Welcome back to another exciting Planet Coaster 2 blogpost! Today, I’ll be diving deep into my overall feedback from the recent playtest. For some context, I’ve been playing Planet Coaster 2 for two hours this week. Initially, I thought it might be a bit early for this, but there are a few key topics I need to address, so let’s jump right in.
Graphics: A Massive Leap Forward
First and foremost, let’s talk about the graphics, which has been one of the most commented topics. Many players confuse graphics with style, so I want to clarify that right off the bat. Trust me when I say, the graphics in Planet Coaster 2 are miles ahead of both Planet Coaster 1 and Planet Zoo. You might have noticed improvements at Gamescom, but playing it firsthand solidifies just how stunning the game looks.
One area that stands out immediately is the foliage. The attention to detail in the trees, plants, and overall landscaping is astonishing. The wind effects are perfectly balanced—neither too strong nor too subtle—and the shading is far more realistic. Indoor and outdoor lighting, shadows, and overall environmental immersion have all seen significant improvements. The Cobra engine has been pushed to new heights, delivering vibrant visuals that blow its predecessors out of the water.
For those of you who say it looks too similar to Planet Coaster 1 or Planet Zoo, let me remind you that this is part of the Planet franchise. Similarities in style are inevitable, but the refinements are monumental. The models, textures, and especially the ground details have been revamped. The new ground textures are vastly superior, and there are many more options to choose from, offering a much more immersive experience. If you’re expecting ultra-realistic graphics, that’s not quite the direction this series is going. However, once some of the realism-focused creators like Silvarret or Corvus start releasing their builds, you’ll likely mistake them for actual photographs because of how amazing the base game looks.
UI: Still a Work in Progress
it’s clear that the UI needs a lot of work. There are some significant issues, especially for players who build heavily with the mouse and keyboard. For example, when using the copy-paste function (Control + X), the menu tends to disappear, making workflow unnecessarily slow. This issue, in particular, needs to be fixed as it’s a massive roadblock for builders.
Beyond that, the overall interface is not final, and improvements are expected before the game’s full release. That said, Frontier is well aware of these issues thanks to feedback from players like me, and I trust they’ll make the necessary adjustments.
Content: An Overwhelming Success
Now, let’s talk about content—this is where Planet Coaster 2 really shines. Even in its current playtest state, 90% of the content from Planet Coaster 1 (including all updates and DLCs) is already present, and they’ve added an entire water park system on top of that. This blew me away. I wasn’t expecting this level of depth right off the bat. Typically, studios hold back content for future DLCs, but Frontier has loaded this game with so much already, it feels like an incredible value.
Not to mention, the pre-order and Deluxe editions offer even more. The Deluxe pack includes 10 additional rides and lots of extra pieces for a reasonable price—about $15 USD or €15, which breaks down to less than $2 per ride. The rides are stunning, and the variety and versatility are remarkable.
Customizability: A Builder’s Dream
Another major win is the level of customizability. Frontier has listened to player feedback from previous games, and it shows. You can now customize almost everything—trains, flat rides, water slides, you name it. But more than that, the rides themselves aren’t tied down to a single theme. For instance, there’s the returning dragon-themed kiddie coaster, but beyond that, most rides are neutral, giving you the freedom to build around them however you want.
The themes in this game have also been handled expertly. Everything is multi-flexicolor, meaning pieces can have multiple customizable color layers. The walls and structures have detailed textures and multiple color options for different materials like bricks and wood. This opens the door to much more creative freedom, and casual players can easily use the included blueprints to create fantastic areas without too much effort.
Blueprint Sharing & Workshop Integration
The new blueprint system allows for even more sharing and creativity. You can now blueprint entire paths, including their associated decorations and elements, and upload them to the Frontier Workshop for others to use. This system will skyrocket the amount of community-created content, providing an endless supply of custom rides, parks, and decorations. The customization possibilities are staggering, and I can’t wait to see what the community does with it.
Coaster Building: Smoother and Easier
Let’s talk about the core of any Planet Coaster game—the coasters. While I’m not an expert, I’ve learned a lot from the likes of Silvarret and BroNation, and I can confidently say that building coasters in Planet Coaster 2 is much smoother. The coasters fit together better than ever, and the new smoothing tool—while a bit finicky—makes creating smooth, realistic coasters much easier.
One interesting note is that the traditional 4-meter method (used by many to create smoother tracks) might no longer be necessary. Coasters seem to fit together better out of the box, making complex coaster designs more accessible to everyone. However, the one downside remains the station platforms—they haven’t seen much improvement and are still fairly rigid in design. I’m hopeful that Frontier will address this before launch.
Scenario Mode: Surprisingly Engaging
This caught me off guard—Scenario Mode feels much more engaging this time around. I didn’t play much of the career mode in Planet Coaster 1 or Planet Zoo, but the first scenario in Planet Coaster 2 already feels more story-driven, with multi-layered maps and more dynamic goals. You can purchase land, face varying restrictions, and experience a deeper management system. While I primarily focus on creative building, this new and improved scenario mode might just draw me in.
Themes: New but Versatile
The game’s five main themes—Mythics, Vikings, Resort, Planet Zoo, and Aquatics—are fresh, versatile, and adaptable to almost any style. While some fans have voiced concerns over missing classic themes like Western, rest assured that these new sets offer plenty of flexibility. For example, you can use the Viking set to build Western-style buildings, or the Aquatics set for fantasy creations. The emphasis on scaling and flexibility across all the themes ensures that you can create whatever you want.
That’s just scratching the surface of my playtest experience with Planet Coaster 2. There’s still so much more to cover, from the foliage brush to the updated pathing system and even more features waiting to be explored. Planet Coaster 2 is shaping up to be an incredible game, and I can’t wait to see what you all create in it!
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