When I first launched Moving Out — the original one — a few years back, my first thoughts were, “Why haven’t anyone done this sooner.” The idea was straightforward and not exactly all that original (anyone remembers Good Job?), but the execution and charm were there, and really, that’s all that a party game needs.
Moving Out 2 couldn’t have been easy to make. The first game was a hole-in-one, and the sequel had to offer something new. It did, in the form of new dimensions, progression, and sharp graphics. Some of those features are very welcome, and some… not so much.
The thing about the party games is that developers don’t always get that the players’ interest is hard to hold, and their skill level is usually low. And when it comes to games like Moving Out and numerous others, they all have that point where they get way too hard. You don’t have to make your game harder with every new level; it’s not a single-player experience. All you have to do is add more and more fun ideas to the mix. Sadly, Moving Out 2 has this same problem: it has a rigid progression system that requires you to finish the necessary amount of tasks to open more levels, and that is way too big of an ask for a party game.
Most people don’t have the patience for this, and just like that, a glorious game like Moving Out 2 quickly loses most of its players. Moreover, many of the additional tasks are not fun at all — in fact, they ruin some of the fun by adding arbitrary rules.
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It’s a shame, really. There’s a lot to admire about Moving Out 2. It looks gorgeous and runs fantastic on the PS5, and its idea is as fresh as ever. The controls are responsive, and the levels are as imaginative as ever. The issue is the progression and balancing issues which make the game too hard towards the end.
Verdict
Moving Out 2 is a good game. In fact, it needs a few tweaks to be great. I love its formula and the fun, hectic moments it provides. I don’t think it’s better than the first, but it’s definitely more of the same in a (mostly) very good way.