I Bought A Zoo.. On A Different Platform
In 2019, Frontier Developments released Planet Zoo, the spiritual successor to the classic Zoo Tycoon by Blue Fang Games from 2001. Five years later, the time has come for the release of Planet Zoo: Console Edition, and as someone who hasn’t yet played the PC version, I was very excited to jump in.
If you are familiar with other Frontier games, you know exactly what Planet Zoo is: a construction business management simulator. As the name suggests, you are tasked with building and running a zoo in this menu-heavy but very in-depth simulation.
You have a few options here; from free build, allowing you to build whatever you like, to an online franchise-based mode in which you trade with other players and attempt to build the best zoo you can. I would suggest starting with the career mode, a scenario-based endeavor with three tutorial levels to teach you the basic systems. From looking after animal welfare, and conservation work (releasing animals into the wild), which rewards you with points to bring better animals to your zoo, hiring staff who can be used to research for new items or simply to look after the animals. You also have to build enclosures and much more.
Each campaign level has three different challenges: bronze, silver, and gold. Completing these will unlock new items to use in your Zoos; that’s right, you can and will have multiple. Challenges can range from having a certain number of different species at a zoo to maintaining a high percentage of animal welfare. You can maintain this welfare by adding enrichment items such as toys or special food items to enclosures, ensuring a familiar setting with the right plants and terrain surrounding the animals. All items can be found in one of several menus, and you can filter items by species, but with so many species in the game, I wish it would have been more easily indicated if an item is suitable or not when you place it down.
With this game having so many systems and menus, there is a ton to get to grips with and different menus to remember. Unfortunately, navigating these menus on the controller, while definitely playable, could be better! For example, the X button combined with a D-Pad direction helps you pause time or fast-forward, but X can also control your ability to adjust the height of enclosure walls, among other functions. That is just one button and can lead to many mishaps when trying to do things. Labelling of the menus isn’t the best either; I often forget exactly where things are due to most menus only having icons and not text-based labelling (until I am already in the menu that is!). Building itself works fine; you simply select parts from a menu and drag/drop them into place. The only thing I struggled with was adjusting terrain levels, as this was done using a separate radial menu that I kept forgetting how to access due to the sheer number of different menus.
That said, I have to give the game massive credit for its depth and complexity. The systems themselves are very easy to understand; things just don’t function well enough on the controller to make full and proper use of all the depth on offer here. Luckily, the game does give the player some tools to make things more manageable; first is the ability to pause time; it’s a small thing, but it allows you to manage one thing at a time without everything else falling apart. Perhaps the most important tool the game gives you is the ability to download other players’ blueprints for animal habitats and many other things. This was something I definitely made use of and if you are struggling with the building, you should rely on these tools As you can essentially drag and drop these blueprints and concentrate more on the management side of the game, if you choose to. Just keep it mind that you are limited to a certain amount of downloads as the game gives you a limited storage space for them, so take your time and find the best creations.
I also have to give a special mention to the presentation; when compared to other building/management sim games, the visuals in Planet Zoo are great. In particular, the up-close animal cinematic camera looked fantastic, with a lot of detail in the animal models. I could happily sit and watch these virtual beasts go about their day; the same is true of the music. On more than one occasion, I’ve found myself sitting on the main menu of the game for a few minutes listening to the light yet energetic and motivational music, something I’m actually doing while writing this very review. On a technical performance level, the game is also superb. In all my playtime, I haven’t suffered a single bug or framerate drop on Xbox Series X.
Ultimately, I’m very conflicted on Planet Zoo: Console Edition because the core game and systems are absolutely outstanding and among the best in the genre, but I couldn’t help constantly thinking, “I bet this is a much better experience on PC.” There is a ton of fun to be had here, even on the console, if you can put up with the limitations of controller-based navigation in this menu-heavy game. I highly recommend the game itself, but if possible, you should play the PC version instead. Which is how I will continue to play as I have now purchased it on PC.
Developer - Frontier Developments
Publisher - Frontier Developments
Released - March 26th, 2024.
Available On - Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC (separate version)
Rated - (E) - Crude Humor, Mild Blood, Mild Violence
Platform Reviewed - Xbox Series X.
Review Access - Review code was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review.
I’m Jordan I have a background in game design and am deeply passionate about accessibility in gaming. My favourite games/franchises include Shenmue, Red Dead Redemption 2, Plague Tale: Requiem, Metal Gear Solid 3, Yakuza, Splinter Cell, and Assassin’s Creed.