Planet Coaster 2 Review

Key Takeaways

Water parks, new ride options, and building possibilities turn Planet Coaster 2 into a ripe sequel.
Added management systems and options for dark rides also increase the depth of content provided.
Sadly, a few minor issues and missing themes make it a bit confusing as a true follow-up.

As a seasoned theme park enthusiast who grew up designing roller coasters in my dreams, I can confidently say that Planet Coaster 2 has taken my virtual amusement park career to new heights! This game is an absolute dream come true for any aspiring theme park designer, offering a level of creativity and freedom that rivals the best real-world theme parks.

For long-time gaming enthusiasts and roller coaster aficionados, the eagerly anticipated debut of Planet Coaster was nothing short of a dream come true. By blending aspects of RollerCoaster Tycoon’s ride construction with City Skylines’ park management, it offered features that catered to a diverse range of interests.

Despite the extensive investment put into the initial game, complete with content updates and DLC, proposing a full sequel was met with skepticism by many fans. In order to surpass the original in all aspects, particularly for the creation, management, and theming of rides, a sequel must provide substantial enhancements.

In many cases, the reality isn’t strictly either good or bad; while certain elements represent definite improvements, other aspects have undeniably taken a step back in quality. Consequently, though some might find this follow-up satisfying, others might merely see it as an overpriced upgrade to the initial version.

Being a big fan of the first Planet Coaster, I had several motivations to get this second installment. I’ve been consistently drawn back to Playing Planet Coaster 2 due to similar appealing factors, but throughout my playtime, there were certain elements that were absent which made me yearn for the original. If only we could have received a more comprehensive edition with more of those missing aspects.

If you’re already a fan of rollercoaster games, particularly the first Planet Coaster, then buying Planet Coaster 2 could be a great investment. However, if you’re new to the series or unsure whether to dive in, it might not seem like such a steal.

The New Aquatic Frontier

In the upcoming game Planet Coaster 2, the primary aspects of designing attractions involve coasters, dark rides, and an innovative element, water parks. Pre-fabricated flat rides aren’t considered a major focus as they simply require placement in your park, while alterations to coasters and dark rides will be discussed further in this review.

In Planet Coaster 2, water parks stand out as a significant new feature that could sway someone’s preference between this sequel and the original game. When delving into the sandbox mode, which likely accounts for most of your gameplay time, you’ll consistently have the opportunity to construct a water park, providing an engaging and refreshing element to the gameplay experience.

This new option includes changing rooms, separate water admission tickets, and a suite of slides and pools you can build. Yet, being a sandbox game, all of this is entirely optional for your park.

In simpler terms, you’re not required to design slides or water parks. Given that the game shares the structure with Planet Coaster 1, creating a traditional, non-water park theme offers an unlimited number of creative opportunities and long-term worth.

Although I meticulously built elaborate slides and pools, and engaged with this entire system in my amusement park, at times it seemed like an unwanted blemish on the true coaster paradise I was aiming to establish, as the thrill of coasters and park design are what truly captivate me during playtime.

This doesn’t imply that creating slides isn’t enjoyable or captivating. On the contrary, it can be quite fun. However, what’s not as fulfilling is crafting a straightforward slide compared to a grandiose structure that dominates your park skyline with its deafening roars and omnidirectional thunderous sounds.

In summary, if you’re drawn to a resort layout, you’ll find both slides and pools quite appealing. Personally, I found that incorporating slides with other amenities like a fast-paced roller coaster winding through a lazy river and water slides created an enjoyable experience for me.

Improved Park Creation Tools

The neighborhood is buzzing with anticipation as they unveil numerous innovative path-building choices. These recent advancements in tools streamline the process significantly, offering a plethora of alternatives to players. However, even with these enhancements, I encountered some fundamental hurdles along the way.

Even when landscapes are positioned along walkways in your park, visitors seem to pass straight through them as if they’re not there. Interestingly, this problem was addressed in both Planet Coaster and Planet Zoo using ribbon gates, but unfortunately, these aren’t found in the latest version of Planet Coaster, namely Planet Coaster 2.

In a similar vein, designing custom paths using a drawing tool may still result in frustrating problems, and dealing with characters accidentally passing through the scenery, along with numerous headaches related to path editing, is no picnic.

In most cases, you’ll find the usual elements like structures, nature, various intriguing items, and more in a typical manner. Consequently, a standard park setup featuring signs, lamps, waste bins, trees, and ornaments continues to meet expectations compared to the original.

The options for broader theming options, though, sadly became my biggest gripe with this sequel.

Why Are We Missing Themes?

I’ve spent the majority of my time on Planet Coaster 1 due to the abundance of DLC content available. Since its debut, Planet Coaster 1 has provided several theming options for DLC and numerous free additions, including western cowboy, pirate, sci-fi, and fantasy themes – all of which have been fantastic.

Some may argue that using these prebuilt sets restricts the creativity needed to build your own unique theme park, yet I’d say that having so many individual buildings, set designs, and tools made everyone’s cowboy or pirate area look entirely different and increased the theming possibilities of casual players.

As a gamer, I’ll always wear my badge of honor for the epic cowboy showdown I embarked on during a whole day, where I galloped through an old western town, engaging in relentless gunfights with cowboys using the intricate blaster ride layout. Or, there’s my captivating pirate journey, a tale of resilience and riches, as a band of pirates overcame their humble beginnings and set sail on a path to glory.

In this scenario, we’re dealing with four distinct topics: Vikings, mythology, resorts, and aquatic environments. Interestingly, only the last two themes would be particularly relevant when designing a water park. Unlike traditional themes like pirates or cowboys, which often feature animatronic characters, there are scarcely any notable animatronics available in PC2. In simpler terms, while pirate and cowboy themes commonly have moving robot figures, these are not common in the themes of Vikings, mythology, resorts, or aquatic environments within PC2.

Not only are all the Planet Coaster 1 themes entirely gone, but the replacements aren’t as good.

This may seem like a minor gripe, but the options available for themes in the original helped make visual storytelling throughout parks more engaging. They gave you an almost Disney-like toolset to create a park that felt truly special.

It seems like I haven’t been able to express this clearly enough: I’m appealing to Frontier to transfer these themes into the game, as additional choices can only enhance the gaming experience. Many others, including myself, have expressed regret that these weren’t included in PC2 from the beginning.

The Intriguing New Management Systems

Instead of jumping into the sandbox right away with the original game, I suggest taking some time to explore the scenarios in Planet Coaster 2 first. That’s because these scenarios offer valuable insights about the new features available for designing your theme park, such as water parks and park management techniques, which can greatly enhance your experience.

In essence, the second version of Planet Coaster introduces several key elements that require your attention, including a comprehensive electricity and water supply network. This system involves laying down electrical wiring, plumbing for water pipes, setting up generators, and arranging distributors. Your task is to ensure this infrastructure remains tidy within your amusement park.

To provide exclusive passageways for our team members while ensuring they have private spaces equipped with amenities like resting spots, charging stations, and water filtration systems, I started constructing backstage areas, discreetly separated from public view as shown in the image above.

Creating a park that seamlessly blends aesthetic charm with hidden functionality feels akin to being a secretive illusionist, effortlessly pulling off enchanting tricks right before one’s astonished gaze.

In my initial “Planet Coaster 1” park design, I tried implementing a system resembling a “staff-only” area, although it lacked practical application. However, this fresh feature introduced to “Planet Coaster 2” stirred more excitement within me than any new coaster or ride in the game has ever managed.

By skillfully arranging landscapes, strategic viewpoints, and winding paths within the park design, staff areas and large power sources are cleverly concealed. This results in a more engaging and layered park layout.

The fundamental experience of building roller coasters is transformed into a broader, intricate park design setup, which I found incredibly rewarding. Frankly, I believe they could have expanded this feature even more.

In simpler terms, this fresh gameplay state offers an engaging midpoint option that’s neither endless wealth nor full economy. It caters to players who enjoy infinite money mode by giving them a sense of management and design mastery, while also providing a fully customizable sandbox experience that tailors the game to any player, making it feel complete for everyone involved.

The Many Coasters Of Planet Coaster

The rollercoasters remain as sturdy as ever compared to their initial version. Upon close inspection, I didn’t find any major alterations in the primary coaster collection, which is fantastic news! To my delight, all the popular attractions are still present, accompanied by a couple of exciting newcomers.

Remarkable combinations of wooden and modern structures recreate the traditional charm of a boardwalk roller coaster, or the intricate twists found in rides crafted by Rocky Mountain Construction.

Among the many aspects I enjoy about PC1, one particular highlight is recreating the thrill of Steel Vengeance within the game. I’m eagerly anticipating similar replications of real-world roller coasters in future updates of PC2.

If you’re looking for something different, the remainder of our collection offers a variety of standard lift, looping, upside-down, launch, and plummeting roller coasters, in addition to some thrilling novelties such as the controlled spinner coaster, which resembles Epcot’s Cosmic Rewind.

In the new game “Planet Coaster 2”, one innovative design feature marketed is an abundance of switch tracks. While these elements aren’t absolutely essential for building a coaster, they can certainly be useful in brainstorming ideas for creating something extraordinary.

Furthermore, let me bring attention to some lesser-mentioned aspects such as gondolas, buses, and monorails that contribute to the intricate appeal of an expansive, multi-faceted park when viewed.

If Frontier continues to strive towards building the most adaptable roller coaster editor, this latest update represents a significant stride forward. They’ve broadened the scope of the coaster editor in substantial ways and have emphasized the importance of every fine detail.

Instead of saying, “This isn’t a real issue, but a small gripe as an ex-coaster enthusiast has to be that they botched Arrow Dynamics’ ‘fourth dimension’ coaster design,” you could rephrase it like this: “As a former coaster enthusiast and frequent visitor of Magic Mountain, I have a minor complaint about the design of Arrow Dynamics’ fourth-dimensional coaster. Specifically, I wish they had included the spin option that I enjoyed on X2.” In this way, the sentence remains clear and easy to understand while also conveying the same meaning.

The “New” World Of Dark Rides

To put it straightforwardly, it’s fair to say that the original version of Planet Coaster didn’t fully accommodate dark rides. Growing up in California with countless trips to Disneyland, I had nurtured dreams of creating a captivating, immersive dark ride. But alas, the younger me was disappointed when it came to realizing this vision within the game.

Fortunately, Planet Coaster 2’s lighting offers near total darkness for indoor areas, providing an immersive experience. Moreover, a wealth of innovative rides and tools are available, making it a rewarding endeavor if you’re prepared to stretch your creativity and take full advantage of the resources at hand.

As a devoted fan, I can confidently say that with additional mechanical systems, triggers, and immersive scenery, it won’t take long until you’re left marveling, “Could this park have been built in Planet Coaster?” The community might need some time to craft something truly revolutionary, but given the tools at hand, I believe it’s only a matter of time before we’re all amazed by what they’ve created!

In addition to Frontier’s adaptation of Disney’s amazing omnimover system, I must admit, it appears promising for dark rides. However, a drawback is that, as I mentioned previously, Frontier chose to eliminate all themes from the original Planet Coaster.

Again, the choice by Frontier to eliminate selected themes has significantly disrupted the creative process for many laidback Planet Coaster designers, since essential elements for crafting captivating cowboy, sci-fi, and dark western rides were regrettably taken away.

In regards to the promising potential of dark rides within Planet Coaster 2, Frontier hasn’t exactly made the process straightforward for the creative designer community.

Many Upgrades, Yet Overall, A Downgrade

To sum it up, Planet Coaster 2 offers an incredible adventure much like its predecessor, serving as a top-tier theme or amusement park editor. However, when weighing the advantages and disadvantages of changes made compared to the original version, the result can be somewhat disappointing.

The editor remains top-notch, enabling you to create nearly any roller coaster fantasy your mind can conjure. The journey, surroundings, and administrative aspects enhance the experience, though they may not be as polished and seamless as one might hope.

However, the water park features and fresh themes introduced by the game were not as profitable as anticipated, largely due to the fact that the original version seemed so thoroughly satisfying. As a result, any subsequent game that subtracts even a little feels somewhat unnecessary or repetitive.

Closing Comments:

Although Planet Coaster 2 has numerous upgrades compared to its predecessor, it might not be suitable for everyone due to missing themes and a few minor glitches that make it less comprehensive than expected. However, as an intricately designed sandbox game like the original, Planet Coaster 2 maintains its charm in various aspects, such as the versatile coaster editor enabling you to build any coaster imaginable. In essence, some players might question whether there have been enough changes to enhance the sandbox experience or if it’s merely the same Planet Coaster with additional features.

2024-11-14 17:10