Unwording Xbox Series X Review 8.5/10 "A word-based puzzle game with an emotional core" 🧠 @frostwood_int #IndieGame #GameDev

Word-based puzzlers are big hits in our household here at the Welsh branch of The Mighty GF, and so I always get a mite excited when one pops up on our radar. What makes Unwording a little different is the mental health focused aspect of the narrative, as described by the developer:

Unwording is a short but powerful exploration of overcoming negative self-talk. Solve word puzzles, explore the neighbourhood through multiple perspectives, and help Tom have a better day through a challenging yet cathartic experience.I won’t spoil the narrative here, but Unwording is set in the day in the life of a character called Tom, a person who tends to see the negative in everything around him. The game begins with its visuals presented in a pencil sketch format, but soon morph into other styles that reflect the narrative progression. 

As we move Tom around, we find that he can interact with certain items in the environment that are reflected in the core gameplay – word-based cubes that can be flipped and rotated to spell out sentences that reflect Tom’s mindset and emotional approach to said object or situation. 

This isn’t a heavy-duty, sledgehammer approach to the more fragile states of mental health though, and the subject is tastefully approached and presented, backed-up by the simple, lilting gameplay and calming music.

An absolute bargain at its current price, Unwording is a creation of love from a solo developer that – from what I’ve read – is surprised at how their creation has resonated with so many.

SUMMARY

This is a little gem to be discovered and celebrated, with the balancing of narrative and wordplay making for a unique little experience.

8.5/10

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