A Storied Life: Tabitha

Regardless of what you specifically look for in a cosy game, there’s a little something for everyone here. Even with my nitpicks, I’m unlikely to forget the stories I pieced together to tell Tabitha’s life story anytime soon.

It's beautifully presented, and the puzzle of packing boxes is mildly satisfying. But A Storied Life: Tabitha lets itself down in its storytelling, which is little more than a messy headache of ideas. If you were hoping for something to rival Unpacking, this isn't it.

A Storied Life: Tabitha offers a formula that unfortunately should work better than it does in practice. Players become stuck between creatively crafting Tabitha’s life only to end up with a nonsensical outcome or adhering to a rigid, predetermined path, resulting in a better ending but less joyous experience. Even still, there are some delightful puzzling elements within this short, bite-sized experience that is really exquisitely presented. I enjoyed A Storied Life: Tabitha despite its shortcomings, but it didn’t tug on the heartstrings as I perhaps expected it might.

A Storied Life: Tabitha is, without a doubt, a charming game, even with its somewhat heavy subject. While part of life, the topic of death and what we leave behind is never easy. Still, the game manages the topic with grace. It turns something heartbreaking into something positive, showing that we always leave something behind in the relationships we forge and the people who love us. If you are in the mood for a thoughtful and wholesome narrative puzzle game, I urge you to try A Storied Life: Tabitha. I think there’s no reason you won’t like it as much as I did.

A Storied Life: Tabitha tells a personal tale about the titular character as you complete her memoir using a unique combination of packing gameplay and a Mad Libs approach to storytelling.

A Storied Life: Tabitha is a short but surprisingly powerful experience.