Park Beyond
- June 15, 2023
- Limbic Entertainment
- 12h median play time
Park Beyond may lack a bit of meat on its bones, but it's a mostly stress-free park building experience nonetheless.
Get on Steam"Park Beyond" is a theme park management and creation game where you are a "Visioneer," in charge of designing and maintaining your own amusement parks. With full creative control, you can build unique roller coasters, rides, and attractions to cater to different age groups and interests, while also using terraforming tools to customize the landscape. The Digital Deluxe Edition includes the full game, an annual pass, a coaster car bonus, and a Zombeyond Impossification Set.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game offers a unique and whimsical take on theme park simulation, allowing for creative and fantastical ride designs.
- The impossification feature adds a fun twist, enabling players to upgrade rides and shops in imaginative ways.
- The graphics are colorful and visually appealing, enhancing the overall experience of building and managing a theme park.
- The game is plagued by numerous bugs and glitches, including issues with pathfinding, rides not operating correctly, and crashes.
- There is a limited selection of rides and attractions at launch, which can lead to repetitive gameplay.
- The coaster building mechanics can be clunky and frustrating, making it difficult to create smooth and enjoyable rides.
- story109 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 80 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it charming and engaging, particularly appreciating the campaign's unique challenges and character interactions. However, many have criticized the story for being generic, repetitive, and plagued by bugs that hinder mission progression, leading to frustration. Overall, while the narrative adds a fun layer to the theme park simulation, its execution and the associated gameplay issues detract from the overall experience.
“The campaign didn't overstay its welcome and I really enjoyed having a story in a theme park sim game which hasn't been done before to my knowledge, and every mission offered a fun challenge.”
“The story in the campaign is surprisingly engaging.”
“With that, for a park building game, this one is insanely fun to play, especially the campaign missions that actually have a storyline that flows with them.”
“The pitch meetings that kick off every mission give you ample time to consume the tries-so-hard-to-be-cool team of one-note characters' banter, but the storyline is so abysmally generic it basically regurgitates the moral of every anti-big business comedy film that denounces profit-at-any-cost in favor of... profit just for our guys, I guess?”
“The story mode is very short, with only 8 missions.”
“The campaign missions are pretty tedious and time-consuming, yet I can't get enough of the characters... mostly Phil.”
- stability87 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a significant concern, with numerous users reporting frequent crashes, freezes, and a variety of glitches that disrupt gameplay. While some players have noted improvements over time, many still find the game to be a "buggy mess," making it difficult to enjoy or complete missions. Overall, the game's current state is deemed unacceptable for its price, with calls for urgent patches and fixes to address the myriad of technical issues.
“Unfortunately, the game completely freezes for about 4 seconds every minute.”
“The game was released in a very buggy, unfinished state and never should have been released this way.”
“This game has quite a few little annoying glitches that can make the experience frustrating.”
- gameplay78 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
Gameplay in this game is a mixed bag, with many players praising the unique "impossification" mechanic and the fun of customizing rides, while others criticize the numerous mechanical issues, glitches, and frustrating controls that hinder the overall experience. Although the core gameplay loop can be enjoyable, especially for fans of park simulation games, the lack of polish and frequent bugs detract significantly from the enjoyment, making it feel unrefined and at times unplayable. Overall, while there are elements of creativity and fun, the gameplay suffers from inconsistencies and technical problems that need addressing.
“The mechanics of this game are fantastic, and being able to upgrade rides through impossification is exactly what a game like this needs!”
“Unique and fun gameplay, relatively easy to create new coaster designs, and amazing impossifications to make to rides, shops, and staff.”
“The game is fun, explains all of its features throughout the campaign, which is good to understand the mechanics.”
“Height controls are atrocious and the snapping mechanic is terrible.”
“The mechanics are awful, the tutorial didn't help at all, it's so glitchy and buggy, and building a single roller coaster is near impossible.”
“The campaign was near impossible to progress through with how glitchy the mechanics have been.”
- graphics54 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the colorful and detailed art style, as well as the impressive visuals during certain gameplay moments. However, players have reported various graphical glitches, such as janky textures and frame drops, which detract from the overall experience. While some find the graphics enjoyable and a refreshing change from similar games, others criticize them for being too cartoonish and lacking the polish seen in competitors like Planet Coaster.
“There are many good things about this game - there is a nice ride selection, it looks quite nice graphically, building wacky rollercoasters is fun, and customizing your campaign goals is a nice touch.”
“The graphics are fantastic and the game is full of humor.”
“Visually, the game boasts impressive graphics.”
“The graphics and gameplay can get a little buggy, and I do hope they fix them.”
“But as you take a closer look, you realize the wishy-washy characters, technical, graphical and pathfinding bugs, and general feel of cheap imitation of much better historical milestones in the genre make the park feel dead and tasteless.”
“I am running a 3090ti graphics card and very high internet speed, and the game crashes almost 2-3 times within every hour, making it frustrating and unplayable.”
- optimization19 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players reporting solid performance and minimal bugs, while others experience significant frame drops, stuttering, and various glitches, particularly during complex builds. Many users suggest that the game feels rushed, indicating a need for further patches to address these performance issues and improve overall stability. Overall, while some players find the game playable, the consensus is that optimization remains a key area for improvement.
“I've had the pleasure of experimenting with different settings, combining low, medium, and high options to achieve a pleasant balance between aesthetics and performance.”
“First of all, this game is well-optimized and barely contains noticeable, let alone 'gamebreaking' bugs or even crashes.”
“So far so good, working through mission 2 at my own pace and have not seen any noteworthy bugs until now, performance was fine as well for me.”
“The last problem with Park Beyond is optimization.”
“I think the graphics/animation really need optimization as I get weird frame drops and jagged textures the more I build.”
“It's clear that the game was rushed to release, neglecting crucial bug fixing and optimization.”
- music15 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its dynamic nature that adapts to the park's performance and the variety from relaxing to upbeat tracks. However, many criticize the lack of customization options and repetitive motifs, describing the overall sound design as lackluster and sterile. While some find the soundtrack enjoyable, others feel it detracts from the immersive experience of the game.
“The music is perfect and I love how it changes based on how your park is doing.”
“But then I realized that each music is changing dynamically according to the current state and speed of the rides, tailored to change the beats with the beat of the ride.”
“I also enjoyed the wide range of music, going from relaxing to upbeat.”
“Music/sounds: this is very lackluster as there is basically no music to the game and I don't see a way to play my own or create a playlist. The musical motifs and cues get stale fast, and sound is almost non-existent motif or cue-wise, besides a soundtrack that is also missing.”
“It seems like they missed the point of fun; this is a cold and sterile world. You seem a mile above the park with your boring music.”
“And the music is terrible.”
- grinding13 mentions
- 8 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 92 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that the grinding aspect of the game is largely viewed as tedious and frustrating, particularly during campaign missions where players feel overwhelmed by repetitive tasks and strict construction limitations. Many users suggest that the campaign lacks engaging content and can feel like a chore, leading them to prefer the more enjoyable sandbox mode instead. Overall, while some elements add fun, the grinding nature detracts from the overall experience, making it feel laborious rather than enjoyable.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“I felt like it was too much work to enjoy and had little patience for the tedious tutorial it puts you through before you can even play the game.”
“It's hard and tedious to make a roller coaster that isn't a mess of rails, and that's coming from someone who has thousands and thousands of hours in coaster builder games.”
“It felt tedious, and all I could think about was booting up Planet Coaster instead.”
- humor9 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its light-heartedness and quirky character personalities, which enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the wacky effects, such as humorous ride malfunctions and amusing character interactions, making the game stand out in its genre. However, the humor may not appeal to everyone, suggesting that players who dislike it early on might not enjoy the game as a whole.
“While the character models aren't the best quality I've seen, the personalities of each character and the humor they employ are spot on; even the less likable ones have their likable quirks.”
“In Theme Park, I liked the wacky effects and humor, like kids barfing and rides breaking.”
“The fun and humorous 'impossification' of rides is a great addition to the genre and helps set it apart from some of the others in the genre.”
- monetization6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 83 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has drawn criticism for being misleading and exploitative, with users feeling deceived by unfulfilled promises in advertisements, particularly regarding the "impossified edition." Many reviewers express frustration over the high initial cost and the lack of meaningful content, suggesting that an early access model would have been more appropriate to gather feedback and improve the game before full release. Overall, the approach is seen as a cash grab, with additional add-ons that fail to enhance the experience significantly.
“I understand the business reason for the monetization strategy, as it helps recoup costs quickly and assess market demand. However, it would have been a more positive experience if the game had been released as early access at a lower cost, allowing for feedback and improvements before the full launch. This way, they could have rolled out new themes, mods, and in-game purchases like ride skins, which I would have happily supported if the game met my expectations.”
“The monetization model is fair and offers a variety of options for players. I appreciate that there are no paywalls blocking progress, and the in-game purchases feel optional rather than mandatory.”
“I love how the game balances monetization with gameplay. The cosmetic items available for purchase are reasonably priced, and I feel like I can enjoy the game fully without spending a lot of money.”
“I bought the $99.99 physical 'Impossified Edition.' The advertisement stated it came with the Zombeyond set, which I did not receive.”
“This is a warning to potential customers that they lie in their advertisements and do not ameliorate the situation when contacted.”
“Another cash grab with additional add-ons.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere is characterized by a vibrant, neon carnival aesthetic, particularly enchanting during nighttime.
“I love the neon carnival-like atmosphere, especially at night.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional response to the game is largely negative, with players expressing frustration and disappointment, indicating a strong desire for improvements before they consider engaging with it again.
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Reviewers note that the limited variety of rides and attractions leads to a repetitive experience, significantly diminishing the game's replayability and stifling creative possibilities.
“The limited selection of rides and attractions quickly becomes repetitive, stifling creativity and replayability.”
“Once you've experienced everything the game has to offer, there's little incentive to return for a second playthrough.”
“The lack of meaningful choices and outcomes makes replaying the game feel like a chore rather than an enjoyable experience.”
