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.