House Flipper 2 has now landed on consoles after existing on PC since the end of 2023. It joins the many other building simulators on the market which have all seemingly sprung up overnight. However, House Flipper 2 aims to take away some of its hardcore simulator mechanics which I found quite appealing. Instead of focusing heavily on the simulator slog of cleaning, the game introduces some quality-of-life features that make this cleaning spree a lot more enjoyable than I expected.
First off, House Flipper 2 is a much better game than the original. Despite missing several DLC packs that enhanced the first entry, the second time around, it feels more polished and refined. There’s a Story Mode that provided a decent learning curve to the various mechanics on offer as it slowly dipped me into what could be an overwhelming task of flipping.
The mode is quite simple. I moved into a house which needed a lot of work. However, work needs money and flipping houses, cleaning and unpacking for other people is the best way to make it. Throughout the campaign, I received various email tasks which whisked me away to a different location with set goals in place.
In some earlier houses, it was simply about cleaning up a complete mess. In others, I would unpack storage containers and decorate someone’s house the way I saw fit. On other levels, it would combine various mechanics as the game’s systems expanded over time.
After a while, a level went from taking a few minutes to complete, to keeping me busy for an hour or so as I turned a complete dumpster fire into a gorgeous dwelling.
The experience in-between this all is rewarding even if there are some mechanical hiccups to overcome. Various tools help complete the task. A garbage bag is for collecting rubbish, a sponge is for cleaning stains and an item-selling device let me easily sell items which, I guess, the owner didn’t want.
Later on, building tools become available. Paint let me cover walls in different colours to meet the expectations. I could rewire plugs, knock down walls and rebuild them. Furthermore, furnishings then let me decorate these houses with various items.
Each tool also has its own skill tree which essentially makes things easier during the game. I could carry mode rubbish around, group sell items, knock down more walls and clean more stains at once. However, these skills are obtained throughout the campaign so at first, things are a little slower and require a bit more patience.
The skills are very helpful. If anything, they make the game a lot more approachable. That’s because House Flipper 2 can be a bit cumbersome to play at times. The game’s camera sensitivity creates problems across almost every tool. I don’t know what it is exactly but the game feels like it lacks a ramp-up and down system when moving the camera. So one tiny nudge of the analogue stick and the pointer would fly into a spot away from where you intended.
This means moving about, collecting rubbish, painting and other mechanics can get a little annoying. At first, pinpointing that exact paintbrush stick that I wanted to pick up meant trying to get the cursor on the object. Given how thin and small it is, that is easier said than done.
Skills make these actions a bit easier as they are mostly themed around “mass” tasks. So painting more wall space, cleaning up more rubbish etc. So you rely less on getting that cursor on an object. However, that doesn’t help most of the decoration systems here.
That’s because decorating means moving objects one by one across the room and onto shelves and tables. Getting the object and finding the right spot on the surface takes some time to master. And I am not just bad at games – just to clear that up before you assume the worst. House Flipper 2’s camera is just a bit off.
House Flipper 2 on PS5 (and Xbox) does come with most of the content updates available on the PC version. However, naturally speaking you won’t have access to any community features due to the lack of Steam Workshop. So keep that in mind. The developers also plan on releasing all future DLC and content across this version. This means, that if all goes well, co-op will arrive. This is a feature I am mostly excited about because flipping houses with a friend would be pretty darn cool.
The console version also came with the Floor is Lava mode where I could complete various obstacle courses themed around the popular game. There are three courses to complete so it is a short-lived mode but still pretty fun to play. I do hope we get more of these courses in the future or perhaps the ability to create your own course and share them. Imagine the possibilities.
Of course, the Sandbox mode is where you’ll spend most of your time. Here, you can build an entire house from scratch. The general tools on offer felt easy to use and the ability to fly around the area meant everything from the ground to the roof was manageable. Sure, the Sandbox mode gives off more of a “Sims building” vibe than flipping houses but the campaign does enough of that.
As a package, House Flipper 2 on console is a great buy. There’s a lot of content here and the promise of future DLC is great too. The original game’s basic tools have been expanded in new ways to provide an extensive experience that you can get lost in for hours on end. The story mode is my favourite. The various tasks are spread out across the mode and it allowed me to slowly master the game’s best systems without feeling overwhelmed by everything on offer.
I highly recommend House Flipper 2 if you’re craving something mindless to keep you busy. If you simply want to build a house, go ahead. This is likely the best “non-simulator” house builder around. I can’t wait to see what else comes out of this game.
This Hosue Flipper 2 PS5 review is based on a code sent to us by Frozen District. The game is available now starting at R749.
Summary
House Flipper 2 is likely the best house builder simulator game you can play on PS5 thanks to its extensive tools, skill system and sheer amount of freedom. It is that mindless game to get lost in when you need a break.
