A Return to Two Point: From Hospitals to Halls of History

Two Point started with a hospital. I still have vivid memories of that voiceover line “a patient has died and is haunting the hospital.” It was ridiculous, and somehow perfect. That kind of humour, paired with the quirky gameplay, pulled me in quickly. Two Point Hospital became one of those games I kept coming back to. Even now, I still spend hours playing it on my Switch, usually when I want something light but oddly satisfying.

Fast forward a few years, and the series took us to university life with Two Point Campus. The tone stayed consistent, plenty of one-liners, plenty of chaos, but I didn’t connect with it in quite the same way. Running a university sounded fun, and parts of it were…. mere, but I didn’t find myself as invested. Eventually, I wandered back to the hospital. It just felt more grounded, more engaging for me.

When I saw Two Point Museum at PAX last year, I squeaked. Literally. Dez can confirm (Editor Dez here, picture a kid being told they are going to Disneyland, that was Kel); I didn’t even try to play it cool. I was ridiculously excited. There’s something about seeing a game you’ve been quietly hoping for suddenly become real, right in front of you. I jumped into the demo, and it impressed me more than I expected. It felt familiar, but fresh. I left the booth already counting down the days to release.

So when the review email landed in my inbox, I was thrilled. But also… a little cautious. I’ve been back and forth with the series. Hospital was a favourite, Campus didn’t quite stick. I wanted Museum to be the one that pulled me back in completely. But I was also prepared to just enjoy it, not fall in love.

And then I started playing.

Graphics: Charming, Detailed, and Surprisingly Personal

This isn’t a AAA title, and it doesn’t pretend to be. But the visual? They’re surprisingly refined.

The cartoon style fits the game perfectly. It’s light, expressive, and full of personality, just exaggerated enough to be fun without feeling overly silly. It doesn’t aim for realism, and that’s part of the charm. You’re not distracted by high-end textures or dramatic lighting effects. Instead, the world feels cohesive, like everything belongs together. It’s consistent, and that consistency makes it feel alive.

What really stood out to me was how personal the museum becomes. The artifacts you collect, the way you arrange them, the wallpapers you choose; it all adds up. You’re not just placing objects; you’re curating a space. Even small things, like where you put a bench or how you light a hallway, start to feel intentional. It’s your museum, and it reflects your choices.

At times, it felt like I was building my own version of Night at the Museum, only with more control and fewer historical liberties. There’s something oddly satisfying about watching visitors react to your layout, even if it’s just a quick animation or a passing comment. You can’t help but feel proud of yourself. It also helps give the space a sense of energy, like it’s not just a static display but something that’s constantly in motion, constantly evolving and like your choices truly matter.

Controls: Surprisingly Flexible

I’m more of a console gamer, so I had a controller ready to go before I even launched the game. I assumed I’d need it. But I didn’t. The keyboard controls were intuitive enough that I stuck with them for most of my playthrough. Movement, placement, and menu navigation it all felt smooth and well thought out.

That said, rotating items was definitely easier with a mouse. There were a few moments where I fumbled with the keys, trying to get something angled just right. Eventually, I gave the controller a try, and it worked well too, especially for more relaxed sessions where I wasn’t doing much fine-tuning.

The fact that I could switch between input methods without friction says a lot. It’s well-designed. You don’t feel locked into one way of playing, which I appreciated. For me, the easiest setup ended up being a controller on my laptop. But it’s nice to know that if I’m travelling or just don’t have it nearby, the keyboard and mouse setup holds up as good, if not better.

It’s a small thing, but it matters. When a game lets you play the way you want, without making you fight the controls, it becomes easier to stay immersed.

Story and Progression: Engaging, Not Overbearing

Some games lose you when the story doesn’t hold up. You start strong, but then the momentum fades. You drift, get distracted, maybe open another game to something else entirely. That didn’t happen here.

The story in Two Point Museum isn’t overly complex, and it doesn’t try to be. But it gives you just enough to stay curious. There’s a steady sense of progression, training staff, unlocking new wings of the museum, and discovering increasingly bizarre artifacts. It all feeds into a gameplay loop that’s hard to walk away from. You always feel like you’re working toward something, even if it’s just unlocking the next odd exhibit or solving a quirky problem.

After nearly five hours, I hadn’t made it particularly deep into the narrative, but I’d already unlocked a handful of achievements and filled my museum with a growing collection of strange and wonderful things. And the important part? I wanted to keep going. I wasn’t just playing to tick boxes or finish a review, I was genuinely curious to see what came next. What weird twist would the game throw at me next? What new room I get to design?

It’s that kind of quiet momentum that keeps you coming back. Not because the story demands it, but because the game makes you want to see it through.

Final Thoughts: A Welcome Surprise

Two Point Museum feels like a return to form. It’s a big step up from Campus, at least for me. The humour is sharp, the mechanics are polished, and the sense of progression is enjoyable without being overwhelming, while leaving you with a craving to know more!

I’m looking forward to seeing how my museum evolves. It already feels like a chaotic, charming mess, and I mean that in the best way. If the Night at the Museum movies had a management sim spin-off, this would be it. And honestly? It might be better.