Is Planet Zoo 2 worth it? An honest verdict
Critics like it, Steam users are split, and the minimum spec is high. How to decide for your setup.
85 on Metacritic, but "Mixed" on Steam. If you only read one number, read the user score.
What you are buying
| Feature | Status |
|---|---|
| Fully aquatic species + freshwater/saltwater aquariums | New in PZ2 |
| Flying birds + customisable aviaries | New in PZ2 |
| Wildlife Reserves (release animals into custom ecosystems) | New in PZ2 |
| Roster | 130+ species |
| Modes | Career, Franchise, Sandbox |
Reasons to buy now
- You played the first game and want the new systems. Aquariums and aviaries change how a zoo is laid out, not just what is in it.
- You clear the hardware bar. RTX 2060 6 GB / 16 GB RAM minimum — if you do, the tech is not the issue.
- You like the conservation layer. Reserves add a second map type and a longer-term goal.
Reasons to wait
- Mixed Steam reviews. Around 61% positive from roughly 5,400 reviews at the time of writing. Read the most recent reviews, not the launch-day ones.
- You are on a 4 GB laptop. Below minimum spec; no setting fixes that.
- You want the full roster cheaply. Six species are paid DLC and launch-window pricing rarely discounts.
Wait for a sale?
Frontier's games discount predictably — the first Planet Zoo was half price within a year. If you are not desperate to play this month, $49.99 usually buys the base game plus a pack in a seasonal sale. The counter argument: the Workshop is most active early, and blueprints are more useful when everyone builds the same version.
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