Unpacking: Abstract Storytelling at its Finest
Anyone who has ever moved knows how stressful, daunting and mundane the entire process can be, it pretty much saps any excitement out of why you are moving in the first place. However, as usual with video games, even the most mundane tasks can become relaxing and satisfying; this is where Witchbeam’s 2021 hit, Unpacking, excels. A seemingly simple puzzle game that involves taking items out of boxes and placing them results in a relaxing yet enchanting game that went on to win awards at Bafta and D.I.C.E. On top of the charming gameplay, there is also a story spanning 21 years (1997-2018), that has left a bigger impact on me than almost any other game; all this being achieved without a single piece of dialogue.
As stated earlier the gameplay consists of taking items out and placing them, which is really it as far as gameplay is concerned. There isn’t even a tutorial as the gameplay mechanics consist of moving your mouse cursor over an item, clicking to pick the item up, and clicking once again to place that item. And as basic as this sounds, it makes for an incredibly satisfying gameplay loop that takes all the stress out of moving and makes for a zen experience. The gameplay is not the only thing that contributes to this experience, with the cutesy visuals, an excellent warm and comforting soundtrack from composer Jeff van Dyck, and satisfying sound design all complementing one another to make a cohesive experience. Even small details, such as the box art on the video games you unpack being based on real counterparts, add to the overall immersion of the game. 
Source: Game Rant
The game consists of 8 distinct levels spanning from a childhood bedroom to college dorms, to moving away from home and in with friends and partners. Unpacking does its best to emulate the real moves one might have made in their own life and the feelings that came with those moves; in my opinion, it succeeds with flying colours. To preface, I went into my first playthrough without really knowing much about this game other than its basic premise and that the visuals were appealing. It was not until I was on the fourth level that I realised that this game was even telling a story and from that point, my investment and enjoyment of this game increased exponentially.
Major Spoilers Ahead
The fourth level, in my mind, is up there with The Witcher 3’s Ugly Baby as one of the best video game quests/levels of all time. The level sees the character/protagonist move into her boyfriend’s apartment in the city, this being the first time they have lived with a partner. This should be an exciting time for the character but the player quickly discovers that there is no room to put any of the protagonist’s belongings. The partner has made zero space for the protagonist to the point that there are multiple Reddit threads asking for help on this level. You, as the player, literally have to move the boyfriend’s items by an inch or two in the hopes that the items you are unpacking can squeeze in. The lack of space and visually apparent lack of effort on the boyfriend’s part gives the player a glance into the protagonist’s broken and one-sided relationship, you sit there genuinely feeling stressed out and angry for a protagonist you have never seen. This pity comes to a head when you pull a college diploma out of a moving box. You click around from room to room looking for space on the wall but you cannot find any, eventually, you figure out that the only place that the game lets you put it is under the bed. The protagonist’s biggest achievement to date has been stored away. The sound design is brilliant here, when you put the diploma away the usually jovial and relaxing music abruptly stops, leaving you to recognise the significance of this seemingly small action.
Source: Unpacking Wiki
Unpacking is a game that could have stood up on its own with just its satisfying and relaxing game mechanics, visuals and music. However, it furthers the experience with an admittedly simple story but one that is delivered in the most unique of ways. Unpacking trusts that it can emulate the real human emotions that come with such a significant event as moving; using those emotions to take the player on an endearing ride with the protagonist and their story.
