy vibes other people seemed to find though. It felt really... melancholy mostly. Playing it just put me in a deep, sad mood.
This game is nice. I didn't really get the cozy vibes other people seemed to find though. It felt really... melancholy mostly. Playing it just put me in a deep, sad mood.
This bathroom doesn't have a toilet. Yeah, no, we usually just shit in the sink and hope it goes down. Want some coffee?