Instants Scrapbooking Game Relies on Context Clues and Logic

Unpacking set something of a trend with cozy puzzle games by offering ambient storytelling as we engaged in activities, and Instants builds on that in a similar way by adding scrapbooking to the mix. We’re organizing things yet again. However, this time it involves logic puzzles that requiring finding the correct order of events for images to create a chronologically correct scrapbook. How much you get out of the experience depends on the investment you put into it.

While Unpacking leaves character identities and finer details up in the air, we’re more certain of who we are and what’s going on in the puzzle game Instants. Our character enjoys making scrapbooks. Family and friends come to us to create collections based on supplied images, postcards, and memories. We can check and see who the “cast” involved are. It’s also possible to read cards and the backs of pictures for additional details. In each case, we need to put everything together to commemorate special moments.

If you want to go through Instants rather quickly, it is absolutely possible by ignoring the decoration element of the scrapbooking game. After all, it involves just dumping pictures in proper chronological places. Someone just in it for the logic puzzles can sometimes jam in all the pictures onto two or four pages without any additional decoration or fanfare. As you do, you’ll see lines appear that dictate accuracy in your recording. Green ones show the proper order is maintained. Any color other than green is an alert that you’ve gotten things mixed up and need to swap things around to ensure the pacing is preserved. 

Order goes from upper left to bottom right, so people putting four photos or items on a page will need to put the first in the upper left corner, the second in the upper right, the third in the bottom left, and fourth in the bottom right, and so on. From what I saw, Instants is very good at determining accuracy, just like Unpacking was with items, so I never had an issue when arranging items. Also, the Steam Deck and handheld gaming PCs are ed, so it’s easy to play on the go.

However, I think Instants is a game best played by someone who has a lot of free time and genuinely enjoys scrapbooking and organizing photo albums. There are a lot of creative elements for decorating and labeling pictures in the album. The assignments tend to involve special moments, families, or occasions. As such, it really leans into trying to go all out and have fun with it. Since I went through it for a playtest, I couldn’t take that type of time with it. But I actually am going back through it at a much slower pace, which is the ideal way to play, and genuinely having fun decorating the virtual books.

Instants takes the same sort of puzzle approach as indie darling Unpacking, and it works for this cozy game! Someone in it for the challenge can speed through, taking in visual and written clues to find right answers. People who want to take their time and absorb themselves in the simulation can ease into it. Especially since there are a lot of decorative elements and you aren’t limited by number of pages. It’s quite pleasant and offers a peek into people’s lives.

Instants is available on the Switch and PC via Steam.