Two Point Museum: Hands-on Preview
A few years ago, the Two Point franchise came out of nowhere to resurrect a style of game I loved from the late 90s, namely the Bullfrog classics, Theme Park and Theme Hospital. Two Point Hospital was first out the door, and it captured the zany feel and tight gameplay of the game it was inspired by while at the same time bringing it into the modern era. Not too long after, we got Two Point Campus, which was a load of fun in the world of education with players taking on the role of the director for multiple different Unis and schools. Now, with the arrival of the third game, we are moving into the world of Museums and with this move comes a couple of big shakeups that really add a lot to a well-worn (yet loved) formula.
At first glance, Two Point Museum is very, very similar to the previous few titles. Players take control of a range of museums, managing their displays, and keeping staff and visitors happy all the while balancing the books. But two new features really add to the gameplay in meaningful ways that I feel are going to help Two Point Museum stand out from its older siblings. The first is Buzz, which is essentially a new currency. This currency is earned by looking after exhibits, having attractive displays, meeting staff expectations and, most of all, keeping the paying public happy. This can then be used to purchase new decorations, interactive displays, research projects and scientific breakthroughs. The thing with buzz though is, that unless the museum is taken care of, the buzz can drop and your business momentum starts to go backwards.
The second and most exciting new feature is the expeditions. Players can send staff on expeditions to locate new items for the museum. These expeditions require the right staff members with the right training, along with a host of small binary choices and a little luck to ensure the best exhibits come back for your paying visitors. These exhibitions will bring back whole new exhibits, things to place in existing exhibits or even a small part of a new exhibit, which will require further exhibitions to complete. This makes for a nice change to the usual “earn money and buy stuff” method these games go for and adds a few new strategic wrinkles that keep things interesting. It makes managing staff extra important because not only is the right profession required, but the right training and speciality as well.
In the preview build, I got the chance to play, I was able to manage three different museums. The first was an ancient history one that focused on Dinosaurs, fossils and ancient creatures. The second was an aquatic-themed one that allowed for aquariums and under-sea treasures. The final (and wildest) museum was set in a haunted house, which allowed players to send their explorers into a Hellmouth to retrieve occult artifacts for display. I loved how each of these museums was significantly different to manage based on what was on display. The dinosaur museum required a lot of expert staff to keep the exhibits clean and presentable, while the aquatic one required a variety of different-style water tanks to house all sorts of underwater life. This gives me high hopes for the full game because if it can maintain this variety for the whole campaign, I know I am going to have a blast.
The one, very clear feeling I had while playing Two Point Museum is that the developers have thought long and hard about what goes into running a real-world museum. There are a host of things that I had never even thought of when I visited a museum. Things like displays, information boards, canteens and gift shops are features that I just assume will be there. But here, being in charge, I had to actively think about all of these things and how to maximise their effectiveness. The game presents as a very silly, humorous title, and it is, but it is also a deadly serious business simulation that gives players all the tools to build a thriving museum that they can be proud of.
I think that as far as existing Two Point players are concerned, I am preaching to the choir. This is a game they will already have circled on their calendars, ready to dive in on day one. But if you have never played a Two Point title, or perhaps never even tried this sort of Business/Management Sim I implore you to keep your eye on Two Point Museum. From my time, this is a game that is going to be approachable yet deep, humorous yet challenging, chill yet engaging. But most of all, I feel like Two Point Museum is going hit all the marks franchise fans expect and take the genre ahead in a few key areas and I am not sure I can ask for much more than that.
Two Point Museum is releasing on March 4th 2025 and is coming to PC, Xbox Series, and PS5.
