House Flipper 2 review: "More satisfying than ever"

Playing House Flipper 2, after dedicating so many hours to the original home renovation sim, gives me the same satisfaction as doing up an actual property. As I make my way through the different tasks, I can see exactly where developer Frozen District has improved things – everything from the visuals to the gameplay, and even the quality of life features. It feels like the House Flipper I know and love with a fresh coat of paint.

Like in the original game, the aim is to purchase houses, renovate them, and sell them for profit. There's also a tonne of odd jobs for our flipper character to complete which earns you cash to invest in your future projects, as well as a sandbox mode so you can create the home of your dreams. I've converted a cafe into a book shop, refurbished a beach cabin, and given a grandmother somewhere suitable for her grandson to stay. Each job comes with its own characters, stories, and criteria, and it's up to you to meet the requirements of the task in front of you.

Luckily, you already have all the tools you need to complete these jobs. Attached to your trusty tool belt you'll find: a paint roller, a vacuum cleaner, a rubbish bag, a scrubbing brush, a sledgehammer, and more. Not to mention access to a huge catalog of paints, wallpapers, furniture, and other decorative items to give your homes their finishing touches. The way in which all of these tools work has also greatly improved. You can now paint walls more efficiently, thanks to the new paint borders feature that keeps the color in the lines, and use cleaning sprays to clear dirt even more effectively than before.

Nailed It

I've always found playing House Flipper a relaxing experience. I love taking my time to renovate a home, making sure every last inch of it is perfect, whilst listening to a podcast. I'm especially a fan of the clean-up jobs as there's something so rewarding about seeing a room full of graffiti, stains, trash, and broken pieces of furniture turn into somebody's new home. Thanks to House Flipper 2's improved tools, I'm finding this cycle more satisfying than ever. 

I'm also really impressed by House Flipper 2's new customisation options. When playing the original game, I often found that my artistic vision was restricted due to the limited options available for things like wallpaper, furnishings, flooring, paint, etc. I didn't like all of the colors and patterns, and wasn't a fan of all the furniture, so I felt like I couldn't quite get my vision across. In the sequel, however, I feel absolutely spoiled for choice as I not only have access to so many different types of furnishings but I can also alter the color and material of them meaning I can now create exactly what I'm envisioning for the room. 

House Flipper 2's story mode is also a welcome new addition. Previously, you'd get emails and head out on jobs but you wouldn't really interact with any people. While we're still charged with working through emails, House Flipper 2 presents illustrations of the people submitting the jobs, or sometimes speaking with them directly on the phone with voice acting and dialogue options. Client's homes also feel much more cozy thanks to the better lighting and all the small details put into the houses. You really feel like you're dealing with real people this time around, which makes you want to do an even better job.

Hammer it Home 

I'm so glad Frozen District has given us more freedom when it comes to the types of projects we take on. In House Flipper 2, there's a lot more variety when it comes to jobs so you're not constantly doing up houses and recycling the same bits of furniture. Not every job requires you to completely redo the house either, sometimes it's as simple as converting a room into something new, or unpacking someone's belongings for them which gives you a nice change of pace so not every job feels like a lot of effort. 

As much as I appreciate the increased focus on variety, I have struggled to get to grips with House Flipper 2's sandbox mode. I love the idea of having complete free rein over a house, but the reality of it is a lot more daunting than expected. As you start in sandbox mode, you're given the option of three different locations and three different plot sizes. Then, you're just dropped in the middle of this plot and given some new tools to literally build the house from scratch. I know some people will thrive in this kind of environment but personally I find it difficult to know where to begin and find this mode's lack of direction a bit overwhelming.

Even still, every inch of House Flipper 2 feels like it was assembled with care – the difference is so apparent, that I can't imagine going back to the original now. Even though I've now put dozens of hours into the interior decorating sim, it feels like I've barely scratched the surface. There are still different features for me to try out, tools to unlock, and jobs to take on but I'm enjoying playing it at my own pace. It's nice to feel like there's still plenty for me to get stuck in with without any pressure of getting it done quickly. In fact, If flipping houses was this easy in real life, I would have picked up a paint roller long ago.