Usually we split these reviews into 3, but I think with the initial thoughts, we covered the bulk of what we want to say, and I want to get our score out to the world asap. So we’re breaking the ninjarefinery.com rules and doing things differently!
I’ve not gone all the way to 5 stars on each museum yet, but that’s something I’ll be doing at my leisure, because Two Point Museum is such an excellent, wind-down and relax, kinda game. Even with the micromanagement and the continual stress of objectives and upset customers.
The review
I’m just going to come out and say it. Two Point Museum is currently the best of Two Point Studios.
A combination of all the lessons learned from Two Point Hospital and Campus. Added new mechanics and elements more suited to running a museum, and then just gone ham with the polish.
Two Point Museum is exceptional.
There you go.
But why? What makes it stand out against its older siblings? What makes it a good game at all? In a sea of games vying for your attention and focus. How does a game about managing a museum compete against Monster Hunter, Call of Duty, Blue Prince and everything else?
Easy.
Two Point Museum is the best at what it’s doing. And quality, no matter the genre shines through.
Quality
In the first part of the review. We talked about the onboarding and the quality of life that two Point Museum does so well.
What we didn’t cover, was how well put together it is and how tidy and complete it feels as a package.
Two Point Museum appeals to the core audience of these management Sims, for sure. But because it’s so smooth to get into, and such a seamless transition from tutorial and hand holding into challenging you to do more with your museums. It makes you feel like you’ve been doing this all your life.
Challenges and objectives are clear. When you get stuck, nine times out of ten it’s because you haven’t properly read something. The objectives can be tough, and require you to really exploit mechanics of the game (decoration, farming for better exhibits from expeditions etc). But it never feels unfair, and whilst you grind away at something, you get to watch your museum flourish as the day to day just happens before you.
Style
Two Point Museum is crammed full of that Bullfrog Studios and Two Point Studios charm. Cheeky, silly, funny.
Characters, buildings, exhibits, items. Everything is lovingly crafted and tonally consistent. To say that Two Point Museum has a style would be an understatement.
Balancing the silly and funny with the more “grown up” management of staff, finance, customers and ghosts is masterfully done. It never veers too far one way, which I feel is something that needs some recognition.
The music and sound effects are joyful. Always apt for what they’re doing, always adding to what’s happening. Never a distraction, never hiding in the background. Two Point Museum is scored and sound engineered to a very high standard. In fact, playing with headphones on and taking it all in, is a real joy.
The not so good
No game is perfect, and when you sit grinding objectives for a bit, you get to start to see behind the curtains. Two Point Museum is a game made up of systems that compliment each other.
When they don’t quite deliver, it can be frustrating.
My main frustration has been the security side of things. I’ve invested heavily on staff, cameras etc. And yet criminals seem to take more exhibits than you would think, or perhaps the security response feels slow and poor.
It’s hardly the end of the world, but time and time again, and exhibit is gone and it impacts the museum quickly.
I mean, that’s the worst I have to say about Two Point Museum, so take that as you will…..
Expeditions
Sometimes in Two Point Museum, you can see that parallels between it and the other games in the series.
Your experts are your doctors or lecturers. Then your janitors are the same, with different skills and focus.
Training works similarly and you can create a great workforce.
One area you can’t compare is the expeditions. Sending your experts and sometimes other staff out to collect relics. Relics from jungles, deserts, under the sea, in outer space and all over.
These are such a great way to add exhibits to your museum. But also it adds some luck and trepidation to the proceedings.
Your staff could die or get lost whilst out there. They could come back I’ll. They might get injured!
Plus, you can’t guarantee your findings. Especially early into a museum type.
You might have to send teams out to the same place over and over to ultimately bring back better versions of exhibits you already have, just to improve a tour you’re running in the museum.
It sounds like a pain in the arse. But the randomness and trying to game the system really adds a new layer to the series and works wonderfully here.
Content
I’ve seen some have played Two Point Museum for 100’s of hours. Often with immaculate, organised museums.
Good for them. But then they’re the first to complain that they need more to do. A modern first-world problem to be sure.
For me, 30+ hours with loads to work on, it feels really well balanced. There’s always something to be doing and improving, and the chaos of my museums being slung together is part of the charm.
I could spend another ten hours re-planning the layout and efficiency of them all, but that’s not who I am.
Two Point Museum let’s you run things your way and if it doesn’t work from a business/attraction perspective. You soon learn.
The core campaign element is beefy and I suspect will see another 20 hours of me taking my time and enjoying it.
That’s no joke!
Overall
Look, I’ve gone on and on, largely just expressing my love for Two Point Museum.
The best of the series, the best in its genre and whilst remaining the same, it actually brings plenty of fresh ideas to the table, too.
I love managing the costs of my gift shop, coffee shop, cafeteria and vending machines. It harkens back to the halcyon days of Theme Park, and it just scratches a very particular itch for me.
If you’re looking for more Two Point goodness, you get it in spades. If you’re new to the genre, Two Point Museum it the most accessible and somehow most complex.
Absolutely exceptional from the first minute and it’s a game of the year contender for ninjarefinery.com in 2025, for sure.