Planet Coaster 2

66%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,824 reviews
  • graphics
  • optimization
  • gameplay
Planet Coaster 2 Game Cover
Planet Coaster 2 is one of the pinnacles of the theme park simulator genre and while it doesn’t have a smooth learning curve for newcomers, it’s safe to say that those who have already mastered its systems will enjoy it immensely.
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Planet Coaster 2: Deluxe Edition allows you to create your dream coaster park with enhanced building tools and customization options. This edition includes the Vintage Funfair Ride Pack, giving you access to ten vintage rides. Dive into a world of management and creativity, building sprawling plazas and thrilling rides for your guests to enjoy.

  • PC
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

66%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,824 reviews
graphics114 positive mentions
optimization56 negative mentions
  • The graphics and lighting are stunning, providing a visually immersive experience.
  • The new pathing system is a significant improvement, allowing for more creative park layouts.
  • The coaster builder has been enhanced, making it easier to create smooth and exciting rides.
  • The UI is clunky and not intuitive for PC users, making navigation frustrating.
  • There are fewer themes and scenery options compared to Planet Coaster 1, which limits creativity.
  • The water slide physics are disappointing and feel unfinished, detracting from the overall experience.
  • graphics360 mentions

    The graphics in Planet Coaster 2 have received widespread praise for their significant improvements over the original game, showcasing stunning visuals, enhanced lighting, and vibrant environments that elevate the overall aesthetic experience. However, some players have reported issues with blurriness and performance, particularly when using default settings, leading to a mixed reception regarding optimization and graphical fidelity. Despite these concerns, many agree that the game offers a visually impressive upgrade, especially for those with capable hardware.

    • “Planet Coaster 2 delivers beautiful, upgraded visuals that feel fresher and crisper than the original game, and there’s no denying the graphics are a treat.”
    • “Frontier has done an outstanding job with the graphics in this game – they’re absolutely stunning.”
    • “The graphics look incredible, especially with the lighting and global illumination!”
    • “The graphics are blurry even at 4k ultra and they don't look as good as PC1.”
    • “The native graphic settings for the game are stupid; nobody wants the insane amount of blur that is put on to be there.”
    • “That's not even mentioning the horrendous performance and graphics issues this game is launching with.”
  • optimization203 mentions

    The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players noting significant performance issues, particularly on PC, despite having high-end hardware. While some users report smooth performance and improvements over the previous installment, others criticize the user interface as being overly optimized for consoles, leading to a frustrating experience on PC. Overall, there is a consensus that while the game shows potential, it requires further optimization to fully meet the expectations of PC players.

    • “The game is well optimized if you have a decent computer, which is always a great thing to see amid more recent games released with horrible optimization on launch.”
    • “The graphics look great and the performance is a huge step up.”
    • “I spent a good hour tweaking settings to optimize performance and was ultimately happy with about 70 fps on ultra settings at 4k resolution with HDR.”
    • “This is one of the worst optimized games I've ever seen.”
    • “I understand that console players often have to wait after an initial release, but PC players shouldn't have to deal with a poorly optimized interface because developers didn’t adapt it to PC.”
    • “The performance and capabilities of your high-end PC are held back by the constraints of Xbox and PlayStation hardware.”
  • gameplay154 mentions

    The gameplay of Planet Coaster 2 has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the improved graphics and new mechanics, such as power and water management systems. However, frustrations arise from bugs, an unintuitive interface, and a lack of depth in park management, leading to repetitive gameplay and ineffective staff mechanics. While some find the game enjoyable and a step up from its predecessor, others feel it requires significant refinement and bug fixes to reach its full potential.

    • “It's everything I loved in the original and now with new mechanics we wanted, like making plaza areas and lots of upgraded management functions.”
    • “A superb upgrade from the original game, yes it needs the core themes (western, fantasy, adventure, and spooky especially) but the new themes are exciting, the coasters are smooth, the gameplay is fantastic and once you work out how to move around the menus everything flows easily.”
    • “New gameplay features, like power and water systems, and the inclusion of water parks in the base game, enhance the experience significantly.”
    • “There are several upgrades from the first game, but they are overshadowed by bugs and gameplay mechanics that make the game more frustrating than fun.”
    • “The variety of rides feels noticeably limited, which quickly leads to repetitive gameplay, and the mechanics don’t introduce anything particularly new to keep you engaged.”
    • “While the performance and graphics are impressive, the overall user experience is hindered by the convoluted building mechanics and the unintuitive interface.”
  • stability100 mentions

    The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and crashes that hinder gameplay. While some users note that the game runs well on their systems and visually impresses, others experience significant issues such as freezing, clunky menus, and problematic pathfinding. Overall, the game appears to be in need of further optimization and bug fixes to enhance the user experience.

    • “The game runs great on my PC.”
    • “Runs great, looks great.”
    • “Game runs great and is fun.”
    • “My PC exceeds the recommended specs, yet the game freezes every 10 to 15 seconds, creating a stuttering effect.”
    • “Planet Coaster 2 is a buggy, frustrating mess that’s not worth the price.”
    • “Everything from the path system to the UI is buggy and not optimized for a PC.”
  • music72 mentions

    The game's music has received praise for its fresh and diverse soundtrack, featuring niche genres like drum and bass and chillwave, which many players find enjoyable and fitting for the park atmosphere. However, the removal of custom music options has disappointed fans, as they valued the ability to create personalized soundtracks that enhanced their gaming experience. Players are hopeful for future updates that will restore these customizable features.

    • “When I bought this game, I wasn't expecting to find DnB, kawaii future pop, and chillwave as part of the soundtrack, but I'm definitely not complaining.”
    • “The updated music feels nostalgic yet polished, and ride soundtracks are high quality.”
    • “The soundtrack, voice acting, and overall sound design are excellent.”
    • “One of the worst decisions was removing customizable music and billboards.”
    • “You cannot add your own music and audio to your parks.”
    • “Additionally, some features from Planet Coaster 1, such as custom music and security options, are missing.”
  • story48 mentions

    The story aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the engaging character-driven narratives and humorous dialogue in the career mode, while others criticize the lack of depth and coherence in the storyline. Many feel that the missions are overly simplistic or short, and some express disappointment that the game does not build upon the storytelling elements that made its predecessor enjoyable. Overall, while there are moments of charm, the story is seen as lacking in substance and innovation.

    • “It plays similarly to Planet Zoo, where you get a proper storyline instead of simply a map with stuff and tasks you're supposed to get done.”
    • “The career mode story plot is fun, and I have laughed aloud at some of the character jokes so far.”
    • “Planet Coaster 2 brings engaging storylines with main characters that guide you through the game, helping you progress while learning the ropes.”
    • “The story is trash; the first park after the tutorial was just cringe-worthy.”
    • “It also doesn't really provide many changes beyond the first title besides minor management sim elements, minor 'story', campaign research, and pools.”
    • “Also... why add a story to the campaign?”
  • grinding40 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game is heavily criticized for its tedious and clunky user interface, which requires excessive clicks and navigation through numerous menus to perform basic tasks. Players find the building and editing processes frustratingly slow, particularly due to a control scheme that feels poorly adapted for PC users. While the game offers a wealth of features, the cumbersome mechanics detract significantly from the overall experience.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “The interface is a mess – there are far too many clicks just to open menus or place items, making the whole experience feel clunky and tedious.”
    • “My main issue with the game is the change in control scheme for mouse and keyboard; things seem to take more button presses, making path building and coaster editing a bit more tedious.”
  • monetization24 mentions

    The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized as aggressive and reminiscent of a cash grab, with users expressing dissatisfaction over the reliance on paid DLCs for new attractions and a confusing advertisement system. Many feel that the game was rushed out, lacking essential features and updates, and that claims of cross-platform multiplayer are misleading. Overall, players are frustrated with the monetization approach and are waiting for improvements before reconsidering their reviews.

    • “I would happily change my review should they tackle these issues, but for now it feels like a rushed cash grab to me.”
    • “This game has been developed with an aggressive DLC monetization strategy; new attractions are coming at some point with a €9.99/$ price tag.”
    • “I hope Frontier does something about the PC version of this game; it feels like some kind of cash grab to try and release the PC and console games at the same time without having to do much work to make them playable on both platforms.”
  • humor14 mentions

    The humor in the game is described as both intentional and unintentional, with players finding amusement in the chaotic audio balance, absurd ride designs, and the ability to create hilariously tragic roller coasters. Many reviewers highlight the comedic elements of the gameplay, such as the exaggerated reactions captured in photo booths and the absurdity of certain mechanics, contributing to an overall entertaining experience. Despite some bugs and design flaws, the game's humor is a significant draw for players.

    • “The best part about exiting a ride is stopping at the photo booth and laughing at your terrified face as you went over the big drop.”
    • “Then there is me creating the most tragic roller coaster rides ever and doing crazy layouts; there are a few bugs like a roller coaster going through a stone and not affecting it or a building, but I'm not complaining about it, it's way too funny.”
    • “Epic game, you can kill people with the coasters, really funny and customizable.”
  • atmosphere10 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised, with users highlighting its vibrant graphics and immersive sound design that effectively capture the essence of the original while modernizing it for current-gen standards. Although not flawless, the overall aesthetic and atmosphere significantly enhance the gameplay experience, compensating for some of the game's shortcomings.

    • “The graphics feel sharp, vibrant, and capture the atmosphere of the original, while updating to meet current-gen standards.”
    • “While not perfect, its aesthetics, gameplay, and atmosphere make up for most of the flaws, which will hopefully be addressed in updates.”
    • “The sound atmosphere is really good.”
  • replayability8 mentions

    Players consistently highlight the game's exceptional replayability, citing the ability to build unique parks, tackle various challenges, and explore community creations as key factors. This infinite replay value significantly enhances the overall experience, making it a favorite among users.

    • “Whether you’re trying to build the perfect park, beating a specific challenge, or browsing through the creative works of others in the community, the replay value is through the roof.”
    • “It offers infinite replayability, making it my favorite mode by far.”
    • “The game is highly replayable and has drawn me in deeply.”
  • emotional8 mentions

    Players express a deep emotional connection to Planet Coaster 2, highlighting feelings of nostalgia and joy reminiscent of childhood experiences. The game's realism and graphics evoke strong emotional responses, suggesting that it successfully taps into core feelings that many players cherish. However, there are concerns that developers may not fully recognize the importance of these emotional elements in gaming.

    • “I want to cry, finally playing Planet Coaster 2 after so long waiting for a water park game with much more realism and graphics.”
    • “It seems that game developers might be overlooking these core emotional responses.”
    • “The most important thing about this game: it made me feel like a child again.”
  • character development2 mentions

    Character development is praised for its strong design and seamless integration into the game's progression and tutorial systems, enhancing the overall storytelling experience.

    • “The character design is excellent and is seamlessly integrated into the progression and tutorial, enhancing the overall experience.”
    • “The character development is thoughtfully crafted, making each progression feel meaningful and engaging.”
    • “The integration of character design with gameplay progression serves as an effective tutorial, making it easy to connect with the characters.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

79% average critic score

Buy Planet Coaster 2

Play time

5hMedian play time
154hAverage play time
3-310hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 20 analyzed playthroughs

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