This one’s focused on the new aquarium and aviary building features coming to the game, and the way in which you’re going to have to take over every detail of their construction to ensure that they’re going to live in habitats that feel like home to them. That includes ensuring an adequate supply of food and water while also handling unique needs the animal in question may have.

Don’t forget periodic cleaning of enclosures to ensure they remain hygienic all year round. Factor in managing your visitors, staff, and Wildlife Reserves, and you’ve got a sim that could have you quite busy whenever you dive in.

Of course, the Wildlife Reserves are a fantastic touch, and we’ve already got a sense of how they’re going to feel from a previous trailer. But it’s still worth checking this one out to see one of them in action again. Planet Zoo 2 launches on October 13th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC, so stay tuned for even more gameplay in the coming weeks.

The main focus of the new video is the zoo that was used for the gameplay showcase from earlier this month, and was captured using a development build from earlier this year. As such, some of the things shown off might have been changed quite a bit by the time we get close to Project Zoo 2’s October 13th release date.

The video features video artist Mel Cox, art director Marc Cox, and game director Gareth Hughes, and is hosted by senior influencer manager Chris Owen. As explained by Hughes, the video gives us a look at a tropical zoo built in Planet Zoo 2, and in the process, focuses on some of the new things that players can look forward to in the game.

The biggest change in Planet Zoo 2 over its predecessor is a massive jump in visual fidelity. This includes things like background terrain, foliage, and even rocks. This was achieved thanks to a newer version of Frontier Developments’ internal game engine, dubbed Cobra. This upgrade has allowed the studio to make use of an entirely new lighting system with global illumination.

Along with the visuals, the developers also made a point of focusing on the guests who can visit the zoo. They describe it as an “interesting combination of simulation and realism”. The video then goes into detail about some of the new tools that will be available in order to make the gameplay more accessible for casual players. However, veterans of Planet Zoo will also find plenty to love here, with brand-new assets that give them fine control over their zoo’s layout and aesthetics.

Going further into the new tools, we get to see how the developers were able to create an ideal enclosure for a tiger, giving it plenty of room to move around and a pleasant pond to drink water out of. Quite a bit of attention was paid to how the various animals will interact with the things in their enclosures. The tiger, for example, after having had her fill of water, decides to lounge around in the pond and try to climb up a wooden post.

Frontier Developments had confirmed with its previous gameplay showcase that Planet Zoo 2 will feature aerial and aquatic creatures, giving players more options for their zoos. Some of the new animals include the Toco Toucan, the Secretary Bird, Blacktip Reef Sharks, and Hawksbill Turtles. The title will also allow players to focus their efforts on creating Wildlife Reserves, which start off conservation projects before evolving into full-blown habitats. These reserves can be set up anywhere in the world and are designed around being long-term goals for players.

Planet Zoo 2 is being developed for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.

Planet Zoo 2 is slated to offer more of just about everything that players loved about the original Planet Zoo, from more parts for building things to a host of new animals that will need their own distinct habitats catered towards.

Along with the typical land-based animals, Planet Zoo 2 will also feature aerial and aquatic creatures as well. Among the new animals coming to the game are the Toco Toucan, the Secretary Bird, Blacktip Reef Sharks, and Hawksbill Turtles. To cater to all of these new creatures, players will have access to plenty of new tools, allowing them to ensure that the animals stay safe and healthy as part of the game’s efforts towards encouraging conservation.

Planet Zoo 2 is coming to PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S on October 13th. The title was announced just last month with a trailer that also confirmed its release date, as well as the fact that aquatic creatures and birds would be making their debut in the game.

Along with zoos, players will also be able to create entire Wildlife Reserves, which start off as conservation projects before evolving into full-blown habitats that can be set up anywhere in the world. Wildlife Reserves are slated to be long-term goals for players to strive towards as they manage their zoos and their denizens.

As the name indicates, Planet Zoo 2 involves running your own zoo. There’s a wide variety, from zebras and chimpanzees to alligators and tigers, including new additions like the Toco Toucan and Secretary Bird. They look better than ever thanks to “high-fidelity fur, feathers and scales” and “authentic breathing and sounds,” delivering a “generational leap” in graphics quality.

Of course, you need to take care of and raise them while meeting their various needs, but Planet Zoo 2 goes even further with the new Wildlife Reserves. These essentially start as conservation projects but expand into full-blown habitats worldwide, where you can release animals. It’s a long-term effort (made even more so by the longer years in-game), so you’ll need to deal with seasons and changing weather conditions.

With five returning and four new themes alongside modes like Career, Sandbox, Franchise, and the new Planet Hub for tracking your worldwide network of zoos from a single menu, Planet Zoo 2 promises a hefty amount of content. Stay tuned for more details and gameplay in the months to come.