Planet Zoo 2 is a beautiful sequel and a solid management game, but it's the animals that steal the show.

If the Planet Zoo series has taught me anything, it's that I'm bad with weird animals. Sure, I'm fine with the simple stuff. I know, it's comforting to hear that you can tell an elephant from a flamingo. But the stranger they get, the deeper we dig below the surface, the more clueless I become. This was one of the joys of the original Planet Zoo: the chance to discover a vibrant zoo full of unusual animals, all developed by

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Planet Zoo 2 is a nice sequel and a good management sim, but it's the animals that steal the show.

If the Planet Zoo series has taught me anything, it's that I'm crap with animals. Sure, I'm fine with the simple stuff—I know, you're relieved to hear that, you know the difference between an elephant and a flamingo—but the weirder they get, the more subspecies we start, the more clueless I get. That was one of the joys of the original Planet Zoo: the chance to explore a vibrant zoo of unusual animals, all brought to wonderful life by developer Frontier's exquisitely custom art. And after spending the first few hours with Planet Zoo 2, that's what kept me completely hooked.

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Did you know, for example, that there is such a thing as a tree kangaroo? Until about 24 hours ago, I didn't! But here comes the little guy (or at least a convincing digital recreation of it) romping enthusiastically around his enclosure, tail wonderfully hugging beams as he twirls his wooden climbing frame. I've missed some very enjoyable moments watching ring-tailed lemurs on the move or Asian small-clawed otters plunging off the rocks into the pool. I've seen Maasai giraffes unfurl themselves in an intricate dance as they prepare to explore the African savannah, and hawksbill turtles calmly move around my aquarium, while manatees curiously explore the depths. And the birds! Birds are a thing now, which means I really prehistoric Majestic shoe soles show off their fantastic wingspans. And, yes, it intrigued me enough to Google the real-world counterparts of these fascinating creatures in turn, so hello to the tutorial.

There's more to Planet Zoo 2 than just looking, of course, but it's hard not to be distracted by such exotic scenery, especially when it's all so beautifully rendered. Whatever you can say about Frontier Sims, when you start digging deeper into the gameplay, it's impossible to put down the studio's presentation skills. And Planet Zoo 2 is even more colorful this time. That starts with new natural reserves. Large areas of land where animals can roam freely. In Africa, hippos happily cook in muddy waters. Zebras graze under the cool shade of trees. Elephants roam in large herds, while flamingos roam in shallow pools. And there I am - in a feature borrowed from the Jurassic World Evolution series - thundering across the savannah with giddy abandon as I take in the scenery, my little Jeep rolling down slopes and splashing in the water. "Stop!" Early in the training I am suddenly instructed to "Take some pictures!" And honestly, when everything looks so lovely, why wouldn't you?

Image credit: Eurogamer/Frontier Developments

I'm definitely touching on the reductive here, but none of this is really a criticism. Unlike the Planet Coaster series, which always prioritized park customization, with far-reaching management depth, Planet Zoo 1 was already a much richer and more robust type of capital game, and its sequel. Animal welfare is a major commitment in itself as you manage everything from enclosure management (creating the right biome, ensuring adequate enrichment, etc.) to breeding, health, and even business. But then there's a whole other side, as the animal stuff fits neatly into the more familiar logistics of park management.

As always, you'll need to hire the right staff to keep your zoo clean and well-maintained, and you'll be working to keep your guests happy: meet their food, drink, energy, bladder, and training needs so that they're happy enough that the large number of visitors won't overwhelm your entry fee. Economy is important here! And given that happy animals mean happy guests, the Ouroboros circle is complete. It's a striking and satisfying enough balancing act that I'm not really worried about the new stuff - the birds, the aquariums and the reserves - it's more like a textural finesse than a major change. And to be honest, I was sold on the aquarium the second I saw you could build an underwater tunnel, Jaws 3 style.

There are many other things that I like very much. The educational campaign, for one, is sublime; I remember getting lost very quickly in the main planet's zoo because he accidentally covered the basics before leaving me to fumble. Here, Frontier's charmingly voiced cast of recurring characters patiently and thoroughly walk you through all the important parts in a clear and logical manner as you traverse biomes and continents. And the user interface, while still a bit cluttered, feels more intuitive and navigable, especially if you're using a controller.

There are new features like the nature brush - especially for larger areas when you don't have the stamina to put 300 trees. And the extra seasons are lovely, dust your park with snow or give it a more autumnal color - although I'm not sure how much the weather affects the management side of things at the moment. Frontier also seems to have learned its lesson from Planet Coaster 2, which in such an anemic state (now much improved after fan outcry) seems like a cynical ploy to flog post-launch DLC. However, creators and beauticians will receive a more generous nine themes and 136 different species of animals at launch - some from Planet Zoo 1, some from its DLC, and some new.

And it really all comes down to those animals. Planet Zoo 2 - with its gentle mix of creative tinkering, strategic experimentation, and exhilarating problem-solving - is already surprisingly challenging. A perfect tonic, frankly, after several weeks of terrifying Scottish trauma, extra-dimensional BDSM demons, and French Revolutionary War bloodshed. But then something caught my attention. Maybe it's an African savannah elephant noodling at the water's edge, or a toco toucan happily heading off to new adventures. Perhaps this is a blacktip reef shark or a Sumatran orangutan or a northern Sulawesian babirusa. Regardless, I have to stop and watch their amazing tricks unfold. And, hey, I suddenly think to myself, I finally got the name right. Teaching by osmosis is adorable, and all. Animals are cool!

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Matt Wells is an editor at Eurogamer and a founding member of the Birdo for President of Everything community.