Bunker Tidy Up Review (PC)

To say that I was overwhelmed by Bunker Tidy Up would be a fitting way to summarize the dozen or so hours that I spent with it. Because I was, even after several months of forced labor and wall-to-wall routine stock checks, genuinely taken back by the amount of clutter that it paved beneath my feet. Wand & Order I could stomach, but Bunker was an entirely different ballgame. Though, it wasn’t necessarily a deal breaker, to have upwards of twenty thousand objects to manually sort through in a confined bunker. A tall order, for sure, but not a challenge that I was willing to pass up. Librarian: Tidy Up the Arcane Library taught me how to walk, all so that I could find my rhythm when a game like Bunker would miraculously spring from the soil to up the ante.

It seems that I’ve developed a connection with organizing sims as of late. Hell, who hasn’t? Given that most corners of the mainstream are categorically pacified by some form of mess, it feels as if we’ve tiptoed into a new and somewhat unshakable trend. Yesterday, it was all about live-service extraction shooters. Today, the world holds clutter in its heart, as does it happily accommodate incremental chore core simulation games like a long-lost relative. Bunker Tidy Up just happens to be the next in line to greet the ever-emerging cousin with a firm handshake.

To tell you the truth, organizing sims ought to be considered as an affordable alternative to therapy at this point. Given that they’re commonly referred to as “stress-releasing” experiences that, while not exactly lightning in a bottle, scratch an itch, it seems only fair that games like Bunker deserve a chance to bask beneath the same spotlight as the vast swathes of modern-day RPGs. Although niche, I can appreciate the beauty in the simplicity, too. Because, if we’re being honest, anyone can pick up and slug through a game like Bunker, as it doesn’t require a lot of effort to beat. Patience, however, is mandatory. Again, see the reference regarding the twenty thousand objects.

In an almost identical fashion as your usual Librarian experience, Bunker Tidy Up presents you with a simple objective, a host of passive upgrades, and a stress-free workspace to complete your graft. Somewhere, beneath the surface, you have an enormous bunker that spans multiple floors and rooms, somewhere in the vicinity of seventeen thousand random objects that flesh out the floor, and a network of shelves, pigeon holes and storage spaces. You do not have a time limit, and contrary to popular belief, the world is not ending. Simply, the bunker is in need of organizing, and it’s your job to treat it as a full-time passion project.

The problem with Bunker Tidy Up is that it makes a mistake of thinking that quantity overrules quality. As therapeutic as it is, to slowly but steadily return each of the thousand-something items back to their rightful spots in the bunker, there does come a point where the picnic in the park becomes a race to consume the final crumbs of the desert, so to speak. With just shy of twenty thousand items to sift through, you clearly have your work cut out for you in a game like Bunker. And while this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it is a long-winded task that, after so long, can begin to grate on the soul. Evidently, it’s all rather relaxing and easy-going. That said, it does beg the question of whether or not there’s a little too much.

On the bright side, Bunker does contain a whopping selection of different objects for you to knuckle through. Unlike a lot of regurgitated organizing sims that favor the one product over a wider variety, Bunker makes more of an effort to keep you on your toes. Because as it turns out, a bunker is the closest thing to a shopping mall. Oddly, it requires a steady flow of cat food, wine, mushrooms, and books, and not to mention ninety-six other products that you would typically find in a city mall. Does it always make sense? No. Are you likely to bite the bullet and wade through the clutter anyway? Yes.

While Bunker is no stranger to the higher payload of materials and rations, the game does offer a few helpful upgrades to aid your progress. For example, you can increase your movement speed, boost your jumping distance, attract more of the item that you’re carrying, highlight certain shelves that are in need of stocking, and magnify sneakier products that you would otherwise need to spend several minutes searching for. Naturally, all of this is as familiar as it is comforting. Given that you have quite the cargo hold on your shoulders, the upgrades do serve their purpose as helping hands that can bring you a little closer to your objective sooner than later. And I’m all for that.

Clearly, Bunker Tidy Up isn’t as whimsical or as magically bloated as Librarian or Wand & Order; the fact that you’re restricted to an underground labyrinth of metal and chrome says it all, really. However, that isn’t to say that it’s an ugly game. Dull around the edges, perhaps, but all in all a perfectly welcoming workspace that harbors enough wholesome energy to keep you as its guest for the duration of the blight. And while it’s only natural that you feel like a prisoner in such a claustrophobic world, the job does have its perks. Upgrades aside, the bunker also offers a light eighties-inspired synthwave soundtrack, a clutter-free UI, and a peaceful environment that you can easily sink into and roll with.

Verdict

Needless to say that fans of Librarian and other cozy organizing sims are likely to feel right at home in Bunker Tidy Up. If you happen to fall into that same category of like-minded enthusiasts, then you should definitely take a chance on Bunker. While it doesn’t offer up  anything new to the existing formula, it does make for a generally well-rounded simulation game. It might be a little overwhelming at first, but if you can stick with it for the long haul, then you might just come to learn that even the darkest of places can produce sweet, sweet nectar. Hopefully it isn’t radioactive.