Unlike past eras, where action reigned supreme, there’s currently a plethora of options that are meant to simply make people…relax. MakeRoom is the latest entry in that slowly growing family of cosy games. The purpose? Decorate all sorts of rooms and, well, feel good about it! Developed by Kenney, it gives players a blank (or messy) canvas and lets them create or renovate tiny yet charming, detailed dioramas.
At its core, MakeRoom is a sandbox builder. One can start with an empty box, and then proceed to design anything from cosy bedrooms and kitchens to peaceful gardens and camper vans, using a catalogue of over 1,000 items. While likeminded titles provide the basics but not much beyond that, this excels at giving you plenty of tools to bring those ideas to life. There’s even a surprisingly robust furniture and item creation mode, where it’s possible to build custom pieces from scratch using modular parts. Combined with Steam Workshop support, the creative possibilities feel nearly endless.
Every now and then you’ll have the game’s equivalent of a writer’s block. The solution comes with a button that provides an idea in the form of a random trio of word, like “PASTEL – RETRO – BATHROOM.” Those with a knack for decoration will love that feature, but if in need for something more specific there’s a light “campaign” mode available in the form of an island, where themed rooms come with small objectives, like removing items from a moving van (and then refilling it with other stuff), to crafting a nice gaming haven, and many more.
Truth be told, although there’s a nice amount of guided scenarios, and while they are helpful to have some quick fun, they’re also disappointingly brief and shallow and can be completed in the span of a few minutes. Of course, no one stops you from simply continuing to work on a room. It’s crucial to understand that MakeRoom is enjoyable only for those who can find pleasure in working with their own imagination. Those who prefer their games to provide a robust checklist of objectives, achievements and rewards won’t find their fix here.
All nice and dandy? Sadly, MakeRoom starts to falter due to its limitations and usability. It provides plenty of items neatly categorised, with a cool search tool included. One can change the colour, size, or rotation of everything and it’s possible to create scenes bursting with detail. Sadly, the UI removes some of the fun, especially for those who prefer using a gamepad, as everything is built around the mouse. There’s a certain lack of precision when placing items or moving them along the Y axis, and some items don’t “behave” as they should, with beds, for example, leaving pillows and bedsheets levitating in the air instead of following their big brother.
A bigger issue with how MakeRoom controls is that almost all actions are tied to a pop-up bar that essentially adds extra clicks where they shouldn’t be. Want to move an object? Click on it, then click on the ‘Move’ icon, and then you can move it. Want to change a colour? Click on the item, now click the ‘Colour’ icon, choose which colour needs to be changed, and then click some more to pick one. Many of the of the systems within are slow, multi-step processes, with little in the way of shortcuts or simple straight-to-the-point tools like, say, a paintbrush or an insta-resizing tool.
Despite all these issues, this remains one of the better titles of its kind. Then again, its competition isn’t exactly that fierce. MakeRoom has a certain charm, with its soft aesthetic and relaxing sound design, which makes it easy to sink hours into designing spaces. The sheer number of items, combined with custom furniture creation and community sharing, ensures there’s always something new to try – and the price is decent for what’s on offer. Note, however, that it needs a bit of polish, and it’s a big no-no without a mouse in front of you.
