Moving Out 2 review: Handled with care

Moving Out 2 is developer SMG Studio and Devm Games’ anticipated follow up to the 2020 couch co-op hit Moving Out. Alongside the quirky cast and retro references from the original, the sequel is packed with new characters, locations, and features, most notably the addition of online play. Moving Out 2 is best enjoyed alongside friends and is poised to be the next hit co-op party game from publisher Team17.

Becoming a prime mover

In Moving Out 2, players once again don the uniform of one of Smooth Moves’ Furniture Arrangement and Relocation Technicians, or F.A.R.T.s for short. Accompanied by an omnipresent cardboard boss, F.A.R.T.s are tasked with completing various moving jobs to help the residents of Packmore uproot their lives and settle into new locations. Though players will be familiar with the town of Packmore from the first game, the sequel introduces several new regions, each packed with themed challenges to complete and collectibles to uncover.

Although Moving Out 2 can be played entirely solo, the game is primarily geared toward cooperative play. Alongside new realms to explore and physics-based challenges to overcome, the sequel introduces online multiplayer and cross-platform support, making it easier than ever to convince friends to come help you move. Local play is still available in the sequel as well for those looking forward to more couch co-op shenanigans.

Move it or lose it 

Moving Out 2 expands upon the simple concept of its predecessor by incorporating new physics-based challenges and several themed realms to explore, including the fantasy-inspired Middle Folkmore, the candy-laden Snackmore, and sky-high Pactropolis City. Each realm consists of various moving jobs that reward you with stars upon completion, with more difficult challenges becoming available as you level up.

Although your tasks remain mostly the same in the sequel, some jobs go beyond simply moving objects to and from a moving truck. A moving assignment may involve using a slingshot to launch furniture into a room or navigating a series of portals to retrieve objects, for example. Each job has its own obstacles to overcome, from one-way doors and sliding gates to bounce pads and moving platforms.

There are also collectibles hidden throughout the challenge areas as well as in the overworld map of each realm. Collectibles include character variants and skins as well as Arcade Cartridges that offer minigames to enjoy on the side. Although most assignments involve moving furniture, there are several Score Attack levels thrown into the mix that task players with earning a high score instead. These challenges are usually a nice change of pace, as they often incorporate new gameplay mechanics as well.

This side up

Becoming an adept F.A.R.T. requires platforming skills and patience. Luckily, for those of us who have little of either, Moving Out 2 offers several ways to lighten the load. The sequel sees the return of Assist Mode, a list of accessibility settings that make missions easier. Longer time limits, reduced difficulty, and level skips are among the options that can be toggled on or off prior to starting a job. 

More to unpack

Though a bit wonky by design, the controls are for the most part simple and easy to pick up. While the game does give the option to reassign keybindings, I encountered a glitch while attempting to change my keys that caused me to get stuck in the menu screen. The keys I did remap ended up not working in-game either, so I resorted to using the default controls throughout. While the gameplay was smooth most of the time, there were several instances when my character would react inconsistently with objects, such as warping through a barrier that I would typically need to jump over.

My character was not the only one getting stuck on furniture, either. There is a helper robot introduced in a future level that will help move objects onto the truck for you. While the robot works as expected most of the time, I found out the hard way that it is capable of getting stuck behind objects and can even deliver a non-deliverable item to the moving truck. Nevertheless, while these are presumably unintended glitches, they were far from game-breaking and if anything coincided with the zany nature of the game.

Signed, sealed, delivered

Despite playing the bulk of the game by myself, I enjoyed my time in Moving Out 2 overall. Though still enjoyable, solo play felt a bit tedious at times. The game is clearly designed for cooperative play, couch or otherwise, making the addition of online multiplayer a logical next step for the series. The sequel builds upon the cutesy visuals and pun-filled story of the first game with fresh challenges and fun objectives. Moving Out 2 is a slap-happy romp that caters to players of varying skill levels, making it a great party game to enjoy with friends or family.

This review was based on a pre-release Steam code provided by the publisher. Moving Out 2 releases for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC on August 15, 2023.

Larryn Bell

Contributing Editor

Larryn is a freelance contributor who creates video game guides and reviews for Shacknews and has more than a decade of experience covering games across various outlets. When she's not gaming, Larryn can often be found watering houseplants, playing D&D, or teaching her cats new tricks.