Unpacking Reviews
Offering a beautiful canvas to work with, Unpacking is a calm and tactile little sim about something most of us would usually dislike.
Unpacking uses its simple, satisfying puzzle gameplay to tell a moving story about the things we take with us.
Unpacking is a relaxing puzzle game that encourages you to reflect and move forward.
Unpacking is real gem that deserves a wide audience. It is short, but the sheer love and care put into the entire game shines through at every turn and the careful balance achieved between freedom and restriction ensures satisfaction without frustration. Add in a wonderfully realised and intimate narrative that makes brilliant use of the values we place upon objects and you have an indie game that should find a place in your collection.
As someone who generally hates sorting things out and often leaves boxes out for weeks at a time, I can say that Unpacking is a much better experience than the real thing. If only actual unpacking could be such a calm exercise.
Unpacking is a satisfying, gorgeous and unexpectedly emotional dive into moving house and the importance of our possessions. This game simply must be played.
This compact little puzzle-story-game has care in every line. It tells a lovely story without words, leaves you room for interpretation, and invites you to be playful. It's absolutely lovely.
Two decades of house moves are condensed into one relaxing puzzle as you help the narrator to unpack – and unpick her life in the process
But then… how much did it cost to go to the movies last time you went? Do you remember what you saw? Unpacking is going to stick with me at least as hard as the latest superhero movie I saw, and it’s going to make the next time I need to look for a new place that much more tolerable. Maybe even fun. I enjoyed the brief time I spent with Unpacking, and I’m not going to stop thinking about it before my next move.
Cute, charming, and surprisingly satisfying, Unpacking scratches an itch that no other game attempts. But it's also too bossy for its own good at times.
Unpacking is a zen and satisfying experience, but it's much more than just a game with minimalist but oh so effective gameplay. Without a word, without an image, the title manages to tell the intimate and touching story of a woman over the most significant moments of her life.
Review in French | Read full review
Quote not yet availablThe game nails absolutely everything it sets out to accomplish, with the exception of maybe the controls. While the cursor system functions adequately on a controller, the title is definitely better suited to a mouse and keyboard. Additionally, placing items behind other objects or trying to tuck them into corners will very often be uncooperative. But these are minor obstacles on the way to enjoying such a uniquely wonderful game.e
Unpacking is like wrapping yourself in a warm blanket as you gently watch the years roll away in front of you. Though much too short, the relatively brief experience that you'll have with deconstructing the emotional narrative of characters that you'll never see via its block fitting puzzles, cements the fact that Unpacking won't quickly be forgotten and will be an experience that you'll likely go back to time and again whenever you need a precious smidgen of soul affirmation
For such a small game, the meaning and intent behind it is large. It made me think of all the things I’d had to leave behind between moves, especially after moving from a small town to a big city. As you progress, you’ll note some stuff that isn’t there in the later moves despite being there for the first couple. There’s also something inherently intimate about moving someone’s belongings around. It’s not just general things like clothing, cookware and more, but also toiletries and undergarments, it just feels more real. If you’ve had a long day and just want to play a fun laidback game or if you like organizing things or if you need a moment of self-reflection, Unpacking is a wonderful game that really needs more recognition and love.
From the tiniest details in each item to the massive story told through simple gameplay, Unpacking is a fantastic indie game. The relaxing gameplay and chill music create a nice getaway experience. It's easy to disappear into Unpacking and complete the entire game in one playthrough, but the experience is so satisfying that players will want to do it again and again.
Unpacking is a jewel, one of those video games able to leave its mark thanks to their extreme simplicity, and the ability they have to communicate themselves and their stories through gameplay, without disturbing words.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Engaging, relaxing, cathartic, Unpacking turns a laborious real-life exercise into a beautiful experience. Undoing the boxes at every stage of the main character's life provides a nice sense of accomplishment.
Review in French | Read full review
Unpacking manages to do several things very well, all at the same time. It's a touching story told through interaction, it provides the creative play space of a great dollhouse game, and it deftly applies established game design ideas from completely different genres. Its only real shortcoming is the repetition that is a necessary byproduct of landing its message. Effort has gone into making the controls satisfying on Switch, and the visual and sound design are delightful throughout, making Unpacking, like any sane person's cutlery, absolutely top-drawer.