Zoo Tycoon - Review

With the launch of any new console comes the chance to launch a brand new IP or launch a modern take on a classic game. That was the risk that was taken with Zoo Tycoon on Xbox One, but did it work?

Zoo Tycoon can be played in two different ways. The first is from a 3rd person point of view, where you take your keeper around the zoo and build new enclosures, food and drink outlets or other amenities, or you can take the view of a traditional tycoon game and live above the world controlling it all from up high.

Playing in the 3rd person view allows for you to drive around the zoo, interact with the animals by using the controller or just the Kinect camera. If you use the Kinect then you are actually treated to a remarkably in depth system where the animals will interact based on what you are doing. Playing this way provides a level of immersion that the other play style does not, however it is also lacking options.

When you are adding animals to the enclosures you are taken to menus, and that does function well. It is when you attempt to add other items to the exhibits or clean them, you are taken out of that view and thrown into the other style.

When you are in the overview mode, you can see the entire zoo, and with a quick zoom in you can take a closer look at anything you have placed. This view does provide more options for the more traditional tycoon style of game, but it has its own draw backs. Staying in this view does limit the interaction with the animals, but it does allow for a quick action to problems as they develop.

As you can see, both of the views have pros and cons and neither is really the stronger of the two, you will actually have to spend more time jumping between the two views then you should. And this is a problem, for a game with the legacy that this series has, having two half-finished viewpoints is quite bad.

It is possible if the menus were easier to navigate that this problem might be reduced somewhat, but sadly, the menus are way too large, taking up lots of space on the screen, for the options they offer and most of the more complex features for running a zoo are tucked away, making it harder for people to customize the zoo. And as this is a modern take on a classic franchise that’s a shame.

I fully understand that tycoon games are not for all, which is why over the last few years they have fallen out of favor with the gamers, the previous zoo tycoon game was released on pc only back in November 2004, almost a decade between them. It's a shame that this one feels more like Zoo Tycoon Lite then a proper sequel to that game.

There is a really positive note here though, and that’s with the presentation of the game. Each of the animals you can have in your zoo are outstanding. Each of them acts just as you would expect them too, with the cats spending more time lying down than anything, the monkeys being more playful and even the hippos remaining in the water more.

While the animals are not photo realistic in presentation, you won’t get confused between the different types of animals as they all keep their looks well. Feeding a reticulated Giraffe, and having it bend down to eat the fruit from your hand is made even more impressive when you see the tongue flick out to get the fruit. Or hosing down the Hippos and seeing them lift their legs so you can get water everywhere is just a small touch to the immersion that the animals can provide.

The sounds of the zoo are also impressive, hearing the roar of the lions while you are over near the snakes, or the screams of joy of the people that are watching the baby elephant taking its first walk are all very impressive. However it's not all good news, the sounds of your cart as you drive around are flat, with almost no punch to it. The other keepers that work at the zoo are about as alive as the controller in your hands. The lack of speech from them is pretty sad, in this day and age. It is clear that the developers spent more time working on the animals than the people, and it's a shame.

Zoo Tycoon is a tough game to tell people about, it does a great job of being an interactive animal simulator, much like Kinectimals on the Xbox 360, but it does not meet anywhere near the level of detail or immersion that’s offered by tycoon games and the games decision to have a need for two different viewpoints makes it feel disconnected. But for those budding Zoo keepers this game does have a lot to offer, but for fans of the series it's worthwhile stepping back to the older games.

The Score

7.0

Review code provided by Xbox Game Studios

The Pros

+Great Kinect implementation

+Animals are detailed and behave like you woudl expect

The Cons

-Not a real Zoo Tycoon title

-Menus are a bit of a mess and can be hard to navigate