Simulation games have always been difficult to translate from keyboard and mouse to controller. My all time favourite simulation experience was Rollercoaster Tycoon. I lost many many hours designing my own rollercoasters, and my perfect theme park, but at no point did I feel that a controller would have suited the game. Could Xbox One launch game Zoo Tycoon change my mind on the matter? It's doubtful. My early impressions of it at the Xbox One event a few weeks prior to launch caused me to worry about the frame rate within the game, but hopefully the day one patch will have fixed that issue.
I can happily report, that the game IS playable, and that there is no sign of the low frame rate that plagued the demo version that I tried. But just because a game is playable, doesn't make it a good game to play. It is clear here that while the back of the pack says you can make your own dream zoo, you are restricted to what you can do simply because you are using a controller. The level of customisation that could be possible using an input method with a bit more freedom just isn't available when you have to make a game that is controller friendly. For example, paths are placed for you, and every different animal environment comes in 3 different sizes - small, medium or large, with no control over their shape. I would have liked to have more control over how I wanted the animal enclosures to look - from size to shape, having that restriction immediately stripped me from being able to create the 'zoo of my dreams'.
While the above is a massive negative to me personally, the game isn't actually all that bad. Its vibrant graphical design makes it immediately accessible for all ages, and its fun loving nature is charming. It also features the best looking animals in any game. I marvelled at how much detail had gone in to each species, spending plenty of time focussing the camera on them and watching them go about their lives. And some of the Kinect features are fantastic, in particular the animal interaction part. You are placed being a glass wall while an animal is on the other side. Following the on screen prompts the animals follow what you do. Lifting an arm up and watching the chimp on screen react was impressive enough, but seeing it follow me winking and blinking is incredible, and it really goes to demonstrate some of the abilities of the Kinect 2.0.
The animals themselves are the stars of this game. There are over 100 different animals belonging to over 20 different species, which is probably an ample amount, but I'm surprised to not see the likes of Zebra's and Crocodiles in the game, along with what I'm sure is plenty more species. No doubt there is long term DLC in mind with not including them. Each animal has its one 'Zoopedia' entry with plenty of facts about each. This is where Zoo Tycoon shows that it can be used as more that a game - as an educational tool. Of course the fact sheets can be completely ignored, but there is so much to learn, and it can make you more aware of things that are going on in the animal world. You are responsible for cleaning and feeding the animals, and also ensuring that their happiness levels stay high (done by sticking to criteria based on the animal such as how many friends they need, and what environment they like to live in). Animals also increase in level over time. Once they reach level 15 you can release them into the wild. You get updates on what you're animals are up to, which is a nice touch if you've had a since birth and are somewhat attached.
You could easily forget that this game is about managing the zoo itself and not staring at the animals. You're responsible for the zoo's facilities (toilets, zoo keeper buildings etc) and each of the facilities can be upgraded to increase their efficiency. With each upgrade it increases the costs of running the zoo, but also brings more guests. Managing the budget of the zoo is key in all game modes bar freeform, where money is no object. To manage your budget you can change the prices of entry and food stalls (only a limited low, medium and high option) along with running marketing campaigns and completing challenges to increase the popularity of your zoo to bring in more guests. Another important feature of the game is the research aspect. And it is highly annoying. One thing can be researched at a time, be it a type of animal, enrichment, facilities or ways to keep costs down. Combined with the length of time it takes for money to come in, you spend so much time in the game just waiting for processes to complete. Many occasions I felt like I wasn't playing anymore, just spending time twiddling my thumbs.
Games modes include the lengthy campaign, shorter challenges and freeform mode. All of which can be played with friends over Live. Although you create zoos in different parts of the world, there wasn't really enough difference between each location to make them feel fresh. And if I'm honest, due to the waiting nature of the game, the mode I enjoyed the most was the freeform mode, and I usually like to challenge myself on simulation games. But knocking the waiting game on the head for money, I only had to endure the wait for research to complete. There is a huge tutorial to cover all aspect of the game, and putting these lessons to use, it’s enjoyable creating your own zoo with unlimited money. But the menu system present always brings annoyances. There are menus within menus, and nothing can be selected more than once without going through every menu option multiple times. Filling an area with animals takes an age, and don't get me started on clearing poop out of the enclosures - which is essential to keep your animals clean and happy.
Zoo Tycoon is a game that is suitable for all the family, but one that is only really enjoyed in one game mode. With an unpractical menu system, building anything beyond the basics becomes frustrating. There is plenty to enjoy with regards to the animals themselves, and the integration of Kinect is at times fantastic. But I keep coming back to thinking, the full potential of this game hasn't been realised due to full creation controls being reigned in to suit console gamers. Zoo Tycoon will be worth a play for children and families, but wait until it comes down in price.
