A Storied Life: Tabitha begins with a familiar cosy setup; an elderly relative has passed away, leaving you their North Yorkshire estate to sort through. Your task is simple on paper: decide what to keep, sell, or recycle. But it doesn’t take long to realise there’s more going on beneath the pastel surface.
READ MORE: A Storied Life: Tabitha — Unpacking But In Reverse
While clearing the house, you uncover a Memoir filled with redacted secrets. To complete it, you’ll need to collect specific items and slot the correct words into place, slowly piecing together Tabitha’s story. And based on what I saw in the demo, it’s not all tea and scones.
As a huge fan of Unpacking, this initially felt like a flipped version of that formula — instead of unpacking a life, you’re dismantling one. But A Storied Life: Tabitha layers in mystery, light strategy, and a slightly sinister undertone that had me far more intrigued than I expected.
Misty Watercoloured Memories
The demo offers two modes: Cosy and Relaxed. Cosy is the default experience with light challenge, while Relaxed sounds… less challenging, I suppose? You can switch between them at any time in the settings, which is a thoughtful touch.
Visually, the game feels like crayons and pastels meeting watercolours. The soft palette is easy on the eyes and oddly calming. Early on, you unlock a record player that plays gentle background tracks — including a soothing rendition of Scarborough Fair — which fits beautifully with the North Yorkshire setting.
It’s tranquil. Almost too tranquil.
Built To Be Replayed
Some items are cleverly hidden behind others, encouraging you to shift objects around and inspect every corner. The Memoir can’t always be completed in one go, as you’ll need to keep certain key items — but box space is limited. Choosing what makes the cut becomes a puzzle in itself.
I found myself replaying chapters multiple times to optimise my packing and uncover more clues. It feels intentionally designed for repetition, and I suspect the full game will reward careful experimentation.
READ MORE: New game Chef of Sherwood is Cooking Mama meets Robin Hood
The demo features three non-chronological chapters, likely to avoid spoilers while showcasing different mechanics. One introduces packing tools that help protect fragile items or even shrink objects to save space. Anything you don’t keep contributes to a holiday fund. Not much was revealed about this in the demo, so we’ll have to wait for launch to find out.
Then there was the moment I auctioned off a stolen item. That reveal reframed everything. Suddenly, this wasn’t just about sorting an old woman’s belongings — it was about uncovering a life that may have been far more complicated (and possibly criminal) than expected.
By the end of the demo, I was fully hooked and determined to uncover all of Tabitha’s secrets. Thankfully, there’s not long to wait.
You can download A Storied Life: Tabitha’s demo on Steam now ahead of its April 14th release.
