Video Game Review: Moving Out - Movers in Paradise DLC
Rob Lake reviews Moving Out: Movers in Paradise DLC...
Moving Out is a frantic physics-based game where you're the newest employee of Smooth Moves. As a newly certified Furniture Arrangement & Relocation Technician, your job will be to assist the citizens of Packmore in moving home.
As games go the base Moving Out experience is pretty fun. It's a great co-op experience that pushes the couch co-op ethos. The overall gameplay is simple, yet challenging and who doesn't want to run around as a human-sized toaster?
Me and my 11-year old flew through the base game at quite a speed, and had a lot of fun too. While the game is great, the end game time trials were a little too much for both of us to stay invested in. When I saw that DevM & SMG Studios were bringing DLC out in the form of Movers in Paradise I jumped at the chance to review the title.
Does this new DLC recapture the essence of the original? Or does it need to be placed into storage?
Movers in Paradise takes you away from the streets of Packmore and straight into the tropical Isle of Packmore Island. It's not long before this peaceful island is thrown into chaos as you smash your way through its various locals all in the name of frantic delights. The gameplay is instantly reminiscent of the main game with players having to manoeuvre furniture through each location to pile up into the back of their moving van.
To keep the formula fresh, there's an introduction to a couple of new mechanics. These range from having to use ladders to cross gaps and simple puzzles that need to be solved. One of my favourites was to utilise a raft to cross over a particular bothersome stream, to then utilise some items like a homemade jetpack. It's all great fun and gets you screaming at the screen...and each other. Levels are laid out in a way that asks you to think outside of the box. There's a tonne of way to complete each objective and the most obvious is never normally the easiest way.
Each level feels like a giant sandbox that begs you to explore every nook and cranny. It's fun to discover new ways to shave a couple of seconds off of your time or to cause as little or as much destruction as possible. That's what makes Moving Out great - you never pushed into one direction and the game makes great emphasis on the fact that both playstyles are catered for.
There's also a high replayability factor with both the ability to collect tokens and to aim for higher scores. The token aspect is a nice touch as the collection of said tokens unlocks more levels to play within the aptly named 'Packmore Arcade'. These new levels offer a higher difficulty challenge that pushes your teamwork to the limits. They are also a nice way to reward players who wish to spend more time with the hapless workers of Smooth Moves.
Movers in Paradise is a great piece of DLC. It complements the Moving Out formula and then adds some of its own. The levels are all of a great design and the various environmental hazards never outstay their welcome. Movers in Paradise is a great getaway for some frantic multiplayer fun that doesn't break the bank.
Rating 9/10
A code was kindly supplied for this review.
Rob Lake - For more comic book and video game chat why not follow Geek Culture Reviews on Twitter and Facebook @GeekCultureRev
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