Need a packet?
- August 20, 2018
- Marginal act
Get on Steam"Need a Packet?" is a horror-simulator that follows Molly, a supermarket cashier losing her sanity due to monotonous work. She perceives her cash register as a medieval tower with dragons and chimeras. The game takes place amid a city's garbage crisis, with contaminated water, disappearing citizens, and forests filled with dangers. Gameplay includes calmer moments at Molly's house, reading news, watching streams, and shopping, contrasted with frantic, fast-paced bullet hell segments during Molly's commute to work.
Mac OS
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Playstation 5
Windows
PlayStation
Playstation Vita
Reviews
- The game offers a unique and surreal experience that can be intriguing for players who enjoy bizarre narratives and artistic expression.
- The gameplay mechanics, such as switching between cashier duties and defending against demons, provide a challenging and engaging experience.
- The visuals and soundtrack are compelling, contributing to the overall atmosphere and enhancing the player's immersion in the game.
- The game feels unfinished and lacks a clear tutorial, making it difficult for new players to understand the mechanics and objectives.
- There are numerous bugs and issues with controls, including unresponsive clicks and frustrating hitboxes that hinder gameplay.
- The narrative is often incoherent and lacks substantial depth, leaving players confused about the purpose and direction of the game.
- gameplay9 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The gameplay is described as disjointed and challenging, with a notable exclusion of core mechanics like bullet hell, which may alienate players seeking an easier experience. While the mechanics of switching between mundane tasks and combat against demons add some interest, the overall experience can feel monotonous and repetitive, focusing more on the narrative of insanity than on engaging gameplay.
“The mechanics are interesting too, switching between being a cashier and giving packets to people, and defending the transport you take to work against giant demons and the like, it all gets progressively more difficult as the game goes on.”
“Insane, called so because you are seemingly going insane, is the actual story and gameplay.”
“I really wanted to like this game, but what gameplay is there is difficult and disjointed.”
“But ultimately, having it in a way where it's a completely different experience and eliminating a core gameplay mechanic (the bullet hell), it just feels like whoever needs, or simply just wants to play the easier mode, is being excluded, you know?”
“Gameplay-wise, you show up for work, you do your repetitive job, you go home, and you try to figure out how to spend what little money you made.”
- graphics5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Need a Packet" are praised for their compelling and innovative artwork, featuring a unique aesthetic reminiscent of "Papers Please" with intentionally muted colors and memorable character designs. While most visuals are consistent, some elements, like text, may appear slightly out of place, but this does not detract significantly from the overall experience.
“The visuals were so compelling that I had to come and try it out myself.”
“So far, Need a Packet is a challenging game, with great artwork and music, and a compelling story!”
“It's innovative, artistic, and the aesthetic is up my alley.”
“Aesthetically, the game also looks somewhat like 'Papers, Please' with its intentionally drab colors and memorable customer faces.”
“Most of this artwork is pretty consistent, with the occasional element looking a little out of place, such as text, but overall it's not a problem.”
- story3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The story of "Need a Packet" is described as compelling and challenging, with elements that suggest a descent into madness, aligning with its title "Insane." Players anticipate a unique narrative experience that diverges from the themes explored in "Papers, Please," hinting at unexpected twists and engaging storytelling.
“I haven't finished the game yet, but so far, 'Need a Packet' is a challenging game with great artwork and music, and a compelling story!”
“Insane, called so because you are seemingly going insane, is the actual story and gameplay.”
“Based on the description and screenshots on the 'Need a Packet' Steam page, we can tell some crazy stuff is on the horizon and that it's likely to deviate in its conveyed story from what 'Papers, Please' was looking to do.”
“The story feels disjointed and lacks a coherent narrative, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“Character development is shallow, leaving players with little emotional investment in the plot.”
“The plot twists are predictable and fail to deliver the excitement that was promised.”
- music2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised, with users highlighting its awesomeness and its contribution to the overall experience, alongside the game's challenging gameplay and compelling story.
“I haven't finished the game yet, but so far 'Need a Packet' is a challenging game, with great artwork and music, and a compelling story!”
“Or maybe the awesome soundtrack this game has.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -300 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The atmosphere is effectively portrayed as a dreary descent that conveys an important anti-pollution message, though some users feel it lacks a sense of weight or heaviness.
“The atmosphere is incredibly immersive, drawing you into a world that feels both haunting and beautiful.”
“The game masterfully creates a sense of tension and unease, making every moment feel significant.”
“The environment is rich with detail, enhancing the overall mood and making the experience unforgettable.”
“I think it does a good job of displaying a descent from what I've seen, though the atmosphere is dreary and holds an important message about anti-pollution, it doesn't exactly feel heavy, you know.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been criticized for being poor, with many users noting that while the concept is promising, it suffers from significant bugs and incoherence that detract from the overall experience.
“Good idea executed into a buggy, incoherent mess.”
