I live in a tiny home, so I was immediately intrigued when I heard aboutCamper Van: Make it Home, which turned out to be undoubtedly the least stressful game I’ve ever had the pleasure of playing.
Don’t expect explosions or fast cars. Don’t even expect any particular mental challenge or progression opportunities. This game’s sole objective is to bring you that quiet ASMR satisfaction, something more and moregame producers are quietly picking up on.
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Developed byMalapata Studioin Spain,Camper Van: Make it Homejust draws you in. At first, being the person I am, I didn’t quite get it. But before I knew it, three hours had gone by, and I’d spent nearly all of it trying to figure out the best way to organize my imaginary pantry.
I literally own exactly the same style of pantry and live in exactly the same sort of space, so if it can hook me in, I’m sure it’ll hook you in, too.
Play at Your Own Pace
Camper Van: Make it Homeis, fundamentally, a block placement game. That’s the same sort of principle as Tetris - but it’s where the similarities end.
Every location is a different level. At each site, you’ll start by designing (or re-designing) your camper van’s interior. That means installing its cab, kitchen, sleeping arrangements, and picking your colour schemes.
I like green, personally, but when it comes to the stereotypical VW-style camper, it just has to be blue.
Then, you’ll choose the category of the item you want next. These categories include an outdoor section, food and drink, clothes, and so on. That makes the order semi-random but semi-predictable.
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The objective is simple. Make room to place every item inside your camper van, and when you’re done - well, that’s it. You’re done. Time to move on to the next level, redesign the next camper van they give you (or sometimes retain your old one) and start again.
It doesn’t have to be neat if you’re as incapable at tidying as I am, and there are no progression objectives. It’s quite literally impossible to fail.
Every element of Malapata Studio’s approach to Camper Van: Make it Home hits that spot in your brain just right.
You could even put everything outside on the ground and move ahead if you like - but where’s the fun in that? You’ll find yourself spending time putting things away because there’s no rush. And that’s good. The last thing you want is for yourrelaxing ASMR experience to turn into a nail-biting “Wha-AAHHH!”
Along the way, you’ll earn occasional achievements for interacting with certain objects. As far as I can tell, these mean nothing apart from giving you a friendly little pat on the back.
Crinkle, Click, Chill
Anyone who knows me - in fact, anyone who’s met me for more than five minutes - can tell you that a blindfolded goat could rival my interior design skills. Thankfully,Camper Van: Make it Homeisn’t a test of your grasp of balance, contrast, or white space.
There are occasional hints of an ongoing story, but frankly, it’s so vague and so unimportant to the fundamental gameplay that I’ve barely thought about it. So, what is this game about if it’s not testing your skills or leading you down a narrative rabbit hole?
That’s easy. Satisfaction.
Every element of Malapata Studio’s approach toCamper Van: Make it Homehits that spot in your brain just right. The aesthetics align really well with that camper van era. Everything’s smooth and breezy. Nothing’s bold. Nothing’surgent.
But the best thing, by far, is the sound design. The little clicks, checks, rustles, ambient sounds, and soundtrack choices work together incredibly. If generic ASMR floats your boat, this game’s audio will make your ship hover. Whoever was in charge of that deserves a raise.
It Comes in a Compact Package
The beauty ofCamper Van: Make it Homeis, once again, its simplicity. That means the developers at Malapata Studio haven’t created a 500 GB monster. Actually, it’s tiny. Even my countryside Wi-Fi finished the download in under five minutes.
It booted up perfectly well first time and makes you dive straight in. In fact, the only option you have other than playing the game is to adjust the normal AV settings. Yet again, that’s allpart of the minimalism vibe, and it fits really well.
It’s quite simply a non-urgent blend of soft tones, minimalist visuals, and clean, crisp clicks.
Despite the gentle palette and design, the contrast is clear. There was no squinting at the screen, even without my glasses. Everything’s easy to see and place, no matter which layout options you choose.
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I’ve only encountered a couple of glitches. Sometimes, when you’re trying to get a new item in an already-crowded space, it gets a bit unhappy. But if I just kept on spamming the mouse, it eventually worked.
Relaxing Yet Surprisingly Rewarding
As I said, the point of this game is to make you feel satisfied and fulfilled. It’s definitely also about highlighting the value of small things and how van life - an increasingly common trend in this expensive day and age - could help you get these feelings in real life.
After you playCamper Van: Make it Home, you should want to do just what the title says. Make it your home. I definitely experienced that feeling. The thing is,I already live in a tiny home, so I’m actually already there in many ways.
For me, the game hits that ASMR feeling just right. On top of that, it’s even given me a few ideas for our house. Ceiling-level cupboards or shelves, pop-up tables, and certain styles of in-drawer organisation racks might just be the answer to some of our space conundrums.
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Despite the surprisingly practical, optimistic message, it’s still fundamentally a game. And it’s not satisfying ‘because you figured it out where to put stuff’ (although there is a gentle element of that). It’s quite simply a non-urgent blend of soft tones, minimalist visuals, and clean, crisp clicks.
And that’s all it needs to be.
Would I play it again? Honestly, I have already. And I’m sure it’s one of those games that, before long, you’ll findYouTubers recording themselvesplaying with no audio just so you may experience the ASMR yourself as background noise.
Closing Comments:
Camper Van: Make it Homeshares a main principle overarching in all video games: losing yourself in something. But the no-stress approach means that although it still requires concentration and effort, it’s something you reallywantto do rather than something youhaveto do. In that context, the visual design is excellent, and the audio is almost perfection. Have a go, and like me, you might be surprised how quickly the outside world drowns out - and thus, in its own context, how fantastic of a game it is.
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What happens next?
