Two Point Museum brings a little adventure to the franchise | Hands-on preview

Two Point Museum brings a little adventure to the franchise | Hands-on preview

As a seasoned gaming enthusiast with over two decades of experience under my belt, I must admit that Two Point Museum has managed to captivate me like no other management simulator has in recent memory. Having dabbled in both Two Point Hospital and Campus, I can confidently say that the latest installment in SEGA’s “Two Point” franchise has truly outdone itself.

From my practical experience with Two Point Museum, I’ve come to understand that a successful museum largely depends on the quality of its staff. Unlike earlier installments in SEGA’s “Two Point” series, such as Hospital and Campus, which primarily emphasized caring for visitors whether they were patients or students, Two Point Museum places greater emphasis on recruiting suitable personnel for each role. This ultimately improves the museum’s ability to educate and cater to its visitors, fostering growth.

The core focus of this system revolves around experiences called “Expeditions.” While it’s crucial to offer amenities for your patrons, the main objective here is to create a “buzz,” and generating that buzz involves making everyone, from children to seniors, thrilled about history. This entails setting up exhibits, which need maintenance and thus require janitorial staff, but before you can do that, you’ll need to procure them, and that requires Experts.

Two Point Museum brings a little adventure to the franchise | Hands-on preview

The primary role of hired experts involves embarking on voyages to unexplored, remote regions globally, retrieving valuable artifacts that enrich our knowledge. Gathering these artifacts may require several expeditions, and the contents remain uncertain until a helicopter arrives with a large crate for unpacking. Each venture into the wilderness carries risks, making it crucial to prepare and train experts adequately beforehand.

Enhancing the appeal of your exhibits encourages your visitors to learn more, which in turn increases their likelihood of donating, shopping, and promoting the museum. As a result, Two Point Museum appears less complicated than its predecessors, offering simpler management experiences. Interestingly, arranging your artifacts and information boards provides immediate satisfaction through an increase in popularity.

Arranging decorations thoughtfully can boost excitement (Buzz), and providing data in engaging formats keeps your customers informed in unique ways. For instance, children would enjoy vibrant, interactive exhibits, even though they come at a high price, they’re consistently valuable investments.

Two Point Museum brings a little adventure to the franchise | Hands-on preview

Absolutely, as you oversee expeditions to distant locations and ensure the vending machine is stocked with chocolate, you’ll also be tasked with designing themes by switching up wallpapers and floor coverings, and maintaining staff satisfaction. This includes providing spaces for relaxation and work, as well as handling their training and salary decisions.

In the preliminary version, we find three distinct stages, each emphasizing the discovery and showcasing of various attractions. Though a creative mode is planned for the complete game, the campaign centers around completing certain tasks. The initial stage revolves around prehistoric times, where you gather and exhibit fossils, dinosaur bones, and abundant plant-themed decorations. The second level concentrates on marine life and underwater history. In contrast, the final beta mission takes a eerie turn, featuring mysterious artifacts and a ghostly supernatural backdrop. With such diversity in just these three missions, it’s promising to expect even more surprises in the ultimate release, as hinted by the ominous tone of the third level, implying an unpredictable journey ahead.

Two Point Museum brings a little adventure to the franchise | Hands-on preview

Among my most enjoyed aspects was assembling teams for the Explorations, some of which could be quite perilous (think sending a group of workers to the real Underworld as an example). Additionally, managing the artifacts they retrieve is another crucial aspect. It’s not as simple as placing a frozen exhibit in the middle of an exhibition area; you need to maintain freezing conditions. Moreover, certain marine life exhibits require special care, contributing significantly to generating that coveted “Buzz.” Notably, neglecting specific displays at level three could lead to some truly scary experiences for your visitors.

Beyond its charm, the game boasts vibrant, humorous graphics that breathe life into it. Additionally, it’s user-friendly with intuitive controls, easy-to-manage items, and clear objectives that offer a challenge. What sets Two Point Museum apart is its relaxed vibe; despite feeling less intense than previous versions, I never found myself lacking tasks, adjustments to make, or places to assign my eager teams of explorers. While it’s early days, I have high expectations for Two Point Museum contributing to the growing success of Two Point Studios.

The Two Point Museum is created by Two Point Studios and will be distributed by Sega. It’s set to launch on March 4, 2025, available for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox systems.

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2024-12-03 23:46