PS5 Planet Coaster 2 Review

Planet Coaster 2 marks a significant evolution in theme park management simulation games. This highly anticipated sequel builds upon the success of its predecessor while introducing substantial improvements to both gameplay mechanics and visual presentation. The game delivers an impressive blend of nostalgic theme park management with cutting-edge features that modern players expect.

Players will discover enhanced coaster building tools, expanded customization options, and new water park features that add depth to the experience. The game introduces weather systems that affect park operations, improved resource management mechanics, and robust multiplayer features for global competition. These additions, combined with seamless Steam Workshop integration and cross-platform sharing capabilities, create a comprehensive theme park management experience that caters to both newcomers and veteran players.



The visual fidelity of Planet Coaster 2 immediately catches the eye with its dramatically overhauled graphics engine. The implementation of ray tracing technology brings a new level of realism to every corner of your theme park, from the subtle shadows cast by palm trees to the realistic reflections in pool water.

Familiar gameplay with enhanced graphics

The game's enhanced visual presentation shines through in every detail. Global illumination creates more natural lighting conditions, while improved texture quality makes materials like marble, metal, and wood distinctly recognizable. The attention to detail extends to guest animations, which have been significantly improved to create more lifelike park visitors.

New water park features

One of the most significant additions to Planet Coaster 2 is the comprehensive water park system. The game introduces several exciting aquatic attractions:

• Pool Construction Tools: Create custom-shaped pools using geometric templates or free-form drawing tools
• Water Slides: Design thrilling flumes with transparent sections, vertical drops, and customizable patterns
• Guest Facilities: Manage changing rooms, lifeguard stations, and pool pass buildings

The water system goes beyond mere esthetics, incorporating practical management elements like filtration systems and water cleanliness monitoring. Guests now have specific requirements for water attractions, including the need to change into swimming attire and protect themselves from sunburn.

Improved customization options

The game's enhanced customization suite provides unprecedented control over park creation. The event sequencer has been completely redesigned, offering a timeline-based interface for coordinating shows and attractions. Animatronics now feature multiple animations that can be selected from drop-down menus, significantly reducing the need for duplicate items.

The new scenery brush system revolutionizes landscape decoration, allowing quick placement of trees, rocks, and other environmental elements. Blueprint functionality has been expanded, enabling players to save and duplicate complex designs efficiently. The piece-by-piece construction system remains at the heart of the experience but has been refined with improved tools for both coaster and water ride creation.

Path creation has been revolutionized with new tools for creating plazas and wider walkways, essential for managing guest flow in busy areas. The system now includes options for custom textures and seamless integration with pool areas, making it easier than ever to create cohesive park layouts that look and function naturally.



The heart of Planet Coaster 2's gameplay lies in its sophisticated coaster building and management systems, which have been completely reimagined for this sequel. The game introduces an intricate balance of physics-based design and guest psychology that creates engaging challenges for park creators.

Intuitive coaster design tools

The coaster creation system has been refined to provide more precise control while maintaining accessibility. Speed and height now play crucial roles in determining excitement ratings, with the game calculating averages throughout the entire ride experience. Smart design choices, like maximizing chain lift speeds and creating smooth banking turns, directly impact guest satisfaction. The system provides immediate feedback on G-forces and intensity levels, helping creators fine-tune their designs for optimal guest enjoyment.

Enhanced path creation system

Planet Coaster 2 revolutionizes park layout with its new path creation tools. The system offers unprecedented flexibility with features including:

• Draw tool for creating custom-shaped plazas and walkways
• Stamp builder with geometric templates (hexagon, octagon, square)
• Terrain-adaptive pathing with automatic height adjustment
• Staff-specific paths for behind-the-scenes operations

The path system now integrates seamlessly with power and water networks, requiring strategic planning for utility placement. Path width customization allows for better crowd management, while the new rounding tool helps create more natural-looking intersections.

Balancing excitement and guest satisfaction

Managing guest satisfaction requires careful attention to ride design and park operations. The game introduces a sophisticated guest tolerance system where visitors have individual preferences for ride intensity, height, and speed. Lateral G-forces significantly impact fear ratings, requiring designers to balance thrilling elements with guest comfort.

Park management has evolved to include comprehensive staff scheduling and facility maintenance. Ride attendants must be properly assigned and scheduled, while mechanics need to perform regular maintenance to prevent breakdowns. The new power distribution system adds another layer of complexity, requiring strategic placement of generators and distributors to keep attractions running smoothly.

Guest feedback is more detailed than ever, with visitors displaying visible reactions to their experiences. The game tracks multiple satisfaction metrics, including entertainment value, hunger, thirst, and even sun exposure. This comprehensive approach to guest comfort requires managers to consider everything from dining options to shade placement when designing their parks.

The management interface provides detailed heat maps for monitoring various aspects of park performance, from guest mood to utility coverage. These tools help identify areas needing improvement and guide strategic decisions about facility placement and staff deployment.



The challenge and campaign modes in Planet Coaster 2 deliver a compelling progression system that tests players' management skills across diverse scenarios. The campaign features twelve unique scenarios, each presenting distinct objectives and environmental challenges that push players to master every aspect of park management.

Engaging scenarios

The campaign mode introduces narrative-driven scenarios that blend storytelling with strategic gameplay. Each scenario presents multiple achievement tiers:

• Bronze objectives focus on basic park operations
• Silver targets require advanced ride management
• Gold challenges demand mastery of all park systems

The scenarios often pit players against rival park owners or challenging terrain, creating engaging situations that require creative problem-solving. Challenge mode offers three difficulty levels, each providing a different starting budget and research progression rate, allowing players to tailor the experience to their skill level.

Weather system impacts

Weather plays a crucial role in park operations, introducing dynamic challenges that require constant adaptation. Sunny days can lead to guests seeking shade and refreshments, while rainstorms drive visitors toward indoor attractions and covered areas. The system creates a chain of management decisions:

When temperatures rise:

1. Guests require more drink stands and shade structures
2. Swimming pools become popular attractions
3. Indoor facilities need proper air conditioning

During rainfall, guest behavior shifts dramatically, affecting ride operations and facility usage. Park managers must ensure adequate shelter and adjust staffing schedules to maintain guest satisfaction through changing weather conditions.

Resource management improvements

Planet Coaster 2 introduces sophisticated resource networks that add depth to park operations. The power distribution system requires strategic placement of generators and transformers to maintain ride operations. Water filtration networks demand careful planning, especially for aquatic attractions where cleanliness directly impacts guest satisfaction.

Staff management has evolved with the introduction of comprehensive scheduling tools. The new system allows managers to coordinate break times, assign specific zones, and monitor staff fatigue levels. This improvement prevents common issues like multiple shop attendants taking breaks simultaneously or understaffed areas during peak hours.

The game's enhanced resource management extends to guest services, where facility placement becomes crucial for maintaining positive experiences. Managers must balance the distribution of amenities, considering factors such as:

• Distance between rest areas and major attractions
• Coverage of first aid stations
• Placement of maintenance facilities for quick response times

The challenge mode introduces additional resource constraints, where limited starting funds force players to make critical decisions about initial investments. Success requires careful prioritization of essential facilities while maintaining enough capital for emergency repairs and staff wages.



Community collaboration takes center stage in Planet Coaster 2's multiplayer features, introducing innovative ways for players to work together and share their creative masterpieces. The game embraces a connected experience that bridges platforms and enables global competition through various sharing mechanisms.

Franchise mode for global competition

The new Franchise Mode introduces an asynchronous collaborative system that revolutionizes how players work together. This feature allows park creators to build and manage their theme park empires while competing on global leaderboards. The collaboration process follows a structured approach:

1. Players designate their save file as a shared franchise
2. Team members can download and contribute to the park individually
3. Each player adds their expertise (scenery, rides, or management)
4. Parks can be submitted to global leaderboards
5. Rankings consider various success metrics across platforms

Asynchronous collaboration means players don't need to be online simultaneously, making it easier for teams to work across different time zones. The system maintains progress tracking, ensuring that all contributions are properly credited and synchronized.

Steam Workshop integration

The game's integration with content sharing platforms has been extensively refined. The Workshop system supports an impressive array of shareable content:

• Complete park blueprints and layouts
• Custom-designed attractions and rides
• Themed building collections
• Scenery arrangements and decorative sets
• Special effects sequences

The Frontier Workshop serves as the central hub for content sharing, replacing the traditional Steam Workshop to enable cross-platform functionality. This integrated system maintains a comprehensive tagging system that makes finding specific content types easier, whether you're looking for tropical themes, classic rides, or modern attractions.

Cross-platform sharing capabilities

Planet Coaster 2 breaks down platform barriers with its unified sharing system. The cross-platform functionality enables content sharing between PC and console players, creating a truly global community of creators. This integration ensures that innovative designs and creative solutions can reach the entire player base, regardless of their chosen gaming platform.

The sharing system implements a sophisticated verification process to ensure compatibility across platforms. Quality control measures help maintain high standards for shared content, while still allowing creators to push the boundaries of what's possible within the game's engine.

The game introduces a streamlined process for accessing shared content, with an intuitive interface that allows players to browse, download, and implement others' creations seamlessly. The system supports both complete park downloads and individual element sharing, giving players the flexibility to incorporate exactly what they need into their parks.

Frontier has implemented a robust rating and feedback system that helps surface the highest quality content. Popular creations gain visibility through community voting, while detailed statistics help creators understand how their content is being used and appreciated by others.

The collaborative features extend beyond mere content sharing, as the game tracks and displays various metrics that showcase creator achievements. Performance statistics include:

• Download counts and subscriber numbers
• User ratings and feedback scores
• Usage statistics in other players' parks
• Achievement unlocks and special recognitions

This comprehensive approach to community features creates a dynamic ecosystem where players can learn from each other, showcase their creativity, and contribute to the global Planet Coaster 2 community. The system encourages both veteran creators and newcomers to participate, fostering an environment of continuous learning and improvement.



Planet Coaster 2 stands as a masterful evolution of the theme park management genre, skillfully blending beloved simulation mechanics with substantial technological advances. The game's enhanced graphics engine, comprehensive water park features, and refined building tools create an unmatched creative playground for park designers. These improvements, coupled with sophisticated management systems and weather dynamics, deliver deep gameplay that rewards both careful planning and creative expression.

The game's robust multiplayer features and cross-platform sharing capabilities transform individual park creation into a shared creative endeavor. Through its expanded customization options and intuitive design tools, Planet Coaster 2 builds a strong foundation for years of engaging content creation and community collaboration. The careful balance between accessibility and depth ensures that both newcomers and veterans will find countless hours of entertainment in crafting their perfect theme park experiences.