Geek Review: Moving Out 2

After entertaining players seeking a co-op experience that had nothing to do with cooking and everything to do with moving in 2020, SMG Studio and Team17 are back with Moving Out 2, once again tasking players to test their patience with their partners through a gauntlet of increasingly ridiculous situations where furniture needs to be moved. As the dust settles, what remains is a wonderful sequel that refreshes the formula and delivers even more co-op fun and madness, albeit with some bumps on the road.

As an expert F.A.R.T., a Furniture Arrangement Relocation Technician that is, players will embark on a multiversal journey into various scenarios that require good planning and coordinated manoeuvres to overcome. Expect plenty of strange and interesting cargo to be part of the furniture, so to speak, during this adventure.

The main gist of the gameplay remains a familiar affair, with the objective of moving objects to a target location, the overall directive in every level. Whether that actually happens depends on the folks at the controls of an expanded cast of colourful and wacky characters. Needless to say, Moving Out 2 isn’t afraid to show off its loud and vibrant personality and embrace the simple joy of utter chaos.

Once you are warmed up with the starting levels and have come to grips with the straightforward controls, then the game starts opening up to more wrenches in the works as part of the four realms in the game. Trying to squeeze large couches through a tight corridor is but the tip of the iceberg, especially when there are other transportation methods to consider.

Bouncing objects off environmental aids like a giant umbrella can save plenty of time, and so is destroying obstacles standing in your way using a wrecking ball. Moving Out 2 does a great job of throwing something new into the mix every once in a while, to keep things chugging along so that players will always have something to look forward to and experiment with. 

These new innovations are complemented by more well-thought-out level designs, which force players to up their communication and observational skills. Trying to figure out teleportation portals can be hard on your own; throw in more people, and it becomes complete mayhem. SMG Studio has seen fit to include a healthy variety of additional elements in various levels that require more coordination to get past, and that is always a good thing for a co-op game like this one.

Not all of them are hits, however, with some being more trouble than they are worth in terms of the gameplay experience. It never feels fun to constantly chase after livestock to put them into a pen, or have clouds that obscure vision constantly regenerating after being vacuumed. Even if the game tends to move past these things quickly, the present predicament can prove to be frustrating enough already at times.

Moving Out 2 has also made sure that there are occasions where you are moving in instead, a twist on the formula that was eventually added to the first game. Turning things around and asking players to palace furniture in the right spot is a delightful spin, and the ways levels more intricately cater to this style is another plus.

With over 50 levels to show off your skills and many secrets to find, such as more characters and costume options, Moving Out 2 has much to offer for co-op partners. The inclusion, for the first time ever, of online multiplayer makes it even more of a no-brainer for friends and family looking for a good time. That is, if you can oversee some of its potential problems.

The aforementioned level elements are one area of concern, and so is the way Moving Out 2 handles side objectives this time around as well. Gone are the good old days of notifications that denote the completion of enigmatic goals, making it much harder to check everything off a level’s list. More egregiously, you only get credit for completing the tasks if you manage to meet the main requirements of the level, another departure from the first game. The additional time required can be put to better use.

Also, for those hoping that Moving Out 2 will involve a more engaging story, that is most certainly not the case, with gameplay being king once again. It won’t affect many players, for sure, but it is something to note for those making a decision. The same applies to the wonky physics, which is admittedly part of the fun, but there are instances of randomly dropping items that feel unintentional. This is a quirk that needs to be recognised. 

Even if you end up playing solo, the many ways in which Moving Out 2 has improved the original formula and amped up the fun factor will undoubtedly push players to find co-op partners to partake in the chaos. A healthy variety of creative levels, level elements, and charming character personalities all contribute to a party waiting to happen, and that’s saying plenty when it comes to the thankless task of moving furniture.

Moving Out 2 is available on the PSN Store for S$42.29.