Unpacking (my feelings)

I didn’t realize what I was getting into.

I had seen friends play the Unpacking demo and thought that it looked cute enough, but wasn’t sure if it was for me. I hate the process of packing and unpacking- a lot. 2020 was the first year since 2012 that I hadn’t had to pack or unpack at least some of my possessions as I moved around to different spots. Some of my stuff from my undergraduate years is still in boxes in my parent’s garage, doomed to wait until I find a new place for it or release it to someone else. After that, and recently helping my older sister pack and unpack her apartment (where she’d also lived for about 8 years), I was tired of it.

But then, I watched CalamityDarling play the beginning of the game on their stream. And something about it made me want to play it for myself. So I picked up my Switch Lite and bought the game- I’m so happy that I did.

The Game

Video of PizzaYeti’s attempt at unpacking items in the game

For those who haven’t seen the game just yet, Unpacking is legitimately about unpacking boxes. That’s the entire concept of the game. But, it’s not all the game is. Unpacking is an excellent example of how to tell a story just using an environment. In the game, you get the chance to follow the path of the main character as they grow up by unpacking different spaces. You start in what looks like a childhood bedroom, usher them off to what appears to be college, and so on. I’m not going to get into too much detail past that, because I truly think you should get to experience the story on your own.

Each space teaches you something about that particular moment in the main character's life. Sometimes it’s the excitement of entering a new stage of life, like moving into a college dorm. Other times, it’s seeing some red flags in a relationship when you realize that the person you moved in with didn’t actually make any space for you. And this is all done with only about 9 lines of dialogue in the entire game. It’s honestly wild how much story the developers were able to convey just by unpacking the contents of boxes.

Music accompanies you through the journey. It’s always balancing just being loud enough to keep you company, while not overpowering what’s happening in the room. The art style is great, giving just enough detail to bring in feelings of nostalgia. It’s worth picking up to play just to experience the way that the devs tell this story. I’ll also add that it’s a great break from the chaos and often violent games that a lot of us play. Unpacking is almost a sort of palate cleanser that leaves you wanting more games with beautiful stories. Overall, it's a great game. I loved it.

Spoilers for the game below. Proceed at your own risk

Image looks into the main character’s living room, a couple boxes still unpacked. With a mannequin dressed in a white and orange dress. Screenshot from the Unpacking Press Kit

Unpacking is also, occasionally, a gut punch. I related with the main character’s story a lot at times. I, too, had to move back in with my parents after finishing school. My room also felt a lot smaller when I returned. It also made me feel like I had to shrink, that I needed to return to a person that hadn’t changed since I moved out in 2012. And that’s not a great feeling.

Image features the title of the game, Unpacking, with a partially unpacked box in the middle. There is a pink pig stuffed animal coming out of the box. Image from the Unpacking Press Kit

I love my parents- I’m incredibly thankful for the relationship that I have with them, and that I even had the option to move back in after grad school. But it doesn’t always feel like I can fully be me because I’m back in the room that I grew up in. Unpacking brought a lot of those feelings back up. But I’m thankful for that. Because the game also gives a lot of hope that you can move forward past moments like this. The character lives a life that they are proud of at the end and that’s my hope for all of us.

May we all get the chance to move in the direction that we choose, not the one that is chosen for us. May we be dedicated to the crafts that we love, and find ways to support ourselves while we do it. May we have the chance to look back on life and be proud of what we have done. And may we be able to rest while we are doing it.

I’m definitely in my feels after playing this game, but it’s a good thing. I’m hoping that one day I’ll be able to sit back and say, "I’m doing what makes me happy, what makes me feel fulfilled". I want that for you, too. I hope that we can all walk more confidently towards our dreams. Thank you to Witch Beam studios for helping me continue to process what life looks like moving forward. Y’all did something brilliant here, and I am better for it.