Developer: SMG Studio, DEVM Games
Publisher: Team17
Platform: PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
Tested on: PS5
Moving Out 2 – Review
Back in 2020, Moving Out was released, and it seemed as if it was another party game trying to ride on the success of Overcooked. While Moving Out did take a bit of inspiration from the massively popular cooking party game, it also had unique mechanics, fun visuals, and an original twist to entertain gamers. In Moving Out, you would be helping residents of Packmore to rehouse their stuff. While this may not sound that interesting on paper, it does become rather amusing when there are no limits, and you find yourself throwing items through the windows, starting small fires, and slapping aggressive animals. Moving Out 2 builds upon the success of the original and tries to add a few new mechanics and hazards to the mix, and for the most part, we were entertained.
Story
While there is a narrative present in Moving Out 2, we doubt many gamers will pick this title up for its story value. Nonetheless, in this sequel you’re returning to Packmore, the city where the original was situated in, to move some more stuff. Sadly, something goes wrong, and you’ll find yourself moving items in multiple dimensions in order to restore the balance in Packmore. The premise is quite simple, but the dialogues are quite entertaining, even if they often only consist of a few puns and lighthearted content.
Graphics
Graphically, Moving Out 2 offers more of the same as it did in the first game. You’ll be treated to a wacky cast of colorful movers that you can choose from, who then get dropped into equally colorful levels in different dimensions. This game has a lot more variety in its environments, and it was quite amusing to see the different obstacles and decorations that you could eventually move (or throw). Like many other titles in the genre, it’s clear that this title does still take some inspiration from the Overcooked series, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The developers truly give their original spin on the genre, and Moving Out 2 does look rather unique as a result.
Sound
The sound design of the game is quite decent. You’ll be treated to satisfying sound effects when you smash through windows, or when you drag appliances and furniture through the different properties. The music is fairly upbeat, but it’s also reasonably forgettable. There is no real voice acting present in the game, which is somewhat of a shame, as the small dialogues in between missions would have had a lot more charm if they were voiced.
Gameplay
Just like its predecessor, Moving Out 2 is a party game that’s all about moving stuff out of different properties, and in some cases, you’ll even have to move items into different buildings. The latter was a nice change of pace, but it also was rather difficult because of the wonky controls that also plagued the first game. This second installment of the series is straightforward, as you only have a handful of buttons that you will need to perform your tasks. You’ll be treated to a very meaty game, and there’s a lot of replay value to be found by trying to complete every property’s secondary objectives. Outside of the regular content, there are also some hidden Arcade stages, as well as unlockable characters and outfits.
Moving Out 2 does feel a bit more varied than the first installment, and this is mainly thanks to the more peculiar properties you’ll be moving stuff out of. Instead of more regular buildings, you might find yourself in a world where everything is made out of candy, or you may be moving objects high in the clouds while being plagued by poor visibility. All in all, this spices up the gameplay, but it also comes with a few annoyances. Just like Overcooked, Moving Out 2 does have its fair share of hazards and obstacles to make your job harder, but in some scenarios, these hazards are just downright annoying instead of just adding some difficulty to the mix. This, in combination with the fact that you never feel truly in control of your character, turned some levels into a drag to play through. We had a hard time revisiting these levels to earn more stars by completing side objectives.
As mentioned above, this title is a party game first and foremost, but you can also easily play it on your own. Items that are normally a two-man job can now be dragged around solo, and most stages prove to be rather accessible in single-player mode as well. In some instances, we even found it easier to beat certain times solo for a few levels, as it was easier to move heavy items around without having to coordinate with another player.
Conclusion
Moving Out 2 is a successful sequel that offers more of the same to fans who loved the original game. This second installment does take a few more risks when it comes to the stage designs, and for the most part, this works rather well. Sadly, a few stages end up dragging the fun experience down, but this is us just nitpicking. All in all, we loved the colorful stages, the original stage designs, and the fun characters we could unlock, and on top of that, the overall meaty package certainly provides you with a great bang for your buck.
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