Moving Houses

About

"Moving Houses" is a physics-based game where players pack up a house for moving, with the option to be neat or cause chaos. The game offers casual, task-based gameplay with a runtime of approximately 3 hours for the main story and an additional 3 hours for completionists. Players can interact with household objects, pack them neatly, or throw them around, all while experiencing the satisfaction of checking items off a list.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

80%

Audience ScoreBased on 314 reviews

story22 positive mentions

gameplay12 negative mentions

Moving Houses offers a unique blend of cozy simulation and psychological horror, keeping players engaged with unexpected twists.
The game features charming visuals and a catchy soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
Players appreciate the satisfying gameplay mechanics of packing and moving items, which provide a relaxing yet eerie atmosphere.

The gameplay can become repetitive and tedious, especially during the initial packing segments, leading to a lack of engagement.
Many players feel the horror elements are underdeveloped and fail to deliver a compelling narrative, with the most interesting content appearing too late in the game.
The price point is considered too high for the amount of content provided, with some suggesting it should be lower to match the game's length and depth.

story
81 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
69%
4%
The game's story is described as minimalistic and often feels like an afterthought, with many players expressing disappointment over its lack of depth and compelling narrative. While some appreciate the atmospheric hints and personal touches, others find the storytelling vague and the gameplay more focused on fetch quests than a cohesive plot. Overall, the experience is seen as quirky and intriguing, but many reviewers wish for a more substantial and engaging storyline.
- “If you're a fan of simulation games, you'll enjoy this quirky little story and seeing how deep the rabbit hole goes, with a scare or two along the way.”
- “The story is completely unique, and the game is a rich experience even if you haven't read the book-- though I do find that there are some references (intentional or not) in the design of the game.”
- “I loved how the story isn't laid bare for you and the atmosphere really affected me.”
- “There were little scares here and there, but after realizing there's no real story going on aside from 'I can't leave this house, I just come right back when I do,' it all falls apart.”
- “I tried really hard to like the game and I even 100%ed it, but there's not enough story to carry it.”
- “The environments were cool, but I feel like more love and care was put into crafting little gags to find, and then the main story felt more like an afterthought.”
gameplay
54 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
59%
22%
The gameplay is characterized by a repetitive and mundane loop centered around packing boxes, which some players find enjoyable while others deem tedious and lacking in variety. Although the game introduces some interesting mechanics towards the end, many reviewers feel that the pacing suffers and the horror elements are underdeveloped. Overall, while the simple mechanics allow for some player creativity, the experience is often criticized for not providing enough engaging content throughout its short duration.
- “I found the packing gameplay super fun, as I love simple routine things like that!”
- “The main game mode offers around an hour and a half of gameplay, and once you complete it, two additional modes unlock, adding even more value to the experience.”
- “The gameplay loop is simple and easy to grasp but doesn't overstay its welcome - it's a short and sweet experience that approaches (but does not cross) the line between pleasant and tedious.”
- “Still, the gameplay is essentially walk around and find the shiny thing to progress, without providing much added story or context as to why you were doing so.”
- “Interesting enough concept for a fakeout horror game, but neither the mundane gameplay nor the walking sim spooky segment really warrant the $13 price tag, especially when the game is an hour long.”
- “I was wondering if anything would change as a reward for the monotonous gameplay for sticking with it, but no, it's really just the same game again but more tedious.”
atmosphere
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
59%
9%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its intense creepiness and effective build-up of tension, creating a sense of unease that enhances the horror experience. Players appreciate the focus on eldritch horror over cheap jump scares, with many noting the atmosphere evolves throughout the game, delivering chills and unexpected moments. However, some critiques mention that pacing issues and certain visual elements detract from the overall atmospheric experience.
- “Fantastically eerie atmosphere and well-executed scares.”
- “The atmosphere is great and the developer did a lot of creative things within the world!”
- “The best part of the game was the atmosphere that really changed as you kept playing - I felt chills at certain parts, not knowing what to expect next!”
- “Less random jump scares and cheesy cuts to still images, more eldritch horror and atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere and late game really surprised me even after following the development through Twitter.”
- “Moving houses is begging to be allowed to breathe with creeping dread and eerie atmosphere, but this desire is often let down by the inclusion of haunted house style cheap visuals and events.”
music
31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
61%
10%
The music in the game has received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with many players praising the catchy theme and end credits songs that linger in their minds long after playing. The cheerful and upbeat soundtrack complements the game's cozy aesthetic, although some noted that it can become repetitive over time. Overall, the sound design and music are well-integrated, enhancing the overall experience.
- “The soundtrack was peak!”
- “The credits song is an absolute banger, I can't get it out of my head.”
- “The cheerful, upbeat soundtrack keeps things light, though after a while, you'll notice that it starts to repeat a little too often, almost as if something is gently urging you to keep moving... keep moving.”
- “The cheerful, upbeat soundtrack keeps things light, though after a while, you'll notice that it starts to repeat a little too often, almost as if something is gently urging you to keep moving... [i]keep moving[/i].”
- “However, the theme song is catchy.”
- “I might be biased because I did the music and audio for this game, but...”
grinding
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being overly tedious and monotonous, with players expressing frustration over repetitive tasks and a lack of variation in gameplay. While some find the initial packing mechanics enjoyable, they quickly become tiresome, leading to a sense of drudgery rather than engagement. Overall, the experience is described as a short loop that teeters on the edge of being enjoyable but ultimately falls into the realm of tedious busywork.
- “It was too tedious to go back and forth with the boxes and bigger items, and I found myself just throwing everything into a pile and kicking it to the truck just to speed things up.”
- “From here, I was expecting either more interesting gameplay or a steady ramp-up in the weirdness, but basically, you do the same tedious moving-things-into-boxes a dozen or so times for different rooms of the house.”
- “The packing elements started off as fun but quickly got tedious as nothing new was introduced; just more tedious tasking.”
graphics
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
55%
15%
The graphics of the game are described as minimal yet effective in establishing mood, with good lighting that enhances the atmosphere, particularly in the evening. While the art style and visuals are appreciated for their cozy aesthetic, some elements, such as stock footage and cheap haunted house visuals, detract from the overall experience, creating a dissonance between the game's tone and its graphical presentation. Overall, the visuals evoke a mix of charm and discomfort, contributing to a unique but sometimes inconsistent experience.
- “The graphics are very minimal but they do a fine job of setting the stage, and the lighting and mood is generally quite good, especially as time passes and it gets to be later in the evening.”
- “With beautiful, realistic visuals and great audio design, the game creates a world that feels familiar and deeply unsettling.”
- “It's scuffed in some areas, not to mention the weird stock footage in flashbacks that completely clashed with the tone and art style of the game itself, and I didn't really feel like the $12 tag is worth it.”
- “[i]Moving [b]houses[/b][/i] is begging to be allowed to breathe with creeping dread and eerie atmosphere, but this desire is often let down by the inclusion of haunted [b]house[/b] style cheap visuals and events.”
- “The horrifying subject matter being portrayed with such fanciful cartoonish clandestine graphics and cheeriness really created an uncomfortable feeling that sticks with you.”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game effectively blends emotional depth with spooky elements, resonating well with players who appreciate indie titles that evoke feelings of nostalgia and melancholy. While some found the frightening aspects challenging, the desire for a more developed backstory and environmental storytelling highlights the game's potential for deeper emotional engagement. Overall, it leaves players eager for future projects from the developers.
- “Altogether, the game is fairly good and I recommend it for anyone that likes an indie game with some emotional overtones and a little spooky vibes.”
- “Whether it's to make it more faux-arcadey with even more ironic sweetness slathered over the pain of leaving or to have a genuinely heartfelt background story far more thoroughly hinted at through documents, more realistic pictures, environmental clues, etc... that's the absolute best kind of gripe you could get, because I genuinely want to see more of this team's work!”
- “Except for the parts where the game was rather frightening and wouldn't let me take my emotional support chair with me.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Overall, the game's replayability is limited, with some players noting a lack of content and minimal storyline, which diminishes its value for the price. However, there is a slight increase in replayability through an extended mode that offers additional tasks after completing the main game.
- “I wanted to like this game, but both for the price (for an hour long game with no replay value) and the minimal storyline, with almost no easter eggs to find at all (like no way to get into the treehouse at the back or on your roof), I just can't recommend it.”
- “There is a bit of replayability with the extended mode after you beat the game, with more things to pack away.”
- “I think it'll have some replayability.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by a quirky narrator that adds a lighthearted tone, contrasting with the game's spooky elements. While some moments aim for scares, they often come off as more amusing than frightening, particularly through the use of stock footage and comedic sound effects. Overall, the humor contributes to a fun and entertaining atmosphere.
- “You're accompanied by a quirky, funny narrator, making it feel like a lighthearted experience.”
- “None of the things we pick up to move out tell a story; there's 'oh no, a thing fell and there's a scary sound to accompany it' and little stock footage videos which I found more funny than scary.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game experiences several glitches that negatively impact stability, making gameplay challenging for users.
- “There are a few glitches that make the game hard.”