House Flipper 2 Review – Lost In An Addictive Customization Sea

When it comes to games that scratch the satisfaction itch, many players think of titles like Powerwash Simulator. The desire to scrub a structure clean is irresistible, and the perfect companion to a favorite movie or podcast. However, for those wanting to go a step further, House Flipper 2 has arrived, and it leaves our favorite scrubbing sim in the dust.

House Flipper 2 is a delightful blend of addictive gameplay, stunning graphics, and satisfying mechanics. While it had my computer begging for mercy at points, I would have happily let the whole PC go up in smoke to keep playing, because it is just that good.

Key Details

• Developer – Frozen District/ Empyrean
• Publisher – Frozen District/PlayWay/Merge Games
• Platforms – PC via Steam at launch, PS5/Xbox X|S coming in March
• Price: N/A
• Release Date: December 14, 2023

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Clean, Scrub, Paint, Decorate, Repeat

The premise of House Flipper 2 wastes no time getting to the point. You are a young, enterprising house flipper, living in your family home as you build a name for yourself with the help of a local friend. The first handful of jobs players tackle introduce the variety of mechanics at their disposal, including cleaning, painting, decorating, building, and selling to create the perfect home for each client.

After a few test runs, players will have the opportunity to buy disgusting properties and spruce them up into expensive retreats for the first buyer with a reasonable bid. This was easily my favorite part of the game once the world opened up. I purposefully picked the most horrific options, eager to go scrub garbage juice off the floor to see what might be underneath.

Mechanics in House Flipper 2 are more intuitive than the first iteration of the series, with players using a tool wheel controlled by their mouse to flip between options. This makes the process of repairing homes seamless and enjoyable. The decorating can be a bit more complicated, but once players know where to go in the “Buy” menu for customizations, the sky becomes the limit.

House Flipper 2 Holds Hidden Depths

I was surprised to find that House Flipper 2 has a complex web of narrative threads for players to follow. The first is the main character’s relationship with their wanderlust-advised parents. Through a series of emails sent to the player, they learn that their want-to-be house flipper can’t rely on their parents and that they seem inclined to make irresponsible, knee-jerk decisions that have an impact on their child – like the run-down heap the main character has found themself living in.

Additionally, I was shocked at how humbling some of the quest stories were. As you clean up the houses of various clients, you learn that one struggles with depression, while another has been abused by a roommate. In these homes, destroyed rooms, tipped desk contents, and pizza boxes hold painfully real glimpses into the lives of characters fractured by real human failings. I found myself lost in each job, going out of my way to repair places for these faceless people in a way that might make their lives better, or their struggles less daunting.

I didn’t expect to become emotionally tied to this world, but there is something about House Flipper 2 that makes you fall in love with the towns, their inhabitants, and the lives you are touching with your work.

House Flipper 2 Runs Hotter Than Baldur’s Gate 3

While playing House Flipper 2 has been an addictive and wonderful time, it is no small challenge for my PC to run – which is saying something when my computer effortlessly handles BG3. One of the biggest hurdles for PC gamers will be the system demands, and many may find the game stutters, lags, or overheats. I have found myself wishing I was playing on a console more than once and was surprised that the demands on my computer were so intense for a creative simulation game.

I hope that House Flipper 2 receives a few optimization tweaks for PC players, to ensure that fans can enjoy the game without accidentally burning their computer up. While the homes in this game are a hot mess, I’d rather my PC not be. Especially as I could see myself easily throwing dozens of hours into the quest lines if I didn’t need to take cool-down breaks between home repairs.

Verdict

House Flipper 2 is the addictive train wreck I’ve wanted all year long. I have never vacuumed crumbs with such glee or tossed trash around with such enthusiasm. This is the perfect game for fans of titles like Powerwash Simulator, but will also appeal to The Sims players looking for a title more focused on the creative elements. House Flipper 2 will delight players with its interesting stories, and provide endless ways to satisfy the cleaning itch without having to get your hands dirty.

However, if players looking to play House Flipper 2 don’t have a powerful gaming PC, it may be better to wait until the game becomes available on PlayStation and Xbox consoles in March, as the current requirements could be hindering for those without gaming machines. Despite this, it is a must-have for simulation fans, and one I plan to dedicate unfathomable hours to in the coming months.