Planet Zoo: Console Edition Twilight & Aquatic Packs PS5 Review
Summary: Planet Zoo's next DLC offering introduces some of the game's best bits.
5
Rawsome
I had two main questions when it was first announced that Frontier was undergoing the mammoth task of bringing Planet Zoo to consoles. First, how would they make such a complicated sim work on a controller, and second, how would they deal with the game’s ever-increasing amount of expansion packs? We’ve already covered the first question in my main review of Planet Zoo on PS5 (spoiler, it’s surprisingly fantastic), and now it’s time to address the Elephant – or in this case, Raccoon – in the room.
Frontier have approached console DLC in probably the most sensible way. Instead of overwhelming players by releasing all existing DLC in one go (Planet Zoo can be tricky to get your head around), new content is being released periodically. For those who haven’t opted for the season pass, packs are being released as either a double pack, for those who want to maximise their Zoo’s potential, or singularly, if you only have eyes on a specific set of new inhabitants. With the North America and Europe packs releasing alongside the base game, the latest release sees potentially two of Planet Zoo’s best expansions to date come to console, with both the Twilight and Aquatic packs featuring some of the game’s most unique and exciting critters.
Unsurprisingly, the Twilight pack focuses on crepuscular and nocturnal creatures, introducing the Raccoon, Red Fox, Common Wombat, Striped Skunk and Egyptian Fruit Bat to the game. While each of these animals has their own merits, after all, who doesn’t love a chubby Wombat or a sneaky Fox, it’s the last of the list that stands out most amongst the pack. Planet Zoo players have been pining for birds for some time, and while it’s unlikely they’ll get their full avian dreams realised, the Twilight DLC is notable in being the first to introduce an airborne creature. Although it’s limited to being an exhibition animal, it’s still one of the most exciting additions to the game and gives console players an excellent introduction to Planet Zoo’s few winged additions.
While new animals are always at the centre of any good Planet Zoo expansion, the Twilight DLC also includes some of my favourite new scenery options. The base game is already full of fantastic set pieces, allowing players, like me, the ability to use pre-made buildings and displays without having to flex my artistic strokes too much, but the Twilight pack opens up so many more options, with beautiful Gothic buildings and creepy, twisted roots allowing for even deeper Zoo theming. The Twilight pack also comes with one of the game’s more inventive scenarios set in, fittingly, Transylvania, which sees you take over a spooky, gothic zoo where animals are running rampage amongst glowing mushrooms and gloomy woodlands.
What is quite surprising is that the Twilight pack has been released alongside the Aquatic pack, as out of all of Planet Zoo’s ever-increasing DLCs, these are perhaps two of the most inventive packs available. It’s no secret that, alongside the previously mentioned airborne creatures, water-based animals are the area of the game desperate for expansion and, if like me, you dream of creating your very own aquarium, then there’s no better place to start then Planet Zoo’s Aquatic DLC.
Introducing the King Penguin, Giant Otter, Grey Seal, Dwarf Caiman and Diamondback Terrapin, the Aquatic DLC gives players the stepping stones to crafting a great water-themed Zoo. The real standout of the pack is, of course, the Grey Seal, and more than most creatures in the game, its distinctive enclosure requirements make them both a challenge to include in your Zoo and a treat for both you and your visitors to watch. Elsewhere, the rest of the animals included in the pack also benefit from deeper water than most creatures available in the console base game, so their addition allows for more varied Zoos than previously possible. Just like the Twilight pack, the Aquatic DLC also introduces a new scenario, as well as an abundance of new scenery pieces, and while I don’t personally find myself drawn to the Aquatic pack’s props as much as those found elsewhere in the game, there are still some great standout items, such as some of the game’s best centre pieces and some, frankly adorable, pack-themed facades.
As a former PC player who recently converted to Planet Zoo PS5, I appreciate that the console edition already benefits from all past free updates to the game, meaning these new packs are ready to go with things like burrows that make introducing creatures like Skunks and Wombats an even more rewarding experience for your Zoo. It’s also always a relief to purchase a Planet Zoo pack that’s free from any ungulate species, as Planet Zoo DLC tends to get a little overzealous with hoofed additions, so two packs with such distinctive animals make both easy standouts.
There are loads of fantastic Planet Zoo DLCs available, some better than others, but there’s no denying that both the Twilight and Aquatic packs are two of the best on the market. Whether these packs are must-buys is quite subjective, but with fantastic scenery pieces, the introduction of winged creatures in the Twilight DLC and primarily water-dwelling beasts in the Aquatic pack, both additions should make their way to the top of your Planet Zoo shopping list.
5/5
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