Planet Coaster 2 review: "Challenging, but at times frustratingly convoluted"

GamesRadar+ Verdict GamesRadar+ Verdict Pros+Deeply customizable experience+Gorgeous visuals+Stunning accuracy of roller coaster models Deeply customizable experience Gorgeous visuals Stunning accuracy of roller coaster models Cons-Complex infrastructure requirements interrupt creative flow-Frustrating path building system Complex infrastructure requirements interrupt creative flow Frustrating path building system Why you can trust GamesRadar+Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about our reviews policy. Why you can trust GamesRadar+Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about our reviews policy. When Avril Lavigne sang “why’d you have to go and make things so complicated?” in 2002, she was gazing into a crystal ball, watching a future version of herself trying to install a water treatment system in Planet Coaster 2. A follow-up to one of the greatest theme park building sims ever made,Planet Coaster 2introduces water parks, new themes, and cross-platform collaborative play with varying degrees of success. It shines in the visual department. Water sparkles next to the vibrant colours of water slides, representing those impossibly bright summer days that only exist when you’re stuck inside the office. Be warned: the vivid blues and sunshine yellows of Planet Coaster 2 will make you yearn for a summer holiday. The specifics of theme park infrastructure feel interruptive when playing in Career mode – too often there’s a managerial setback relating to electrical grids, pipes, and pumps that grinds the flow of fun to a halt. In this respect, Planet Coaster 2 provides an intricate level of realism at the cost of enjoyment. Building a career (Image credit: Frontier Developments) Fast FactsRelease date:November 6, 2024Platforms:PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series XDeveloper:Frontier DevelopmentsPublisher:Frontier Developments. Fast Facts Release date:November 6, 2024Platforms:PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series XDeveloper:Frontier DevelopmentsPublisher:Frontier Developments. Release date:November 6, 2024 Platforms:PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X Developer:Frontier Developments Publisher:Frontier Developments. Every pool, slide, or roller coaster you build comes with a whole host of configurative requirements to get it running, which in turn require regular maintenance from your technicians. If exhaustiveness is the barometer of a worthy management simulator, then Planet Coaster 2 certainly hits the mark when played in Career mode. A grievance from the previous game that desperately needed change is path building. In Planet Coaster, it was all too easy to accidentally trap guests with mislaid paths, and unfortunately that’s still the case in Planet Coaster 2. While there is a lock-on mechanic for pathways and ride entrances to prevent such mishaps, it is easy to get wrong. In comparison to the simplicity ofearlier Roller Coaster Tycoon games, the intricacies of Planet Coaster 2’s path systems feel like a step backward. Creating a pathway only a millimetre off leads to guests being unable to reach the entrance of certain rides, leaving both guests and the player frustrated. Endless possibilities are great, but it can wreak havoc when trying to actually create the pathways and scenery that you’re imagining in your head. (Image credit: Frontier Developments) The biggest change in Planet Coaster 2 comes in the form of water parks. An array of pools, flumes, water slides, and water coasters are available to build as an add-on to your theme park. Pools are created easily with a stamp grid system and can be customised to fit neatly into your chosen park area; which is surprisingly satisfying when it all comes together. Get creative (Image credit: Frontier Developments) “If exhaustiveness is the barometer of a worthy management simulator, then Planet Coaster 2 certainly hits the mark.” “If exhaustiveness is the barometer of a worthy management simulator, then Planet Coaster 2 certainly hits the mark.” In-depth customization is the beating heart of Planet Coaster 2, a vast array of creative options for colour and scenery bleeds into everything you build – from the slides and the rides to the tiling around the edge of your pool. The days of being confined to a preset theme are over, as every little park detail can be edited using tools like the Scenery Brush to create a bespoke overarching aesthetic. The addition of the Event Sequencer for special effects during rides is a nice touch too, giving the choice to enhance experiences with water jets and lasers. Planet Coaster 2 features several modes: the standard Career mode, a Franchise mode where the aim is to build a global network of parks, and a Sandbox mode that lets you do whatever you please. While the Career mode offers narrative-driven challenges that sometimes feel like a chore, fun comes in the form of Sandbox mode. (Image credit: Frontier Developments) It’s delightful to unleash your imagination and build whatever you want in Sandbox without financial restraint or guest expectations. Constructing massive roller coasters with show-stopping elements is the highlight of Planet Coaster 2, just as it was in Planet Coaster. The deeply customizable experience may be more than some players bargained for. For experienced players ready to navigate the intricacies of park infrastructure, the payoff can be rewarding; for others, the game may feel like a beautiful maze – challenging, but at times, frustratingly convoluted. Disclaimer Looking for more? Take a look at outbest sims gamesfor everything from city builders to, well, The Sims. 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