[Discovering Indies] Unpacking: A most touching indie

I had to dedicate a review to one of the titles that I enjoyed the most this summer: Unpacking, a game to say the least original and, contrary to what it may seem, quite entertaining.

This game has been developed by the Witch Beam studio and the distribution has been carried out by Humble Games to bring us a new concept that I am sure many of you will love. The first and most striking thing about Unpacking is your artistic, precious style and, as they say, "that catches the eye". That's why it caught my attention as soon as I saw it. Bright, vibrant colors and different, yet somewhat familiar, settings. And I say family because, who has been lucky enough to not have to make moves in their life? This is the basic premise of this title: we will have to undo boxes and boxes of objects, souvenirs and all kinds of accessories that our protagonist has been carrying from house to house. I talk about a protagonist because that is what can be understood from the contents of the boxes, because at no point will we see her face or appearance, except in a final scene and a photo that will give us clues about her and her life.

This, however, is one of the most striking things and what I liked the most about Unpacking. I love the original narratives, where nothing is evident and it is you, with your skills as an investigative gamer, who will have to guess the story, through small details and winks that will tell you what lies ahead for this girl in her different moves. And, speaking of winks, one of my favorites has been having to go unpacking your different video game consoles and games, each one according to the time and age of the protagonist (Xbox 360, Game Cube, Wii...), because, as it could not be otherwise, she is a great fan of video games.

I know that, at first glance, Unpacking It is the typical game, as I say, "unreal." Seriously, I hate unpacking moving boxes, why would I do it for someone else? But I assure you that it is much more engaging than it may seem.. And you are always curious to discover what else is in those boxes, and, for the most perfectionist, they will love looking for the ideal place for each object and souvenir. Now, You will have to pay attention to both your new home and the different objects If you want to discover what is happening in the life of this globe-trotting gamer, well, as I have already mentioned, it is very subtle, but understandable and accessible. Moments like going to university or returning to your parents' house, scenes that are so real and that will surely make you feel identified at some point.

Its gameplay is simple but sufficient, a click and point in which almost all the objects are manipulable: you will be able to rearrange many of the things that you already find in the different rooms and adapt them to the new ones that you will position based not only on your personal taste, but also on a series of objectives that the game sets for you. Once you finish unpacking all the boxes, the game will tell you which ones are "wrongly" placed, and you will have to look for the right place that will allow you to move on to the next move. This, once again, is part of his particular narrative, when, for example, you place a photo on the cork and, however, they tell you that it is not in the right place. Then you realize that that photo and its memories may be better off in the drawer of oblivion for our girl at that moment in her life.

His soundtrack It is run by Jeff van Dyck and he will know how to accompany each of the moments of the game: happier, slower, sad... perfectly setting this very particular title, adding new instruments depending on the story and even voice for the end of the game. As a curiosity, The voice of this final song is from its creative director, Wren Brier, and is the final icing on the cake for an emotional story, with its ups and downs, that knows how to reflect the twists and turns that life takes without needing much, but enough to leave a mark. Sincerely I was left wanting more when I finished Unpacking. I remember thinking "please, I want an expansion, a DLC, something else!", but it really doesn't need it. As a small weakness, it must be recognized that it is a title clearly created for PC, and this is sometimes noticeable in the controls. Luckily, they have managed to handle this issue with the possibility of zooming to facilitate the handling of smaller objects and, in the end, it has more than outstanding controls (just because they are simple does not always mean they are good). Short-lived and, for achievement and platinum hunters, more than accessible and also easy and fun to complete 100%.

As conclusion, I would recommend not getting carried away by its aesthetics, which may seem frivolous and even childish to many, because behind it it has a story full of feelings, which reflects real life full of changes and good and bad moments. Give this title a chance and Enjoy it calmly, without rushing, admiring every detail created with so much love. and that some other surprise awaits at the end.