Even small games can provide wonderful surprises years later. Now, about two years after its release, Unpack Fans are suddenly discovering a previously revealed secret mode after a TikTok video brought it back to the public's attention. The mode is called Dark Star and essentially forces players to beat the game by throwing objects on the ground instead of neatly putting them away like in the main mode.
In UnpackIn Standard mode, players complete levels by removing objects from a box and finding a suitable place to store them. For example, if you put toilet paper in the sink, the game will mark the item with a red line and you will not be able to complete the level. However, once you beat the game the normal way, you can enter Dark Star mode, where you beat each level by making sure every single item is misplaced and highlighted in red. Once a player gets rid of every item, the game rewards him with a darkened star and he can move on to the next level.
Developer Witch Beam teased Dark Star as a secret mode ahead of its official reveal, then shared a video documenting it part of an April 1st post in 2022. “So many people thought it was a fake April Fools feature until they tried it themselves,” said Tim Dawson, co-founder of Witch Beam and technical director of Unpack, told Polygon via email.
Since that official reveal, some content creators have even streamed their Dark Star runs. Still, it's clear that many fans were unfamiliar with the mode. After December 22 Witch Ray TikTok went viral, with fans sharing comments like: “THERE IS A DARK STAR MODE?!?!” and “I 100% own this game and I didn't know this!? WHAAAAT!?” Another wrote: “Dude I've beaten this game 10 times and I'm just now hearing this?!”
Dawson told Polygon that Secret Mode will allow players to find new ways to experience the game's puzzles. In the comments, several fans commented on how difficult Dark Star mode can actually be.
“I think what makes Dark Star so interesting is that at first it feels like a joke,” Dawson said. “But after a few levels it becomes clear how much work it is, and continuing can feel absurd, transgressive, or cathartic. But ultimately it's just a different way of thinking about items and how they relate to our lives and the spaces we live in, and that's what the game is about.”
Dawson also says that while the mode “started as a joke,” developers now appreciate it as an extension of the game. “Because we decided not to renew Unpack with DLC or a sequel, we often mention Dark Star mode when fans contact us asking if we want to make more levels,” he said. “In many cases it gives them a different way to experience the game.”
Personally, I think Dark Star mode speaks to the way our own media diets and specific internet bubbles can sometimes maintain a sense of surprise in a game. For Dawson, these kinds of surprises can add a sense of character to a game.
“I think secrets are what give games their personality,” he said. “They are the twinkle in the eye that suggests that these virtual worlds we spend time in might be a little bigger than you think. I think it's great that we were able to come up with a good one for it Unpack.”