House Flipper 2 Review – Flippin’ Fun (PS5)

The explosion of the genre of games all about doing chores we play games to avoid needs to be studied. Frozen District’s House Flipper is a standout in the genre. Taking all the tedious activities involved with cleaning a house and transforming it into a fun experience just waiting for your to unleash your creativity. And the sequel, House Flipper 2, is no different. Featuring a more story-driven mode as well as a sandbox mode for the bigger creatives.

There really are very few limits to what you can do in House Flipper 2. You can settle for simply cleaning the house. Do the bare minimum amount of effort for your clients and leave. Go above and beyond and do more than they asked for. Even buy decrepit old houses and fix them up to either live in or sell for a profit. And the diversity of styles, messes, and houses leaves for many hours of fun.

This sucks

However, as is the nature of the game, it can become very repetitive rather quick. Running through the same series of motions in every single house every single time. And I could easily see people getting bored with the game, or not seeing the appeal of paying money to do virtual chores you don’t get anything out of. It’s a very niche game, so not everyone is going to like it. Though I recommend you give it a try if interior design is your thing. Or if you think it may be.

Story – Another Day, Another Dollar

Much like a lot of these “chores made fun” games, there isn’t much story. The general idea is that you return to your old hometown and need work. Given your previous experience with house flipping, you slowly start up your own house flipping business with a friend of yours helping you get your name out there. Growing your brand over the course of the game.

There are two kinds of people in the world. Hannahs and Davids

It’s simple, but it does what it needs to do. It sets up the game, informs the main gameplay loop, and gives you a sense of progression as you go. Hearing about how your business and reputation is growing with every job you complete. 

Gameplay – Do Your Chores

Have you ever cleaned a house before? Or even just a room? Well congratulations, you now know how to play House Flipper. As the core gameplay loop is simply going around to different houses and cleaning them to your client’s satisfaction. It could be as simple as unpacking a few boxes. Or as dreaded as cleaning out a moldy basement that hasn’t seen God’s love in years.

If your basement is like this, I’m calling the police

Once you accept a client’s request and arrive at their house, you have a whole wheel of tools at your disposal to really get your clean on. You’ve got hands simply for moving things around. Trash bags for cleaning up trash. A cleaning kit to clean stains. A “Flipper” to sell items. A vacuum. A paint roller. A sledgehammer. And more! Everything you need to become the master House Flipper.

The ultimate goal is to get 3 stars on each house by completing every task in every room, which gives you more money. Money you can then use to refurbish your family’s old house that you’re living in. Unless you’re a big fan of zebra wallpaper. I am not. You can also use that money to buy run down old houses to clean and refurbish to sell at a profit. No guidelines, just your unrestricted creativity.

You thought I was joking about the zebras

It’s quite literally all about doing chores that most of us hate doing in real life. But there’s a certain zen quality to it that makes the whole experience more relaxing than anything. Especially when you get to play interior designer.

Graphics & Sound – Simply Satisfying

No one is looking to House Flipper 2 for industry-leading graphics or award-winning sound design. And it doesn’t need either. The art style is as satisfying as the gameplay. Lots of bright colors and a wide variety of different furniture styles. And it isn’t hard to tell when something is dirty, or where the stains are. They stand out, and look like realistic stains you might even see in your own house. I especially like the watercolor-esque loading screens.

Can’t beat that beachfront view

The music and sound effects can get repetitive, as there’s essentially 1 song and 1 sound effect for each action. However, you’ll probably end up spacing out and tuning out the sounds. You might even put on your own music or some sort of background noise to increase your relaxation. Though I would have appreciated a few more additions to the soundtrack.

House Flipper 2 was reviewed on PlayStation 5 with a code from Evolve PR.