Planet Zoo 2 Preview: It's Time to Monkey Around

After being founded over thirty years ago in Cambridge, England, Frontier Developments soon found its true calling in the video game world. It didn't take long for Frontier to discover how amazingly talented they were at making management and simulation games, and over the years, it's become their bread and butter. I consider myself something of a superfan of this team, and have loved many of their previous games.

Though they've had tremendous success with licensed IPs from the worlds of Jurassic Park and Warhammer, they've developed a remarkably strong foundation of original properties. It's sometimes hard to believe, but Frontier has been around for three decades, making games like Rollercoaster Tycoon, and a little over six years ago, the absolutely stupendous Planet Zoo.

Recently, Frontier announced Planet Zoo 2, and in May of this year, I was invited to take an extended look at the game. The people of Frontier were absolutely lovely, and showcased some of the game's more advanced features. Anyone who enjoyed the first Planet Zoo is going to want to keep their eyes locked on this one, as it's poised to be an incredible next step in Frontier's catalog of games.

We Bought a Zoo

The core concept of Planet Zoo 2 remains much the same from the first game, and every other management simulation game. Build a zoo, populate it with creatures from across the animal kingdom, and maintain a healthy, happy relationship with your guests. Not keen to just rest on their laurels, Frontier has gone through painstaking effort to make this the most enjoyable zoo simulation I've ever seen.

During the preview event, the sample zoo that was on display looked absolutely massive. It seemingly had no end, and was a multi-level wonderland where you could see nearly every part of the animal kingdom you can think of. In all honesty, it was baffling to see just how much stuff you could cram into your zoo. Being able to check on your tiger enclosure, then swoop down to find out how the aquarium is doing, all in the blink of an eye, was incredibly impressive.

Frontier has also done a lot of fantastic work to make sure the animals in your zoo look and feel as close to their real-life counterparts as possible. The animation system is absolutely breathtaking, with a lot of small, minor movements that make the animals look shockingly realistic. It was really amazing to see in action.

That was also true of the pathing of the animals themselves. Each animal in your zoo is programmed to act and move realistically, and unique animations for climbing and flight occur naturally. Planet Zoo 2 is committed to a world that not only looks realistic, but acts in a way that you might expect to see at an actual real-life zoo.

A lot of the appeal of Frontier's games, especially Planet Zoo, has always been just how relaxing and warmly inviting they are. The mere act of just sitting there, watching your majestic creatures just exist and do their thing, is entertaining all by itself. That was definitely still the case here, as I found the moments where the developers would just let the animals exist to be some of the most appealing parts of the event.

Animal Act

Building and constructing your zoo looks more compelling than ever in the sequel. There was a strong focus on customization and letting you choose how things would look, as well as how easy it was to add or remove things from your zoo. Management simulation games like this are always straddling the line of feeling too overwhelming versus so accessible it kills the complexity, but Project Zoo 2 is aiming for a nice bridge between the two.

Frontier's attention to detail really can't be overstated. Zooming into the buildings and structures showed us just how much effort went into making sure things are as close to a real zoo as possible, with a lot of tiny flourishes, many of which can go unseen. The consistency is honestly mind-blowing.

The one thing that struck me the most about Planet Zoo 2 was Frontier's decision to add a goal beyond just maintaining the status quo. I think that's always been the issue with this genre for most people, as a game may run out of steam once you reach a level of achievement that makes the game feel less exciting. Once you have a park or zoo that's humming like a factory, the will to continue can diminish.

Planet Zoo 2 has a wonderful feature to attempt to fix that, which is the safari. The actual goal or endgame of Planet Zoo 2 revolves around helping your animals reach the point where they can be returned to their natural environment, living peacefully with their own kind. It's honestly a beautiful sentiment, and as something of an animal lover, I appreciate this level of love and adoration that these beautiful creatures deserve.

Maintaining your relationship with the animals extends far beyond just having a successful zoo. It's built around the theme of wildlife preservation and the ever-evolving relationship between humans and animals. Planet Zoo 2 isn't just an iteration. It's a zoo management sim with a lot of unexpected heart, and it looks like Frontier has got something really special on their hands here.

Planet Zoo 2 is set to release on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC on October 13, 2026.