I first saw Summer Unpacked last November when it first released, but for whatever reason, I didn’t get it straight away. Perhaps it seemed odd playing a summer-themed game at the start of winter (and to be honest, with all the heatwaves last year, I was kind of done with summer by then!) I decided to leave it, but recently, I changed my mind. Perhaps playing Softly Placed, a similar puzzle game, persuaded me to give it a go. Plus, Summer Unpacked was on sale for £1.80, so I figured why not? When compared to Softly Placed, is Summer Unpacked worth getting?
Summer Unpacked is now available exclusively on Nintendo Switch for $12.99
Story – A Couple in Love on Vacation
Unlike Softly Placed, Summer Unpacked does in fact have some kind of story. It’s not heavy on the narrative. It’s more of a backdrop than anything, a theme to go with the various puzzles.
All the puzzles in Summer Unpacked has a vacation theme, but more than that, it has two characters who keep appearing in different puzzles. These are a man and woman couple. They don’t have names, or in the strictest sense have a story to follow. They’re simply a couple enjoying a vacation, but it’s sweet. It gives all the puzzles a bit more of a narrative other than just a random collection of puzzles, and there’s something quite heartwarming following a loving couple on their vacation.
Although the primary focus in Summer Unpacked is the puzzles, I did appreciate that there was at least some form of narrative to go along with it. We didn’t necessarily need to have it, but it was good to have it there regardless.
Gameplay – Puzzling Puzzles
Now we’ll talk about the key focus of Summer Unpacked: the puzzles! There are 32 altogether, varying in difficulty and the type of puzzle. They’re pretty much the sort of puzzles you can expect from a cozy puzzle game like this: sorting, rearranging, putting items in the right places, pairing, etc.
As Summer Unpacked has a vacation theme, the puzzles naturally do as well. These can include packing a suitcase, ice cream combinations, rearranging Greek jugs, completing intricate mosaics, placing magnets on a fridge, putting sunscreen bottles in order, etc.
Nothing says “vacation” like packing a suitcase.
Challenging-Yet-Satisfying
Although Summer Unpacked has less puzzles to do than Softly Placed, 32 compared to 40, arguably, I found the puzzles in Summer Unpacked much more challenging. For one thing, you are given little in the way of guidance. You might get some clues as to how to solve it. However, for the most part, it’s down to you to figure them out. This may be frustrating, but I actually appreciate the challenge of having to work it out without being handheld. It makes finally solving the puzzles that more satisfying.
Saying this, some of the puzzles seemed almost impossible to solve. One notorious example involves a place setting including coffee, cookies, and drinks. I just cannot for the life of me figure it out – and apparently, neither can other players, based on looking online for the answer. There must be some logic in there, but I simply cannot see it. I feel somewhat compelled to one day conquer it. It cannot be impossible to solve!
Despite the puzzles being challenging, I did find them very satisfying to work through. Playing this in the middle of winter, I felt that I had been whisked away on vacation to some hot sunny destination, which is probably the whole point.
Don’t get me started on this puzzle. I will solve it one day though!
Graphics & Audio – Take Me Back to Summer
Like many cozy puzzle games, Summer Unpacked has cozy imagery and music to match. Furthermore, it has a wonderfully-relaxing vacation theme that will whisk you away to a hot summery destination.
Summer Unpacked has a soft and subtle, cute and cartoony art style that perfectly suits the game. Everything is clearly displayed. There’s never any confusion on what you’re looking at or what’s presented. This is especially useful when you’re trying to solve a puzzle.
The music for Summer Unpacked is good too, although it does get a tad repetitive and even annoying at times, despite perfectly matching the theme and style of the game. This might be because you’re busy trying to get past a puzzle and figure out a solution while exotic upbeat music plays on. Nevertheless, it does do the job of further placing you in the vacation setting.
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- This lovely couple appear throughout the puzzles as our main characters.
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- The puzzles have a fitting vacation theme to make you long for your own getaway.
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- While the puzzles can be tricky, they are at least attractive to look at.
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- There’s nothing more relaxing than a trip to the spa to pamper yourself.
Summer Unpacked was reviewed on Nintendo Switch.
