Game Review: Unpacking Demo

Unpacking is a little game that popped up on my Twitter timeline a few months ago and I had somewhat forgotten about it until recently. Due to it being the PAX Online weekend, Witch Beam released a special demo via Steam for players to check out.

“Unpacking is a zen puzzle game about the familiar experience of pulling possessions out of boxes and fitting them into a new home. Part “item Tetris”, part home decoration, you are invited to create a satisfying living space while learning clues about the life you’re unpacking. Over the course of eight house moves, you are given a chance to experience a sense of intimacy with a character you never see and a story you’re never told.” –Witch Beam

I was excited to take a look at the demo and see what the game was all about. With the demo installed, I loaded it up and jumped straight in. It was incredibly easy to get started and understand the controls. Even from the start, I loved the look of the game, the art style, and all the little details that I was finding in all of the objects.

The first level that I was given was a small bedroom from the early nineties. Full of nostalgia it took me back to when I was growing up. Unpacking each of the boxes was incredibly relaxing and finding a location for each item was easy. It didn’t come across that there was a right or wrong way of placing the items and there was plenty of freedom to put them where you wanted. I completed the first level and then progressed onto the second level of the demo.

Level two was split into three different rooms where you had a number of boxes to unpack between a kitchen, bathroom, and, bedroom. With more rooms and more boxes, it meant that things were a bit more challenging and that I needed to be a little creative with where I placed some of the items. It was great fun trying to figure out where to put everything and then matching up different items that needed to go together.

While the Unpacking demo only contained two levels it was a great insight to see how the game was progressing and to get an idea of the game itself. Unlike unpacking and moving house in real life, I found it somewhat relaxing and therapeutic unpacking all the different items in a virtual world.

Although Unpacking isn’t due to be released until next year, I’m definitely going to be following the game’s development over the next few months as well as looking forward to playing the game in full when it is released.