Flippin' Torn

Even though they aren't every gamer's cup of tea, I have found a particular soft spot for simulators.  I know, I know!  When you mention a simulation game the automatic reaction of so many people is to immediately question "why?"  Why the heck would you want to play a game about something that you could do in real life?  The simple answer is...I don't get collectibles or achievements for cleaning up my house in real life (I do get the intrinsic joy of not seeing the trails of cat litter that somehow get tracked EVERYWHERE).  Casual games also tend to be a nice way to relax after a long, stressful day of work--I like to turn off the music and catch up on a favorite podcast or listen to my own music.  It's with this relaxing scenario in mind that I decided to take a gamble on House Flipper, a casual game about fixing up and selling property for a profit.

Pros:

+ It has a nice, casual vibe.  The controls are very simple--literally point-and-click for many tasks--and easy to learn.  The music is calming and has a sort of Sims-esque build mode feel.

+ With each job you complete there is an extremely satisfying "before and after" photo taken.  Seeing a garbage strewn, dirty house turned into a cute and functional home is the ultimate payoff.  It's a great feature.

+ There are tons of options for decorating that even include miniscule details like adding crown molding to a room.  You can really personalize each job and make it feel unique.

+ There are numerous well-paying jobs you can complete to build up your bank account before you purchase homes to flip.  These jobs serve as a sort of tutorial and have specific objectives that must be completed.

+ The menu of houses to purchase and flip is plentiful--from small homes up to large mansions.

+ Seasonal updates provide new, free content.  Around Christmas time there were jobs added that involved re-decorating several houses to get them ready for the holidays by adding Christmas decorations.

Cons:

- Some objects can't be moved after they are placed and you have to sell and then re-purchase them (at a loss).  It's inexplicable why most object can be moved, but certain others cannot.

- No object snapping.  You have to pay very close attention to how you are placing certain objects because they will not automatically line themselves up.  This is particularly annoying when laying pavers outdoors or when trying to place doors.  It would be great if there was at least the option to toggle object snapping on or off.

- There is a cast of characters who are potential buyers for the homes you flip.  Each person (or family) has their own preferences for what they want to buy and they will periodically comment if they approve of your actions.  Over time, you sort of get a feel for what they like and can keep those preferences in mind as you re-model.  Their preferences are also recorded...somewhere, in some menu that you can access.  Many of the descriptions are vague and the whole system hinges on you doing something first and then them responding to it.  Personally, I would just like to have a list of specific likes and dislikes that was easily accessible rather than the weird feedback system.

- The Garden DLC allows you to fix up the outdoor spaces around the homes you purchase, but the core game and the Garden DLC doesn't work together--there are house jobs and then there are garden jobs.  The garden jobs, in particular, are weird.  The cast of characters who give you feedback about the house don't have anything to say about what they want from the outdoor spaces.  It would be great if both pieces of the game worked together--if I bought a house to flip and owned the Garden DLC that the characters would have both home and garden oriented likes and dislikes.  Instead, you can choose to re-model the yard and enter it into a "garden contest."

Mega-Mop fixes all problems!

- Some suspension of reality is required in simulator games--they can't be so detailed as to be boring.  You really have to suspend reality with parts of House Flipper.  A few examples--you use the mop to clean every kind of surface (floors, counters, ceilings); when chopping down a tree you get to watch as the tree falls through the ground and into tree oblivion...and there are others.  Some tasks are very detailed and then you have trees falling through the earth...it's an odd balance.

- Some of the homes you flip have the exact same floor plan.

- The selling price for the homes you flip is not well-defined...this ties in with the weird feedback system.  I wish it was more specific.  (It seems like you will pretty much automatically make a larger profit the more money that you spend and that your actions don't influence much).

- While re-decorating, the menus can be very slow.  It's irritating.

- You can demolish walls, but can't build them.  Home layouts are fixed.

Recommendation

I wish Steam had a "maybe" option.  I don't think House Flipper is anything particularly fantastic, but it's also not horrible and has some redeeming qualities.  If you are looking for something casual and relaxing and are willing to suspend reality--it might be right up your alley.  If you are hoping for something detail oriented, there are better simulators available.