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Jan 24, 2024

Moving Out 2 Review Smashing Glass and Passing Gas

The physics-based moving game is back, more chaotic and bizarre than ever. Developers SMG Studio and DevM Games have taken their original recipe, added a spoonful of puzzles and a dollop of creativity

The physics-based moving game is back, more chaotic and bizarre than ever. Developers SMG Studio and DevM Games have taken their original recipe, added a spoonful of puzzles and a dollop of creativity to bring us Moving Out 2. Published by Team 17, Moving Out 2 is bigger, better and whackier than its previous counterpart, this time including online multiplayer of up to 4 players. Moving Out 2 also supports crossplay, meaning friends on different platforms are still able to slap, pack and fart together in harmony.

Moving Out 2 moved in to PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch and Steam on the 15th August, available for £24.99 ($29.99). PS Plus Extra and Premium members can also find Moving Out 2 as part of the games catalog.

Moving Out 2 places you back in the employment of Smooth Moves as a Furniture Arrangement and Relocation Technician (or FART for short). If you are a newcomer to the company fear not, as Moving Out 2 begins with a brief tutorial to ensure you have what it takes to become a certified FART. Following this you begin your first day on the job, haphazardly packing the moving truck with the furnishings of Packmore’s residents.

An unusual turn of events sees you being held responsible for groundbreaking portals appearing in the town. These consist of three uniquely themed dimensions; Snackmore, Middle Folkmore and Pactropolis, each packed with it’s own visual design as well as mechanics. As you travel through realms you must complete objectives to raise your FART level and acquire the mystical garden statues, but the less you gnome about them the better.

Although Moving Out 2 is unlikely to be your first port of call when looking for a narrative-rich adventure, the writing is brimming with wordplay and goofy jokes. Puns are relevant to each level, and there are plenty of references to memes and popular culture which the chronically online will enjoy. The writers did extremely well in curating a compilation of dad jokes which will have you shaking your head but smiling to yourself all the same.

The dialogue is filled with cheesy jokes and puns relevant to each level.

The core of Moving Out 2‘s gameplay remains. Sticking with “physics-based” mechanics, the controls are fiddly and may tempt you to pack it in. Using the analog sticks to control one of the many quirky characters, you hold R2 to pick up an item and release to drop it. Tapping square slaps objects or other players if you wish, which you will. Holding square allows you to throw objects, useful for saving time or causing havoc. These basics are all you need to master the art of FART.

All objects have their own weights and characteristics too. For example, maneuvering larger items will strain your character, forcing you to move slower and forcing out gas. I found this feature extremely relatable, as I too fart when I overexert myself. An enjoyable aspect included with PS5 is the inclusion of the DualSense controller. When pulling on items with wires (and later elasticated slingshots), the haptic feedback reverberates through your hands, coming to a sudden stop when the wire snaps out of the socket.

The level design is where Moving Out 2 excels. Incorporating zip wires, trains and wrecking balls into the mayhem, Moving Out 2 goes beyond funky layouts as a way of challenging the player. Every level hosts its own puzzles to navigate and they present themselves in a range of ways. Alongside the expanded puzzle features and detailed houses is the expansion of the world map. Dotted throughout the worlds and the levels themselves are a handful of collectibles in the form of character crates and arcade cartridges, which can be played by visiting the arcade in Packmore.

The character roster has tripled in size. You can find character crates in different levels or around the world map which unlock different variations.

One or two levels are created with multiplayer in mind. In particular the farm levels, which although it can be done alone, also has the potential to turn into a complete fluster cluck. Local multiplayer is available, meaning you can play couch co-op while throwing couches together. New to Moving Out 2 is the inclusion of online multiplayer. This is available for cross-play too, provided it is enabled in the options menu.

As mentioned, some levels are easier when you can share the load, although there are slight alterations,, such as a two seat sofa turning into a trickier corner sofa or completely different moving lists. I did also experience some glitching during online play, with my character sliding across the floor and taking no notice of button inputs. That being said, this fixed itself upon restarting the level.

Moving Out offered a variety of accessibility options, to ensure a fun game for everyone, and Moving Out 2 follows suit. The accessibility menu features the following:

These options are available to turn on and off at your leisure, and the game does not hinder progress or offer different content with these settings turned on. The options don’t stop there either. You are able to customise button mapping, turn off adaptive triggers and vibrations or switch between toggle/holding a button for interactions. On top of this, there are options to enlarge the UI and switch to an easier to read font if needed.

Local and online multiplayer are available, requiring working together. Or slapping each other, depends on the friendship.

The city of Packmore has been smoothed around the edges, and as mentioned previously there are now three more interdimensional cities for you to pack up. Throughout the game, levels will increase your appetite, put your head in the clouds and drive you around the bend with their imaginative twists and turns. In the midst of all the colours and creativity, the intricate details have not been forgotten, appearing in the form of forks poking out of cake slices or humble redbrick fireplaces.

The audio is also as bubbly as the graphics lead you to expect. Although you may wish to turn down the music if you are going for 100% on the optional objectives, as the tunes can go from bubbly to patronising real quick. On top of the environmental sounds and sounds of smashing glass, the DualSense speaker emits a subtle rattling sound as you walk over or kick items out of your way.

Moving Out 2 was reviewed on PS5 with a key provided by Team 17.

Considerably better at virtual skateboarding than in real life. PlayStation enthusiast, extensive knowledge of useless information and an only slightly scary fascination with horror. Uses platinum trophies as a form of self-validation.

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