Unpacking Review : Effortlessly Economical Storytelling
Unpacking combines artfully simplistic puzzle gameplay with a narrative so confidently delivered that it accomplishes in four hours what some games can’t do with dozens.
Unpacking combines artfully simplistic puzzle gameplay with a narrative so confidently delivered that it accomplishes in four hours what some games can’t do with dozens.
Sable is one of the most introspective, beautiful and captivatingly written games I’ve played all year.
It would be easy to dismiss Lake as another example of the “Pastoral Saviour” genre, akin to Animal Crossing/Stardew Valley. A stressed city slicker takes a break and goes out to the country to find themselves, their love and reset their life. They fix their life, and bring a little modern culture back to the boonies. You know this plot, because it’s also every other Hallmark movie. But that would be doing Lake a disservice. Because it is sort of that, but presented so beautifully and interrogated in such a meaningful way that it’s hard not to fall for the quiet pines and placid Lake.
Townscaper is a thoughtful small scale city builder that understands the small details are the most important thing to get right.
Twelve Minutes is a time loop thriller that doesn’t hold together as a mystery, a narrative or in some ways as a game.
Road 96 is a structurally interesting road trip indie game, with a deeply political narrative, slightly muddied by trying to do too much.
Last Stop is almost everything I want from narrative games. An anthology of well presented short stories, each with a solid thematic throughline. It falters slightly with the wrapper story that the whole game comes in, but the experience is a delight for the most part.
Adios is a remarkably uncomplicated game in scope. 90 minutes of conversation and inhabiting a space as a gangster tries to convince the farmer not to give up working for the mob.
NUTS is a superb example of how a single well executed mechanic can mean an indie game punches well above it’s weight.
Singular in intent and action, Carrion sees the monster of the story take revenge on so many men. An interesting take on the idea of reverse horror, if not an entirely successful one.