Zoo Tycoon 2 [PC]

Zoos, no matter what your age, are strangely compelling. Sure, the animals don't perform (unless you count what the chimps always seem to be doing) and if it's hot, they just lay there and sleep. Yet zoos are popular with kids and, by extension, they makes adults feel like kids. That makes 'em fun. Now, wouldn't it be cool to run one? As players of Microsoft's Zoo Tycoon are already aware, the answer is yes. The even better news is that with Zoo Tycoon 2, it's an even better experience... for the most part.

The idea is simple. Like RollerCoaster Tycoon, the player is cast as manager of a zoo. You must build enclosures, hire staff, adopt animals (and make sure they're happy and breeding), and keep patrons entertained. There's a lot to manage and, for the most part, players can choose how to place objects and attractions, and then sit back and watch the people and money roll in. Eventually you can put in rarities like pandas, and the difficulty ramps up gently.

There's a full tutorial that teaches the basics well enough. However, it's pretty dull and discourages exploration. In fact, if you're busy fiddling around you might miss the next goal and wonder why you can't proceed.

There's a full campaign mode, which consists of various zoo challenges and building projects. Familiar goals for games like this include, "Make X amount of dollars in Y time," "Achieve fame by this X date," "Successfully breed X many animals," etc. There's also an open sandbox mode with unlimited cash for the builders out there. Gameplay is limited only by how long players stay interested.

These kinds of games attract two types of players: builders and managers. Managers have a lot more data than the previous game at their fingertips. Spreadsheets and lists show profits by date, and all kinds of options and choices on how they want to improve their zoo are offered. Builders have the option of physically walking through their zoo in first-person. They can even pick up excrement, feed and groom animals, or take snapshots for the camera folder. It's a lot of fun to walk through something you've created yourself -- players will surely love this feature.

Much of this is because of the improved graphics engine. It's a beautiful 3D engine, very colorful, and it keeps the cartoony look the series is known for. The animals are well-animated and do interesting things, and look good when zoomed out, or when posing for pictures in first-person mode.

While the graphics engine is a real improvement, it's also the game's biggest problem. It's clunky. Even on a fast PC, it doesn't scroll smoothly. Menus aren't quick to pop up, and the game generally feels rushed and under-optimized. It isn't terrible and doesn't destroy the gameplay experience, but it does get annoying after continuous play.

Zoo Tycoon 2 has a few interface improvements. There's a handy advice button that will help you find the right food and habitat for your animals. They've taken a lot of the guess work out of keeping your zoo tenants happy. Parents will like that this component is educational. The game is well suited for kids of all ages, provided they can read.

Older teens and the more sadistic adults won't like how they've backed away from the violence. In the original Zoo Tycoon you could watch animals attack each other in a Warner Brother's style combat cloud. Now, the lion sleeps with the antelope (predators are toothless), and that's going to be disappointing for some. Also, when a new animal is born it simply pops into existence next to the mother.

Zoo Tycoon 2 is a decent and very family friendly game that falls a bit short in terms of technical performance and on the educational front. But it's inoffensive and challenging enough to keep both the builders and the managers entertained for much longer than an outing to a real zoo would. Overall, a fun game, a decent sequel, and we ain't lion. (Sorry.)