I'm not very good with DIY outside of video games. Hanging shelves, fixing anything, making knick-knacks, do I enjoy it, even if sometimes I do it backwards or get it completely wrong, and the final result is always satisfying. I just don't enjoy the actual process. Maybe it's because of previous issues, or a disastrous first attempt with an impatient family member, or maybe I just don't enjoy spending my scarce free time on something that takes time and gets increasingly expensive.
Whatever the reason, House Flipper 2 surprised me and subverted my expectations. It's one of the most relaxing games I've played in a long time, even taking into account the huge Stardew Valley 1.6 update. It combines all the best parts of a DIY project – the creative freedom, the fun of testing out your vision, and the satisfaction of finishing it perfectly – without the hassle or, even better, the cost. Okay, sure, it's not the real thing, and it won't redecorate your bedroom or increase the value of your actual home, but it's a great, low-key way to relax after a stressful day.
You may be thinking “how can you have time to play DIY games but no time to do DIY projects” but here's the difference: I play House Flipper 2 on my Asus Ally in bed at 1am. Smashing things with a hammer at that time would not please my housemates and I am renting a house so there is a limit to how much stuff I want to change here. It's not a benefit to me as only the landlord benefits in the long run.
Above all, House Flipper 2 is a fun way to fulfill the dream of actually owning your own home and doing whatever you want with it, something that's becoming increasingly unattainable for people my age and younger. But I don't want to get too depressing, so I'll leave it at that.
Calling this just a DIY game is a bit misleading: House Flipper 2 is as much an interior design game as it is a house building game. Think Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer on the Switch, but with a much broader scope.
In House Flipper 2's story mode (if you want to call it that), you're given a series of tasks to do for various clients: clear out the trash, repair the broken down houses, and get the place habitable before you turn your creative attention to other matters: thinking up everything from the shape and style of ceiling molding to what little storage baskets you'd like in the bathroom. The angle at which the toothpaste tube is placed.
At first, I thought that level of detail would be boring and I would hate it. The thought of having to spend 10+ minutes laying out a small board and getting every single detail perfect would be tedious and overwhelming. It only took one project to show me how wrong I was. The small scale projects and adjustments reminded me of Unpacking and there's a similar meditative quality to the process. But it's the freedom to experiment in ways big and small that really drew me in.
There are no costs or time limits and the outline you have to follow is very extensive – there's no one standing over you yelling at you for making a mistake or complaining that you didn't do it. their Creating a livable space makes everyone happier.
I'm the kind of person who prefers Dragon Quest Builders over Minecraft because I need a bit more structure to get started. If I was dropped into a sandbox with no hint of what to do, I'd probably just walk away. I expected the same with House Flipper 2, but I ended up spending most of my time in sandbox mode. Dealing with a house that needed repairs in story mode encouraged me to start from scratch in sandbox mode and see what I could do.
Sure, it takes time, but with no stakes and plenty of resources at your disposal, it's a lot of fun to spend a week or more working on your dream project. That's the great thing about House Flippers 2 – it gives you the best part of DIY without having to do it yourself.