Home Improvisation: Furniture Sandbox

Home Improvisation: Furniture Sandbox is a quirky, casual party game centered around assembling IKEA-style furniture without instructions. Players enjoy its sandbox mode for creative freedom and the challenge mode for solo or group play, with up to five players collaborating or hilariously struggling together. The game offers a unique, often frustrating yet rewarding experience reminiscent of titles like Surgeon Simulator, emphasizing humor through intentionally wonky controls and physics. VR support and local multiplayer enhance immersion and social fun, with many players praising the charming ambiance and relaxing soundtrack. However, the game is currently in early access with limited content and notable bugs, especially in online multiplayer. Controls can be unintuitive, particularly for mouse and keyboard users, and the unusual camera perspective adds to the challenge. Despite these issues, the developers are responsive, and players appreciate the game's creative potential and entertaining gameplay. Overall, it’s a fun, if imperfect, indie title best enjoyed with friends or in VR.

Highlights

Players praise the game's unique concept of furniture assembly without instructions, which combines humor and challenge effectively. The sandbox mode allows creative freedom, while the challenge mode offers structured objectives. Local multiplayer and VR support are highly valued features, enhancing social interaction and immersion. The controller support and intuitive button layout make gameplay accessible. The artwork, lighting, and soothing soundtrack contribute to a relaxing atmosphere. Many find the game addictive and entertaining, especially as a party game or casual experience. The developers’ engagement with the community and ongoing updates promise future improvements and expanded content.

Criticisms

Common criticisms include unintuitive and clunky controls, particularly for mouse and keyboard players, leading to frustration. The camera perspective is confusing and sometimes disorienting, making spatial alignment difficult. Online multiplayer is often glitchy or non-functional, limiting cooperative play outside local sessions. The lack of tutorials and locked menus early on hinder accessibility. Some players find the content limited and the gameplay repetitive, with short duration and low replayability. Bugs such as physics glitches, UI issues, and crashes are reported. The absence of performance grading or feedback reduces motivation for precision building. Overall, the game feels like an early access or proof-of-concept title needing polish.