Planet Coaster 2

Ultimately though, Planet Coaster 2 does amazing at a lot of things, and will likely get better over the upcoming years. Frontier has shown they care about the community and their games, and they’ve poured a lot of love into this title. I think this is their best game yet, and should just get better.

Bigger can indeed be better. Planet Coaster 2 successfully iterates on the first instalment by adding interesting new concepts and gameplay systems that enhance the experience. Anyone who enjoys a management sim, tycoon, or just wants a fun park builder will find this to be a perfect match. Highly recommended. Get splashed!

With management games, there’s always a worry that a sequel just feels like the same game again, but prettier (hello Cities Skylines 2), however, I can say with confidence that Planet Coaster 2 avoids falling into that trap. The changes made to the game’s core systems, the additions to the management side of the game, and the new attractions like pools and flumes – which I have no doubt will be expanded upon in DLC – make this game an ideal sequel that improves on the original in almost every area.

Even with a handful of last minute bugs to iron out, Planet Coaster 2 lets me build the park of my dreams. More than a water park expansion, it takes everything the first game did well and makes it better. Don’t wait, get your ticket now – heck, this one is even worthy of a fast pass.

Planet Coaster 2 truly earns its status as a sequel, with the water attractions alone making it worth a closer look. The game promises to be a genuine leap forward in the theme park management genre, refining every mechanic, every detail from the first installment, while expanding possibilities even further. With more customization, more micromanagement, and deeper control over finances, visitors, and attractions, Frontier is delivering nothing short of a masterclass here.

For theme park lovers, Planet Coaster 2 is truly a dream come true. The addition of water parks opens up new ways to expand on the core roller coaster mechanics, while the introduction of new systems greatly enhances the gameplay experience. Whether you're building thrilling rides or managing park operations, this sequel offers a wealth of creative possibilities.

Planet Coaster 2 may share the same problems as its predecessor, but it's even better at all of the things it was good at, with water attractions alone being reason enough to dive in.

Planet Coaster 2 wanted to be the ultimate theme park creation game, and it succeeded. The level of detail, the range of parameters to consider, and the number of creation possibilities offered are dizzying. The risk of being discouraged by so much wealth is real, especially since the unclear interfaces and incomplete tutorials will not help you enough. But, in the same way that your visitors will be able to choose whether or not to dive into your new pools, it is up to you to decide which game you will dive into: a demanding micro-management game? An ultra-complete construction game? Or just a fun time on the career mode, borrowing magnificent creations from the community? Everything is possible, and the frustration of not being able to do what you want is reduced. Who said it was easy to tame an almost perfect game?

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.

Planet Coaster 2 is a paradise for creative players and hell for demanding simulation fans.

Planet Coaster 2 cements itself as a significant, if cautious, evolution of the genre. The game achieves that coveted state of "zen management" where watching your park run while planning the next big attraction is tremendously satisfying. Despite some limitations, the title offers a complete and rewarding experience that improves on virtually every aspect of its predecessor.

Planet Coaster 2 suffers from sequel syndrome: the original Planet Coaster eight years after its release is still a benchmark of the genre and it is difficult to do better. Planet Coaster 2 tries by adding water attractions that significantly expand the possibilities offered to the player. What has remained unchanged, however, is the underlying structure, which is certainly solid, but not always smooth: before you get to resent it, in any case, dozens and dozens of hours of fun will pass.

Frontier’s park-building sequel is a vibe, it is a mood, and it is sunshine wrapped in a very bright bow. Minor control frustrations aside, it's the best theme park builder out there, with impressively deep customisation, beautifully detailed visuals and the ability to make hours of your life melt away.

Planet Coaster 2 is a park builder where mostly only your own creativity and imagination are a limit, but sometimes the controls and menu structure also limit you. Swimming pools and slides are a surprisingly successful and well-developed addition. The game has generally been made more accessible for people who do not have the patience or talent to build everything themselves. As a management game, Planet Coaster 2 is still poor.

Planet Coaster 2 offers great new content, gorgeous updated graphics, and some much-needed quality-of-life updates. Pools and flume rides add a torrent of fun to your parks and offer the same kind of creative freedom the series is renowned for. Meanwhile, updated pathing and scenery tools help to smooth some of its predecessors’ rougher edges. There are still some wrinkles and quirks to ride design but Planet Coaster 2 is definitely a step forward.

Regardless of my particular talent, I’m having a blast with Planet Coaster 2. It’s certainly on track to eclipse its predecessor, and will no doubt build on lessons learned to become a better-rounded and more feature-rich game in future. While there will inevitably be a deluge of DLC to boost the game’s ride options and customisation, they will simply be decorations on an already-sweet cake.

Quotation forthcoming.

Planet Coaster 2 has a lot of fun and engaging elements—if you can take the time to figure it all out.

Planet Coaster 2 will take you on a new adventure that combines the charm and joy of the original with its own brand-new highs. While there are a couple of dips along the way, they are short-lived and simply part of the experience that doesn’t diminish the joy.

Planet Coaster 2 is a genuinely lovely and likeable way to kill a few hours and flex your creative muscles.

Planet Coaster 2 may not be the deepest management sim you can buy, but its powerful creation tools and newly added water attractions make a sufficiently satisfying splash.

Planet Coaster 2 presents a clear evolution over its predecessor, led by the changes in the career mode and the additions in customization, but sometimes it feels that it is weighed down by being too continuist. Even so, it is a clear reference in its genre, and a worthy successor to the first Planet Coaster.

Planet Coaster 2 is a fantastic second entry to Frontier Developments’ spiritual successor to one of gaming's greatest titles. I might be a little disappointed that the core behind these games' formula hasn’t changed in 25 years, but if it ain’t broken why fix it? Aside from little issues like guests' pathfinding being borked on occasion and my spiteful relationship with the way paths snap to each other, I’m overjoyed to share that this game will continue to consume my life in the near future. While the simulation sicko in the back of my mind wishes there was a little more depth to managing my parks, all the other voices fight over what to build next, and there are certainly worse problems to have.

Planet Coaster 2 offers potentially endless gameplay. Frontier’s title is more than just a management simulator; it’s a dynamic, living diorama where players can invest countless hours purely to satisfy their aesthetic vision and showcase their creations to the community. For the detail-oriented, scrutinizing every corner of the game may reveal a few notable gaps, but fortunately, the development team is already aware of these and plans to address them in the near future.

I’ve loved and played Planet Coaster for years, and I really wanted the sequel to be the ultimate coaster-building experience. The potential is there. The water features are great, and the new coasters are exciting. Many of the tweaks and changes add new flexibility and sophistication to the building process. At the same time, the game’s lack of final technical polish and its time-consuming, heavy learning-curve, convoluted UI added an element of frustration to what should have been a familiar but unassailably better experience.

Planet Coaster 2 has a lame interface and still struggles with incomprehensible bugs, but in other areas it takes a step in the right direction. It is a disappointing and fantastic game at the same time.

Despite many improvements over the original, it's hard to recommend Planet Coaster 2 to absolutely everyone. The lack of previous themes and other minor issues make Planet Coaster 2 less complete than one would hope. That said, as a deeply crafted and detailed sandbox, Planet Coaster 2 still shines in similar ways to the original, such as the coaster editor that allows you to create any coaster you could ever want. At its core, Planet Coaster will make some ask if enough changes were made to improve the sandbox or if it's just the same Planet Coaster with some new bells and whistles.

Planet Coaster 2 offers a genre-best box of creative tools and community-driven features and expands on its predecessor on almost every level, but chances are you won’t be as enchanted by its management systems, which continue to be a thorn in Frontier’s side.

It adds up to a good game with a few shortcomings. For something with such a high level of customization and management, it's almost difficult to believe that things are as good as they are. A few more missteps would have had this game begging for a UI overhaul, but it's not quite that severe in its current state. Other strategic elements such as the power system end up being little more than busy work, and ultimately add little value to the experience. While I wish there were more themes, or a greater distinction between those themes, I will allow them the opportunity to make additions before judging how that strategy turns out. Most importantly for a simulation with hundreds of tiny people on screen: I didn't run into any performance issues, which surely helped me overcome the negatives. I can only imagine it is like starting an actual theme park, a bit of a grind, a ton of complexity, a large amount of choice, but a good pay off if you nail it.

An exhilarating ride that lets your imagination run wild, if you're comfortable enough with the tools.

The game is more about building theme parks than overseeing them, moment to moment. [Issue#405, p.120]

Planet Coaster 2 could be a first-class theme park simulator, but it still needs some fine-tuning. Menu navigation and handling contrast with the fun park building, the great creative options and the pretty presentation.

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.

Planet Coaster 2 harbors a level of creativity unmatched in this space. Its attention to detail is so intense, that its biggest challenge is forming a straight path without destroying half the planet. A wonderfully creative playground is available for those with the patience to work through it, but it proves to be a frustratingly cumbersome journey for the rest of us.

I feel that instead of building on the experience gained with Planet Coaster, the developers have taken a step backwards. While they added a handful of improvements to the game, they also made poor design decisions. The predecessor was groundbreaking; its sequel is merely okay.

While building attractions is fun and addictive, the rest of the game has too many issues to truly impress. The weak management aspect might be forgivable, but the lack of innovation compared to the first installment and the confusing, impractical interface are harder to overlook.

Planet Coaster 2's flexible creation tools are as compulsive as ever, but the fun butts up against an exhausting UI, uninspired management gameplay, and conspicuous content gaps that feel like cynical spaces for DLC.