Moving Out 2 preview – The F.A.R.Ts are back

The dynamic duo of SMG Studio and Devm Games have something truly sensational in store for us with Moving Out 2. While I have never played the original Moving Out, I’m completely on board after playing a 45-minute demo at Team17’s New York preview event. I got to chat with two members of the dev team about level design, the development process, the differences between the first and second games, and their own goals for the game. It’s a lot to unpack so let’s get into it.

Moving Out 2 is a physics-based moving simulator where players can play solo or team up with three friends as F.A.R.T.s (Furniture Arrangement & Relocation Technicians). The game starts in the wacky town of Packmore, but very quickly delves into fun and wacky dimensions. Your goal is to pack up and move out all the designated objects as fast as possible while traversing obstacles and solving light puzzles that aim to slow down the moving process. Each stage has a timed goal, so the pressure mounts the longer it takes.

The gameplay is simple and many of the controls carry over from the first game. You can pick up, carry, and toss objects depending on their weight and size. If you’re playing with friends, some objects require multiple people to move and are indicated by specific icons. Aside from carrying things around, players can also press a button to throw an object to either cut down on time or move an item across a gap. As someone who didn’t play the first game, I was able to pick up the controls and learn how the game works in seconds. This is a welcome sight for new players as they won’t spend ten minutes cramming instructions on how to play which can happen with other games.

In the sequel, players will traverse across multiple dimensions that are uniquely themed and designed. We were able to experience a few of the visually colorful dimensions in our build, and I was impressed with not only the detail but the personality each level possessed. While talking to one of the devs, he spoke about how it’s an intentional implementation to match their puzzle design to the themes of each level. For example, a fantasy-themed dimension had multiple magic portal doors which led to corresponding locations that you had to navigate through. It’s a small touch but signifies the amount of thought they have put into making the puzzles make sense.

One of the newest additions to Moving Out 2 is online play, which has been implemented in the sequel. Players can now choose whether to play sessions via couch co-op or across the dimensions of the Interwebs. When talking about the addition, the devs said it was one of the most requested features, so being able to bring that into the sequel was extremely exciting for them.

Alongside new additions like characters and outfits, Moving Out 2 has a noticeable change in the reward structure. In the previous game, players could get up to three stars depending on how fast they completed the level. Now, there is simply a pro time players can strive to beat. The feedback from players was straightforward; they didn’t like the feel of three tiers of time challenges and preferred a singular achievement. I thought this change felt fantastic, as it is much more streamlined.

Overall, I spent the entire preview grinning from ear to ear laughing like a kid. The studios have clearly taken the time to implement not only fan requests but also expand upon their fantastic concept in an astounding way. For those who are curious about the series, I’d highly recommend checking out the free demo on Steam. Stay tuned to Gaming Trend for our full review when the game releases on August 15th for PlayStation, Xbox, PC, and the Nintendo Switch.

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