Over a year after launch, Two Point Museum has finally provided the museum theme we’ve all been waiting for: art! The Arty-Facts DLC adds over 27 new exhibits, a new Expert type and expedition map, a full 5-star campaign map, and an Art Studio room for creating original art pieces.
Check our our review of the base game, Two Point Museum, and previous DLCs, Fantasy Finds, and Zooseum!
Humans Making Art
As with previous DLCs, Two Point Studio isn’t content at simply throwing together a new museum theme and campaign. Artwork isn’t so much as found as it’s made, and that’s where the new Art Studio room comes in.
At the Art Studio, the new Art Experts can be requisitioned to create original paintings, sculptures, portraits, and statues. The end result is a randomized form (and repeated far too often), that utilizes the Expert’s skills and Emotional Intelligence.
Emotional Intelligence is an important new skill for Art Experts that dictates what emotions they channel through their artwork, such as romance, joy, or sorrow. These emotions aren’t just for fluff; they actually have in-game benefits. Bestowing joy on patrons increases buzz on interactive displays, while disgust can make patrons more agreeable to trash and litter in the museum.
The Art Studio is where the magic happens
Aside from providing nice benefits, creating original art can also be quite lucrative. After unlocking auctions, curators can select artwork to sell. Match the style and emotion that the current auction is looking for, and you can make quite a bit of money, at the cost of losing the exhibit.
More advanced art requires more time, money, and skills. Sculptures require materials gained from certain expeditions, while portraits and statues require an Assistant with the new Modeling skill to stand in as a muse.
Original artwork is great for providing a consistent cash flow and bonuses throughout the museum, though on its own, it’s not the most exciting theme. It’s easy to find all the unique art pieces, and the new decorations are some of the weakest in the game, with a bunch of spotlights and color splotches.
I also wasn’t at all a fan of the new Industrial decor, with its pipes and girders, which doesn’t seem to fit the theme at all.
Zara’s Sketchbook is a relatively easy and straightforward map
There is a new expedition map in the form of Zara’s Sketchbook. It’s mostly where you find unique art pieces, which already come in Pristine conditions, as well as teaching Experts new emotions for their original art. I’ve always enjoyed sending well-trained teams on expeditions to hope for high-quality exhibits, but there’s not much of that in Arty-Facts.
The new campaign map, Undee Docks, teaches players how to work the Art Studio, create original works, and auction them off. It’s a solid tutorial in the art theme, though the layout is nothing special. And thanks to the relatively tiny size of artwork, creative expansion is hardly necessary (unlike the huge habitats of Zooseum).
At least Two Point Studio’s signature humor is still here, with funny references to famous paintings. I love how the Canvas Thrower covers patrons in color, and they leave little splotches as they walk around.
Although Arty-Facts is the least interesting DLC for Two Point Museum, it may be the most useful overall thanks to its easy integration into other museums, and numerous benefits that original artwork can provide.
Two Point Museum is available on PC (Steam, Epic), PlayStation 5, Switch 2, and Xbox Series X/S. It’s rated E for Everyone.
