For its long-awaited sequel to Planet Coaster, the Frontier Developments team is about to hit the pool. Planet Coaster 2 is set to feature everything that made the original so much fun while also adding water rides. It can get overwhelming sometimes, but fortunately, Frontier Developments has a Career Mode to help get players started. Shacknews recently had an opportunity to give it a look.
The Planet Coaster 2 Career Mode unfolds with a light narrative and some scenario objectives. In this case, the game introduced the optimistic Oswald Thompson and his Coaster Coast company. Players will be looking to develop a successful new park for the company, but will find some challenges from rival builder Kenta Suzuki. Suzuki has purchased part of the land that's supposed to house the player's theme park. That means Suzuki can set certain parameters on what can be built on his land. Those parameters will guide the players through what it means to build specific theme park sections.
Source: Frontier Developments
This Career Mode scenario directs players to build a certain water slide type, one that features a full flume that will slide attendees right into the middle of the pool. There's a flume pool that can be laid down from the available building types, but there's more to a successful park than simply laying down a water slide wherever. Players must be aware that parkgoers need to access the pool so the rest of the formula starts to come together naturally. A pool needs a walkway from the park entrance to the swimming area. Guests won't actually go into the pool unless they have a changing area. The pool needs lifeguards, as well as staff members to sell passes, janitors to keep the area clean, and mascots to keep people waiting in line entertained.
An early problem I encountered was that Planet Coaster 2 would not hesitate to tell me when problems arose. Notifications would pop up frequently with notes that some areas were too crowded, staff members were standing idle, or guests couldn't reach parts of the ride. The issue is that the game was keen on telling me what the problem areas were, but offered little in terms of recommendations on how to address them. Granted, I only experienced a vertical slice of the game, but I'm hopeful the full game gets a little more user-friendly.
Part of that is because one thing I did notice about Planet Coaster 2 is the overwhelming number of potential attractions, decorations, workers, and other available options. Nearly every one of these selections is customizable in some way. More advanced additions, like park shows, can be customized further through a video editing-style interface that allows players to decide when to cue characters and special effects. For some, it can be information overload, especially since many of these things require electricity and clean water sources to run optimally, which in turn require mechanics to make sure everything stays in good condition. For seasoned genre veterans, this is the kind of thing they dream of, right down to the ability to share custom creations through the Frontier Workshop.
On Thursday, Frontier Developments announced an official release date for Planet Coaster 2. The developer also touted a special pre-order bonus in the form of a Bonus Ride Collection, as well as a Deluxe Edition that offers a Vintage Funfair Ride Pack with ten extra coasters. Those looking for a deep, intricate park builder will likely find what they're looking for with this years-in-the-making sequel. Planet Coaster 2 will release on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S on Wednesday, November 6.
This preview is based on an early PC build played remotely via Parsec. The final product is subject to change.
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replyOzzie Mejia posted a new article, Planet Coaster 2's Career Mode will test your water slide-building skills
