Moving Out 2 Review

If you have never moved house before, I can genuinely tell you it is the most stressful experience you could ever have. What if I tell you it could be hilarious fun in video game format? SMG Studio, DEVM Games, and Team 17 are back with Moving Out 2, the sequel to the chaotic madness we experienced during the lockdown days. The first title was my highlight at EGX Eurogamer Expo back in 2019 and I and my friends had an absolute blast playing it in person.

Whilst this review is about the greatness of the new installment in the series, I highly recommend grabbing the first game if you haven’t yet played it. Not only did the core game become a roaring success with glowing reviews across the board, but it also blossomed with some excellent DLC packs during its lifespan. Enough of the old, let me get on with the new.

If It Isn’t Broken Don’t Fix It

What was great about the first game was the fact it can be picked up and played by anyone regardless of their gaming ability. Nothing has changed here and the short bursts of gameplay are suited to casual play sessions on your own, in the same room with family or friends, and even online with your mates. What I immediately noticed in Moving Out 2 was that the movements of characters and objects appeared to be a bit more flexible with even more realism. The physics of movement in light and heavy objects just feels natural when controlling characters.

It is clear that the development team has built on the existing foundations and made everything even better than before. It is something that is difficult to explain unless you pick up and play both titles. The fluidity of the movement just makes the game an absolute joy to play and I found myself instantly wanting to replay levels even if my own mistakes frustrated me. There is an addictive layer to the game for sure.

Great Accessibility Options

Something the teams have clearly focused on this time around is more accessibility options for those that may want to use or require them. For instance, there are longer time limits that can be enabled for younger kids. This enabled my five-year-old son to play the levels without getting annoyed with the timer expiring. It breathes some relaxation into the game for those who don’t want the pressure of being specifically timed.

There is also a feature that can be activated so that items going into the truck vanish once they have been loaded. This resolves the frustration of the messy organization of items in the back. In a normal run, you may have to adjust placement ever so slightly to get everything in. Here the worry is gone. With so many options like making obstacles slower, skipping levels that don’t suit you, and super strengths, the list is well worth dabbling with even for hardcore gamers like myself. You can also adapt the controller settings to whatever layout you desire.

Online Multiplayer Is Here!

When I played the very first Moving Out game prior to release at EGX in London I asked the publishers whether online multiplayer would feature on the game. The answer back then was that there were no plans to implement this in that current game. This made me slightly disappointed as I was of the opinion that the game was perfect for online play. Whilst it was still an amazing game, it lacked that critical feature for me personally.

You’ll be pleased to hear that Moving Out 2 not only comes with a new feast of levels and challenges, but you can also play online. Unfortunately, I did not get an opportunity to test the game online as I played the game prior to the games launch on 15th August 2023. One thing I can say though is that I absolutely can’t wait to get stuck in with friends. Amazingly it features cross-platform play across the six platforms it will be released on and Playstation Plus users will have access to the full game as part of their subscription on the launch date.

New Levels, Characters & More

There is a great whack of content to work through in Packmore as you get through plenty of levels, arcade games, and more. I really enjoyed the element of surprise of playing each level for the first time. Each run will earn stars based on timed performance, finishing within each parameter to unlock the relevant stars. After the first run on each move, I found more challenges unlocking a chance for more stars which adds great longevity and replayability to the game. These could be finishing a level without breaking any windows or using a sliding door and plenty more.

Levels do tend to get progressively more difficult the more you commence. There was one particular level on a farm that drove me insane but was an absolute chaotic laugh playing with my partner. You can segregate chickens, cows, and pigs into different pens but they could also escape. You can only imagine the carnage as you both try and get things right and develop strategies that may work. I’d liken this to the madness that I experienced during the Overcooked games, you need to work as a team but watch out for disagreements with your fellow players as well(Sadistic Laugh)!

Graphics & Audio

The art design team across the board really deserves a pat on the back and a massive high five. Moving Out 2 looks exceptionally stunning on the big screen not just in aesthetics but the level design is fantastic throughout. Whether it’s tossing boxes across a pool of water or dragging a sofa around a two-storey building, everything is plotted with attention to detail.

Audio is equally impressive with sound effects hitting just right, a great soundtrack, and some hilarious and witty narration in between levels.

Worth The Move!

Moving Out 2 is absolutely incredible in almost every way and I can’t pick a single fault with the game. Those who played the first one will be instantly familiar and comfortable with the controls. It is indeed more of the same but with way more polish and perfection.

With some new ideas thrown into the mix it has a new aura of freshness and appeal to an already established classic. I had an absolute blast playing this alone and with the family and I’d highly recommend this to anyone looking for that same screen fun or online with friends. This one certainly stacks as one of the indie highlights of 2023.