One Move Away

TLDR: I would only recommend this game if you play to only get 1 or 2 stars per level and don't care for achievement hunting. Because that is the only way this game can be considered "cozy" and "relaxing". This is not a cozy or relaxing game if you want to 3-star a level/want to achievement hunt. It's more akin to ragebait with how you can't move items if they're stuck or get glitched into each other, which can disqualify you from obtaining certain achievements for particular levels (i'm staring at you Cam 2014). Another reason for my frustration is because all package items are 100% solid with no give. Plushies, slippers, bags, etc all have the same stiffness as a cardboard box or appliance (fridge, washing machine, etc). I would get incredibly irritated when a items can clearly be molded to fit a smaller space bc the items is malleable irl but not in this game. I understand why these items can't be malleable, it's just very annoying. I'm also not pleased with how vague some of the achievement descriptions are. I wish the devs made a guide or a in-game way to elaborate the requirements for some of the achievements (ex. for Cam 2014, i didn't realize I couldn't manipulate the items AT ALL or it disqualifies you for the achievement. I thought that if I returned it to it's original form, it would be fine For Ahmed 2016, what constitutes keeping all 3 sofa parts connected? There was no prompt to stack or attach the sofa parts together so I set them next to each other and didn't get the achievement ). The only reason why I continue to play this game is because I enjoy solving puzzles and achievement hunting, even when they make me ragequit from how frustrating the mechanics are. I think a game marketed as "cozy" and "relaxing" shouldn't make it's players feel so frustrated and irritated.

other games have done what this one tries to do far better and without nearly as much jank and frustration, i dont know how they had fun or relaxed when playtesting it

To be honest, I didn't expect to like this game as much as I do. After all, how much "fun" is it to pack things away? Turns out, it's a lot of fun. The objects used make for a puzzling experience, and the (somewhat) janky physics add an extra challenge. The levels of difficulty also provide a scaled experience based on your commitment to shoving as much stuff as you can into a limited space. I don't know how, but there's always this feeling of "never going to happen" at the beginning of each level until you of course make it happen. There's also a bit of humor and wonderful world building as you examine what each character considers important enough to move and take with them. (Some of these items I found hilariously questionable.) The character arcs end up interacting with each other in a delightful way, meaning your choices in packing may come back to haunt you. Those of you dedicated enough to playing this sort of "fancy Tetris" will find more challenges in the achievements, expanding the notion of how you tackle each scenario. I hope the developers come out with more in the future. My main critique is that the games lacks a certain level of polish overall. There's inconsistency when it comes to using the "attach" and "throw" feature, serving only specific levels when they could be used throughout. There's also an inconsistency with the background music; some levels have a pleasant tune throughout, while others are nothing but distant wind. Bottom line, this game is surprisingly engaging and had me hooked for hours the first time I played it. If however, you have the patience of an angry sunburned dad on a Disney vacation, I recommend a different game. Either way, good luck. 6/10