“Moving Out 2,” a collaborative game that required a collaborative team, developed by both DevM Games and SMG Studio, this game serves as their successor to their much-enjoyed 2020 original. This physics-based moving simulator provided me and friends with an immersive experience, challenging us to master the art of furniture arrangement and relocation. While I haven’t had the opportunity to play the original game, it’s difficult for me to compare it directly with the first installment, so while I hear there are many similarities and kept a lot of what didn’t work, there seems to just be a lot of fine tuning, and as a newcomer I feel the game offers an engaging gameplay that stands on its own merits.
Embarking on a journey as a novice recruit aspiring to become a skilled Furniture Arrangement and Relocation Technician, also referred to as F.A.R.T. (I see what you did there), players follow a narrative that unfolds in the town of Packmore. The initial phase of training doubles as a tutorial, acquainting players with the mechanics. Once training concludes, you and your team embark on a series of challenges, utilizing your newly acquired moving skills to navigate through the town. Unforeseen interdimensional portals emerge, thrusting you and your crew into different dimensions such as “Snackmore,” where creativity and wackiness abound. Amidst the chaos, mischievous gnomes enter the scene, complicating your job and adding an extra layer to this wacky narrative.
Gameplay mechanics are straightforward yet exhilarating, I was quickly reminded of the game “Overcooked.” Unlike its stressful culinary counterpart, “Moving Out 2” maintains a lighter tone and doesn’t place as heavy an emphasis on anxiety-filled stress with its cooperative teamwork. The primary goal remains consistent: transporting objects from one point within a house to another, often into moving trucks, all while maximizing efficiency. For larger items, teamwork becomes essential, as they require two characters to carry. The challenges tend to escalate as you progress with the introduction of random obstacles designed to impede your progress and the overall levels getting more and more wacky and creative, which is really cool and fun to see.
Whether you opt for local or online mode, the game accommodates up to four players. While online co-op remained inaccessible at the time of my review, I did partake in local co-op with a friend. The experience was thoroughly enjoyable, evoking a genuine sense of collaboration and strategy, akin to the real-world process of moving furniture. The cooperative effort required to accomplish tasks mirrored very much how my friends and I would talk to each other when we had helped each other move in real life. The game world is a whimsical collection of houses that defy real-world logic, enhancing its quirky charm. These designs not only contribute to the game’s distinct aesthetic but also provide puzzle-like challenges, rendering each location unique. The game’s level design is a testament to its creativity and delightful chaos.
Much like the “Overcooked” games, advancement in “Moving Out 2” necessitates accumulating specific criteria, in “Overcooked” it was stars, here they’re referred to as FART Levels—acquired during previous stages. Though occasionally frustrating, this progression system is smart in the way it forces you to replay earlier levels, making replayability high here. There are just times I wish I didn’t feel stunted and could just continue on with the story rather than going backward. “Moving Out 2” sets itself up to be a standout party game with friends, offering an engaging and entertaining gameplay experience for groups to enjoy. Through quirky challenges, creative level design, and a lighthearted approach to teamwork, the game manages to carve its own niche in the physics-based simulation genre. If you’re a fan of the original, it’s safe to say there is a lot more here to love. While moving may be the worst thing ever to do in real life, somehow this video game gets me excited to do just that, but only in the town of Packmore.
8/10
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Related: Nick Navarro Reviews
Gaming since I was given an original Nintendo as a kid. I love great storytelling and unique ingenuity. When both collide in a single game, I'm a happy gamer. Twitter/IG @NickNavarro87
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