Although simulation and management games have been a longstanding part of the gaming world, quality titles are sometimes few and far between. As an example, it's been a fair while since there has been a good zoo simulation game. Planet Zoo aims to fill that void, and does a fantastic job at doing so.
The success of Planet Zoo should not come as such a surprise, though. Planet Zoo comes from Frontier Developments, the studio behind Rollercoaster Tycoon and more recently Planet Coaster. Building on the work the studio did with extinct animals in Jurassic World Evolution, Frontier turns its eye to living, breathing creatures with even more charm.
Perhaps the biggest success of Planet Zoo is the length the game goes to when it comes to options available. The title provides a depth that fans of the sim genre will appreciate, but without it ever becoming overwhelming. When players feel comfortable with all of its mechanics, though, the sheer variety is ridiculous, with a sandbox mode that gives would-be zookeepers everything they could ask for.
To stop this from being too daunting, Planet Zoo allows players to learn steadily via a Career Mode. This mode provides a more structured take than the other gameplay options available, at first covering off the basics before getting into trickier aspects over the course of 12 missions.
Even veteran sim players will want to work their way through the Career Mode, whether or not they have played other recent Frontier games like Planet Coaster. After all, a zoo is a different beast from a theme park, and so it's worth getting into the operational differences in a steady fashion. It's here that the Career Mode truly excels, helping to provide a gradual mindset shift and an evolution of simulation games as a whole.
In part this comes down to the way in which the mode is framed. It goes beyond simple tutorials, although players will feel as though they are learning all the time. Instead, it transitions into something more comprehensive over time, and before it is out they will have become a true professional.
This Career Mode balances what the player needs to focus on with care. Taking on the role of a new zoo manager, the player zips around from zoo to zoo, troubleshooting ailing institutions across the world. What works great about this approach is that it gets the player into a totally different attitude from other sim games, with each zoo needing something a little bit different.
It could be a focus on conservation or on animal welfare, but what matters is that the user recognizes that it is not all about getting punters through the door. Long-term success is found not just through customer satisfaction or embodying the pure notion of capitalism. As one such example, researching how to keep different species happy is vital, to ensure that all animals across the zoo are under the best possible care.
The Career Mode therefore works as a great framework for the game overall. For many players, though, this will be just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to overall content in the game. After all, there's then the impressive if intimidating sandbox mode.
Planet Zoo's sandbox succeeds by letting the player design as much of their park as possible. There are the usual options of location, animals, and the like, but the devil's in the details. Here, it's fair to say that Planet Zoo creators could all make their own unique parks thanks to some engaging design options from Frontier.
It's the dedication to this notion of creativity that really makes Planet Zoo a must-have for sim fans. Rather than just choosing cookie-cutter options for buildings, instead these can be created from scratch, such as building shelters for animals via meticulously choosing different aspects of design. It's worth noting that blueprints are also available, for those who don't want to spend the time painstakingly picking out a roof for their tapirs.
This scope really works, giving flexibility to design choices. It allows the player to build infrastructure from the ground up, from generators and pathways through to the vital staff of vets and groundskeepers. Each zoo can feel like the player's own, and having that kind of control and ownership is what separates Planet Zoo from its peers.
That's not to say that the mean-spirited can't have a little fun here. Planet Zoo does give players the opportunity to unleash a bit of chaos here and there, which Planet Coaster fans will certainly appreciate. Some of the design quirks here can also lead to some amusement, such as seeing visitors fleeing from a benign escaped animal as it ambles aimlessly around the zoo.
Some of these clunkier moments do take away from the overall experience. Sometimes the controls can feel a little awkward, particularly when trying to select enclosures to make a wider change. On top of that, some players may find that the level of micromanagement to be a bit too much, if they would prefer to take a hands-off approach and focus more on the look and feel of their creation.
As an overall package Planet Zoo is impressive. Its good heart and dedication to customization makes it a seriously strong sim, and one that fans of gaming management will be wise to check on. With options for structured play and freeform creation, it's hard to see how Planet Zoo could disappoint, in spite of its occasional foibles.
Planet Zoo is out now for PC. Screen Rant was provided with a PC download code for the purposes of this review.