Good Things Don't Always Come In Two's

Author's Rating:

Pros: Graphics aren't too bad and sound effects are good.

Cons: It's not Zoo Tycoon. Gameplay is totally different.

The Bottom Line: 
Don't expect this game to be Zoo Tycoon. Gameplay is different. It's much more virtual and closer to a sim.

Author's Review
Being a huge fan of the original Zoo Tycoon, I was very excited to hear that Part 2 would be coming out.

The original was so popular and such a wonderful format (even better than previously released tycoons and sims) that I was sure that this one would be just like the original with a few perks and some nice new scenarios.

Nope.

First of all the format changed. I assume that it was in the interest of improving the graphics, and yet the graphics were not improved.

Gameplay changed tremendously. Zoo Tycoon 2 allows the player to interact with the animals and to even take pictures of the animals in their zoo. Unfortunately, it also requires you to do so.

The relaxing, easy-going gameplay of the original game is gone. The new version has more 3d graphics, more interaction and less in the way of layout design of the park. It's more like "virtual zoo keeper". I found the 3 dimensional nature of the game, when I was required to go down into the zoo, to be nauseating and it gave me a headache. (Admittedly, most 3 dimensional games do that to me, that's why I don't play them.)

In addition, the tutorial lacked a lot and there were no dinosaurs or marine life.

Overall, it didn't offer the type of play as the original. Sadly, a lot of games do this. I wish they didn't. If the original recipe worked, why mess with it?

My boyfriend loves to play the newest and best, so when I pulled both games from the drawer, I handed Zoo Tycoon 2 to him and kept the original for myself. He loves three dimensional things and good graphics. He happily had it installed within 5 minutes.

Within a few minutes he had commented "this is a little complicated". Within an hour he had looked over my shoulder and said "your graphics are better" as he watched me play the original version.

The original Zoo Tycoon is a fantastic game. Zoo Tycoon 2 is not really a sequel as the gameplay is so different. I didn't enjoy it, most likely because I expect it to play like the original did with maybe some spruced up sound effects and new scenarios.

As a game on it's own, it may be fun, but I can't see how it is a sequel because it's just too different from the original. Call it "Sim Zookeeper" or something else. I think it would appeal to an entirely different crowd than those who liked the original.