House Flipper Remastered Collection Testbericht (Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 & PC)

House Flipper Remastered Collection is an all-in-one renovation project that needed to happen, not because it was in dire need of an audiovisual overhaul, but because it had so much material that it had simply outgrown its own shell. Like The Sims and its dozen or more Stuff Packs and themed expansions, it had hit a point where it either needed to dial it back a bit, or opt for an easier alternative — to compile all of its content in one conveniently sized toolbox. And really, that’s what the Remastered Collection aims to bring to the table: a definitive collection that includes the full weight of the beloved franchise. Oh, and not to mention a couple of goodies to help sweeten the deal.

Of course, the backbone of the series is still present and accounted for, as are all of the juicy expansions that have rolled out since its inception. To that end, House Flipper Remastered Collection is, above all else, a comprehensive saga that doesn’t necessarily reinvent its original premise, but rather, adds a little extra elbow grease to the existing blueprint to make outdated facets, well, sparkle. With some believable voice acting, a fresh lick of paint, and a whole host of stories, scenarios, and themed projects to ferry its beloved format, the latest offering more or less provides a stacked experience that, true to the nature of the series, can leave you cradling the paint pot and sledgehammer for days, weeks, and perhaps even months.

The most noticeable feature to make its way into the flipper’s utility belt is the “Lovely” playlist—a fresh collection of themed scenarios that introduce a new host of characters, stories, and a whopping 800 set pieces to work with over six drawn-out renovation jobs. To compliment a meaty campaign of revamped contracts, the Lovely pack aims to bring more work, more content, and an intimate touch to an otherwise textbook ordeal. For example, you have a job that tasks you with building and embellishing a marital home for newlyweds, as well as several side contracts that each house their own personal twist. As the title of the pack openly implies, though, each of its jobs effectively highlight love, intimacy, and emotional connection. Coffee, too, weirdly.

As luck would have it, the personal touches carry over to the original campaign, too. With a revamped story mode that not only features a cleaner visual style and a much, much tidier UI, but a fully voiced narrative and a little extra context in each scenario, Remastered Collection doesn’t just add a fresh lick of paint to the scene, but adds a fourth wall to the infrastructure. Oh, it’s still House Flipper, but with a huge upgrade in its general composition and in its gameplay mechanics. And that’s a huge plus here, too, given that old-school fans of the series can finally secure another reason to return to the graft.

Considering the amount of content that comes with the Remastered Collection, newcomers to the series probably won’t struggle to find their money’s worth here. Given that the collection serves as an all-in-one package with dozens of themed maps and scenarios, as well as all of the DLC packs that tie in with the base game, you essentially have enough material to keep you busy for hundreds of hours or more. And I don’t mean to oversell it, either. Truly, you have a lot of jobs to sink your teeth into here, a lot of which can be tackled in various ways. And so, while you are likely to spot an increase in visual complexity, you are also likely to find an open-ended experience that can, and probably will keep you thoroughly engaged for the long haul. Not that renovation work is a ten second job, mind you.

True to the point of a remastered game, the gameplay itself feels great here. In addition to the glossier finish and the brand-spanking look, the collection also offers an intuitive interface that’s a lot easier to navigate and fool around with. The quality of life updates, too, bring about a whole host of fresh improvements, including an option that allows you to export and rename builds, a neater photo mode that lets you capture snug images of your projects, and several tablet-based apps that grant you permission to tailor your workflow to your needs. But other than that, House Flipper is still an absolute delight to unpack. Challenging at times, naturally, but overall a huge amount of fun to work through.

With all of the above said, if you’ve yet to take the time to splash a bit of color on House Flipper’s weighty canvas, then consider this as an excellent opportunity to catch up with the latest developments in the series. Regardless of whether or not you’re new to the anthology or a returning renovator who simply wants to revisit old blueprints, Remastered Collection should have more than enough building blocks and creative ideas to justify the asking price. The Lovely setlist makes the price of admission seem a little more reasonable, too, to be fair. I’d call that a cherry on top.

Verdict

House Flipper Remastered Collection manages to add a fresh lick of paint to the saga whilst also keeping ahold of the studs and plugs that made the original so universally beloved. With an overhaul in its UI and a whole host of newly appointed features, materials, and side stories to share, the latest offering gracefully provides a definitive collection that also retains the beating heart of the timeless blueprint. And frankly, that’s precisely what any good remastered collection should be: a shinier, cleaner, and more accessible emulation that is as equally capable of adopting new features as well as retaining older ones.

Suffice it to say that, if you haven’t already taken the opportunity to sink your sledgehammer into the walls of House Flipper’s multi-story complex, then consider this as an invitation to experience the full benefits in a single package. If you are already acquainted with the series, then honestly, I’d still recommend taking the time to peel back its layers, if not for its cleaner skin, then for its Lovely episodes and its fresh take on the original campaign. If renovation work is your thing, then consider this as a perfect opportunity to scratch that itch.