The park is open
I love theme parks, so it only makes sense that I would love to build my own. Ever since I first played Theme Park back in the day, I have been obsessed with these types of simulations. Planet Coaster was easily one of the best ever created, so when I heard a sequel was in the works, I couldn’t wait to gouge people with hot dog prices once again. The question remained, what could they add to make it better than the original? It was already nearly flawless. Well, the new features and customization options make this version more than worth upgrading for.
The one thing to note for those unfamiliar with Frontier Games, is that their level of detail is staggering. The original Planet Coaster was in-depth, but the new options available in Planet Coaster 2 make those look simplified. Players can rotate, resize, and meld pieces and items together. It can be overwhelming. Every little thing can be tweaked, and if you are new to these types of games, it can be daunting to say the least. The tutorial works well to ease players into the power of the tools, but once those training wheels come off, it is easy to get lost.
MSRP: $49.99
Platforms: Xbox (reviewed), PlayStation, PC
Price I’d Pay: $49.99
While the building itself is very complex, the management sim has never been quite as much. That isn’t a bad thing for someone like me who prefers a more hands-off or simpler approach to that aspect of sim games. There are a host of new features and quality of life improvements that have been added for the sequel. For example, there are salary levels as opposed to setting the number manually. There are also new options for guests and the depth is there if you want it, but much like the last game, there are ways to game the system and weird design choices that make some of this stuff feel more like window dressing than actual functionality.
Controlling all of this with a controller is…a challenge. There are a lot of hot keys and quick menus that help, but it took me hours to get accustomed to it all. The tutorials do a decent job, but I would have loved a quick reference chart, or some baked in guides. It is a lot to manage outside of the actual park management. The addition of water parks is also a huge boon. Being able to expand your park with water attractions is really cool. The options are minimal for the first effort, but I expect some cool DLC down the line to flesh it out.
As far as modes go, there are a few here. The career mode is similar to other games from Frontier. You will be presented with various scenarios that need to be rectified and are given a set amount of time, money, or resources. It is a nice challenge, but clearly not what I come to these games for. That would be the sandbox mode. This is where the bulk of my time with these games are spent.
Being able to set off in a completely open space to create what I want, where I want is what makes these games special. I can’t count the number of themed parks I have created. Now, with the new pool and waterpark selections, I had even more options to be creative. This is what I love about these games, and with sandbox mode I don’t have to worry as much about the management aspect as well. There is just so much here, with the promise of more coming via DLC, the possibilities are endless. I would say this is the last game of this type you will ever need, but I would have said that about the first game, and yet, here we are.
From a visual standpoint, the game looks amazing. Running on my Xbox Series X, everything just pops with color. The frame rate can be finicky at times depending on how much you have going on in your park. Riding your coaster in first person though, still a fantastic experience. The sounds are pretty much the same as the last game, and the menus are a little complex, but it still looks fantastic on a good display. I simply love how vibrant and colorful these games are.
Planet Coaster 2 is a bigger, badder version of the original. I spent countless hours building parks in that as well as their other titles such as Jurassic World. These types of games just resonate with me, at least the sandbox portions do. I highly recommend this game, but if you have the option, go with the PC version just for mouse and keyboard support. (Update) We were informed console versions do in fact support mouse and keyboard, so pick the version you prefer! It really does enhance the experience. Either way, there are dozens of hours of fun to be had in the world of Planet Coaster 2.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
