How often do you make an uninformed purchasing decision regarding video games? Many people wait for reviews—critic and user reviews—before buying a full-price game. Some people refuse to pay the full price. They’ll want for a sale in six to twelve months. But sometimes, you can’t help but play on day one. So, let’s explore a few notable Planet Coaster 2 reviews, many of which offer varying opinions on the theme park management game from Frontier Developments!
Planet Coaster 2 Reviews Paint a Vivid Picture
If you look on the Planet Coaster 2 Metacritic, you’ll find the park management game currently sits at a ‘Generally Favorable’ score of 82, following 14 critic reviews since its launch on November 6 for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. There are notable game reviews from IGN, PC Gamer, TheGamer, and plenty of other outlets that spent a bit of time with the title pre-launch. Here’s a rundown to help you decide whether it’s worth paying full price!
Related: Slitterhead Reviews Paint a Picture of a Mixed Horror Experience
IGN:
Despite how much I enjoy the act of building my ideal park, the original Planet Coaster was neither challenging nor interesting as a management tycoon game, and that has unfortunately not changed. Even after messing with the difficulty settings, of which there are several, I found it almost mindlessly simple to generate infinite money with a small number of flat rides and a high entry fee.
Overall, Planet Coaster 2 feels like a natural evolution of the first game. Lessons have been learned, features added, mechanics improved, and the customisation of difficulty across the board – career mode has flexible difficulty levels which can be set on a per-scenario basis – really helps tailor the game to your level of experience.
Structurally, Planet Coaster 2 differs little from the first. You can fix and fiddle with partially built parks in career mode, or construct your own from scratch in variations upon the sandbox. These include unrestrained creativity where money and space are no object, and the more moderated Challenge mode where at least some management skills are required.
Planet Coaster 2 is an ambitious sequel that expands sideways upon the foundation laid by its predecessor. The graphics are stunning, the water slide additions are fun, and the creative potential is immense, but it comes at a cost. The complexity of infrastructure systems interrupts the creative flow, making the impressively customizable experience feel unnecessarily convoluted at times.
While I was playing Planet Coaster 2 for this review, I kept thinking about RollerCoaster Tycoon 3. Frontier Developments’ initial crack at theme park building and management simulation shares many ideas with their latest attempt. Tinkering with rollercoasters and waterparks in 2024 conjured a sort of nostalgia for this kind of game I didn’t think I’d have. And so, with a heavy heart, I tell you that they got me again.
Planet Coaster 2 is one of the pinnacles of the theme park simulator genre and while it doesn’t have a smooth learning curve for newcomers, it’s safe to say that those who have already mastered its systems will enjoy it immensely, with the ability to create anything you want the way you like it.
Now that you’ve seen the critic reviews, why not check out the game yourself? While you can’t play on Game Pass, it is available on Steam, PlayStation Store, and Xbox Store. Once you play the park construction and management game, don’t forget to come back here to Insider Gaming and let us know what you think. You can visit our community forum to start a thread showcasing your park!
If you do wind up buying and playing the game, don’t forget to visit Insider Gaming for a guide on all of the Planet Coaster 2 achievements and how to unlock them!
