It’s Time to Go with the Monkey

After being founded thirty years ago in Cambridge, England, Frontier Developments quickly found its true calling in the video game world. It didn’t take long for Frontier to discover how amazingly good they were at making management and role-playing games, and over the years, it’s become their bread and butter. I consider myself a fan of this team, and have enjoyed many of their past performances.

While they’ve had great success with licensed IPs from the Jurassic Park and Warhammer worlds, they’ve built an incredibly strong foundation of original properties. Sometimes it’s hard to believe, but Frontier has been around for thirty years, making games like Rollercoaster Tycoon, and more than six years ago, the truly amazing Planet Zoo.

Recently, Frontier announced Planet Zoo 2, and in May of this year, I was invited to take a closer look at the game. Frontiersmen were absolutely adorable, and showcased some of the game’s most advanced features. Anyone who enjoyed the original Planet Zoo will want to keep their eyes peeled for this one, as it’s poised to be the next great step up in Frontier’s catalog of games.

We bought the Zoo

The main concept of Planet Zoo 2 remains the same from the original game, and all other management simulation games. Build a zoo, fill it with creatures from all animals, and maintain a healthy, happy relationship with your guests. They don’t like to just relax, Frontier has made a serious effort to make this the most fun zoo simulation I’ve ever seen.

During the preview event, the sample zoo that was shown looked very large. It seemed endless, and it was an amazing world with many levels where you could see almost every part of the animal imaginable. Honestly, it was confusing to see how much stuff you can squeeze into your zoo. Being able to explore your tiger’s enclosure, then jump down to find out how the aquarium is doing, all in the blink of an eye, was incredibly amazing.

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

It was the same with the ways of the animals themselves. Each animal in your zoo is programmed to work and move realistically, and unique climbing and flying animations are natural. Planet Zoo 2 is committed to a world that not only looks realistic, but functions like you would expect to see in a real life zoo.

Many of the attractions of Frontier games, especially Planet Zoo, have always been relaxing and warmly inviting. The act of just sitting there, watching your wonderful creatures just exist and do their thing, is self-indulgence. That was certainly the case here, as I found times when the promoters simply let the animals become some of the most attractive parts of the event.

Animal Law

Building and building your own 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 one often straddle the line of feeling overwhelming versus accessible and thus killing complexity, but Project Zoo 2 aims to find a good bridge between the two.

Frontier’s attention to detail cannot be overstated. Getting up close to the buildings and structures showed us how much effort has been put into making sure things are as close to a real zoo as possible, with many small flourishes, most of which are invisible. The consistency is truly amazing.

One thing that really pleased me about Planet Zoo 2 was Frontier’s decision to add a mission beyond just keeping the status quo. I think that’s always been the case for a lot of people, as the game can lose interest once you reach a level of success that makes the game less fun. Once you have a park or zoo humming like an industry, the desire to continue may diminish.

Planet Zoo 2 has a great feature to try to fix that, which is the safari. The real goal or the end game of Planet Zoo 2 revolves around helping your animals get to the point where they can be returned to their natural habitat, living peacefully with their own kind. Loyalty is a beautiful feeling, and as an animal lover, I appreciate the level of love and admiration these beautiful creatures deserve.

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

Planet Zoo 2 will be released on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC on October 13, 2026.

Planet Zoo 2

Released

October 13, 2026

The ESRB

Teen / Blood, Crude Humor, Violence, In-Game Purchases, User Interaction

Number of Players

Single player