12/10/2023 0 Comments Unpacking game nintendo switch reviewIts repetitive actions don't become monotonous but instead allow players to engage more deeply with places and objects. Unpacking is the perfect meditative reflection on moving and organizing and how acquired things and spaces tell our stories. But ultimately, these moments make the joy of the rest of the game stand out even stronger. Some of the smaller objects can be hard to identify, too, and players must guess at where unidentifiable knick-knacks should go. At points, this can be frustrating - players accustomed to assuming that a potholder hangs on a wall or oven door may take some time to figure out they belong in drawers. Finding the right location to progress to unpacking the next house provides a feeling of accomplishment, Unpacking's equivalent of leveling up. Certain objects do belong in particular locations, which aren't always intuitive. ![]() RELATED: Rogue Lords Is a Devilish but Overly Complex Evolution of Slay the Spireīut Unpacking isn't always totally zen - there are moments of minor strife in the game. ![]() It also means that Unpacking is a game for any type of player. This attention to accessibility led Unpacking to win the Excellence in Accessibility award at the Australian Game Developer Awards. The controls can also be entirely remapped, colors can be changed and no gameplay cues are presented in audio-only, allowing for adaptable gameplay. The controls are simple, requiring only one click and no drag-and-drop, which makes them easy to integrate into different interfaces, like touch. The ease of play leads to one of the most interesting aspects of Unpacking: its emphasis on accessibility. These little touches of usability play into Unpacking's meditative nature, preventing the gameplay and problem-solving from revolving around figuring what buttons to use or requiring one-off commands for placing an item on a hook. Placing a towel near a hook unfolds it and hangs it neatly while placing a folded dress near a hanger sets it hanging. The game provides a simple rotation option in one plane, but if you place books near a bookshelf, they stand up on their own to easily arrange them all spines out. Unpacking also makes placing and orienting objects incredibly easy. Doors can be accidentally blocked by open drawers or items, contributing to the feeling of chaos in the moving process. Boxes appear to have less packing material as players empty them of items. Other simple environmental cues contribute to the cohesive polish of Unpacking. It breaks reality but is a good design choice for the game - as the shelves and drawers become more cluttered, the floor space frees up. When a box has been completely emptied, it folds itself up and disappears instead of piling up to be dealt with later. There's a little bit of magic to Unpacking, too. The visual and musical stylings are a perfect complement to Unpacking's meditative nature and help to truly set the scene for the gameplay. Accompanied by a memorable score, the overall aesthetic of Unpacking is unassuming - just a pleasant little jaunt through rooms past. The charming game is given a hint of nostalgia with its intentional low-res graphics, rendering every object in pixelated glory. RELATED: How Indie Game Mad Streets Brings Mario Party's Madness to Beat 'em Up Gameplay Considering the real-life act is burdensome and often stressful, Unpacking presents a pleasant alternative where every item has a place and the player has all the time in the world to find it. The process becomes almost meditative instead of repetitive. ![]() There are no time limits, giving players a chance to explore the rooms they're unpacking and experiment with where they place things. The end result is a puzzle game with low stakes, but that feels like it truly builds. Unpacking art supplies tells the player something about this protagonist, and the shared spaces move from minimalist and pristine into charmingly cluttered with personality. The spaces themselves tell a coming-of-age story of changing relationships, while the unpacked objects spell out interests and priorities. But the organization mechanic is embedded into an overarching narrative as the player unpacks a bedroom, then a dorm room, then a series of apartments. This basic gameplay of arranging clutter and creating order out of chaos is the main mechanic of Unpacking, and it would be fun enough on its own.
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