There’s a high bar set for Planet Zoo 2 following the success of Frontier Developments’ previous management titles, but the latest release could blow its predecessors out of the water.
Slated for release on October 13, Planet Zoo 2 expands on the initial title by bringing aquatic and avian species into the fray, alongside customizable nature reserves to release your animals into and follow their journey back in the wild.
As someone who spent countless hours of their childhood locked into the Zoo Tycoon series, something I emulated when Planet Zoo released in 2019, this was always going to be a title right up my street, but I was still absolutely blown away by the experience.
Across two hours, I got to experience the early stages of the campaign and some free time in Sandbox, and I left with a sense of wonder for what I could achieve in the full game, along with frustration that I couldn’t dig in and sink hours upon hours into the title immediately.
Going Wild
The journey began in one of Planet Zoo 2’s biggest new additions, a wildlife reserve in Africa, where I was put through my paces as a researcher, tracking down and photographing various species, as directed.
Navigation with the research vehicle was very similar to the Jurassic World Evolution series and, in case you were wondering, no, you can’t drive full speed into an elephant.
Seeing the animals in the wild was breathtaking, and I could immediately tell I was going to spend a lot of time building up these wild communities with creatures bred in my zoos, and the fun didn’t stop there.
The next stop was my first zoo, where the tutorial took me through creating habitats and caring for animals, before then tasking me with releasing a group of giraffes to the Wildlife Reserve, and it quickly became clear this connecting world was going to be a core mechanic.
Planet Zoo fans will know this isn’t an entirely new approach, as the Franchise mode from the intial game had all your zoos connected, but it did feel rather bland. This time around, these connections would be vital, as you help nurture animals on the land, in the sea and in the air.
Diving Deeper
Next stop was my first aquarium, helping to complete the finishing touches to a reef exhibit to house some Hawksbill Turtles and coral fish. The process was simple enough, as you’d expect, while covering the key requirements for aquatic exhibits, including water pumps.
The aquariums in Planet Zoo 2 are beautiful. I could’ve spent ages tracking the turtles and following their every action, and there’s a neat touch that when you dive behind the surface of the water, you’ll hear a splash, and the camera then shows water particles tricking off the lens when you surface for air.
It’s here that the completionist in me really came to life, as I noticed the requirements for an animal to be ‘Thriving’. Like the initial game, every animal has various requirements, ranging from enrichment items, food, fauna, the depth of the water, and more, which provide basic happiness to the animal.
The Thriving requirements, meanwhile, are more detailed, specifying a range of tweaks to make, which may include raising their food grade, adding multiples of the same enrichment item, and more.
I already know I’m going to have a hell of a battle on my hands balancing the bank balances with ensuring every one of my creatures is being treated like kings and queens, and it’s the sort of deeper challenge I welcome.
Taking Flight
In Sandbox, I had more of a play around with some of the quality-of-life features, including the significantly improved pathing tool that should remove a lot of the headaches from the initial title, and the new, customizable brush that can be used to place plants, trees, and rocks into a habitat in an easy stroke.
I had some teething problems with both, but this was purely due to my own approach with them, and I’m sure that with more practice, I’ll fully get to grips with both, and there’s no doubt they will be great additions for every player.
All in all, I can’t shake the feeling of being desperate to play more. I’m already planning out a string of interconnected zoos across the world in my head, and with the campaign being a globe-spinning adventure, jumping from location to location, I can’t wait to dig in more.
I’m now eagerly awaiting the full launch, as it’s clear Planet Zoo 2 could easily become the greatest simulation title ever made.
Check out the Planet Zoo 2 Wildlife Reserve Feature Focus below.
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