Not all domestic narratives are told best in words. Witch Beam Games’ award-winning Unpacking (2021) is a domestic game where players get to know the unseen protagonist not by listening to her speak or meeting her on-screen, but by unpacking her house each time she moves. The demo you can play here depicts the first room, her childhood bedroom, which lays the foundation for her values and interests.
In each new house, the player can choose where to put the toys, mementos and furniture that come out of each moving box – but you have no control over what she chooses to pack. Each new moving box reveals more about the character as she grows up. Through this immersive story, you develop a deeper understanding of her values, giving us a clear portrait of the character not by being told, but by experiencing her relationship with domestic space.