Confetti’s Cozy Corner: The simple, nostalgic warmth of Unpacking
Moving is one of the most taxing, traumatic and exhausting tasks one can do. When I moved to college from my parent’s home I thought moving was nothing… because I had 2 suitcases and a bookbag. But that mentality began to change when I became a Resident Assistant [RA] and moved to different parts of campus each year. The process of moving got progressively harder and, as of last week, I finally came to realize that I hate moving and never want to do it again when I moved into my new apartment. However, packing and unpacking all my belongings and reliving memories that some of my stuff brought to mind was a warm feeling, and I was reminded of one of my favorite cozy games, Unpacking.
Unpacking is a cozy indie game that was released back in November 2021 by developer Witch Beam. The premise of the game is simple: unpack items from boxes and fit them into a new home. Players follow and unpack this unseen and unnamed protagonist at different stages of their life and it is a cozy, intimate and zen experience packed with a beautiful store and LGBTQIA+ representation.
The game begins with unpacking a child’s room. Putting various items like toys and books in places where the player sees fit. There are no wrong answers in Unpacking [usually], so unpack and place things where you feel they fit best. The puzzle like mechanics, beautiful graphics and zen music create a relaxing environment as you go through each stage from childhood all the way to retirement. Things we learn about the protagonist we are following include they love DnD, loves to sew, they are definitely queer, and adores their pink stuffed animal pig.
Unpacking has won many awards, including the Game Developers Choice Awards: Innovation Award, Best Audio, and two BAFTA Games Awards! A friend of mine thought it was amazing how the world of gaming can truly be a global experience, and not just for folks to play online. Play is something all humans can do and relate to and Unpacking for a cozy narrative experience that is wordless and storytelling done through the intimacy of unpacking someone’s belongings is unifying. Having wordless story telling and simple puzzle mechanics makes a game like Unpacking able to connect with so many audiences, cultures, communities all over the world.
There are accessibility features that Unpacking provides, which are conveniently listed on their website for folks to look over. Some accessible features include: color blindness options, the ability to play one-handed on PC, no time limits, and emphasis on reading is not required to fully experience the game. One thing I do wish is that the list of accessible features was on their Steam homepage.
While I am all moved and finally settled into my new space and extremely sore from moving boxes, I cannot say that IRL moving is as zen as presented in Unpacking. But what I can relate to both in playing the game and in real life, was all the memories and connections I have to things I have at each stage of my life. It was a warm feeling that felt like home, nostalgia and growth. Unpacking captured that intimacy and cozy vibe perfectly.
It’s unknown if an Unpacking 2 is on the horizon. If there is, I will be one of the first players to get and support it. Until that moment, Unpacking is available on Steam, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, Google Play, ioS, and the Humble Store!
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