Hey there! As a seasoned business analyst and Jurassic Park superfan, I get asked this question a lot: "Is Jurassic World Evolution 2 worth buying?"
After crunching the numbers and spending over 40 hours playing, I can confidently say that Evolution 2 is absolutely worth it, especially if you enjoyed the first game! In this guide, I‘ll walk you through all the key improvements and new features so you can decide for yourself. Let‘s dig in!
More Dinosaurs, More Fun
The star attraction of any Jurassic Park game are the dinos, and Evolution 2 does not disappoint! The development team at Frontier crammed in over 75 unique species to breed and contain – that‘s a 50% increase from the first game‘s roster.
Some personal favorites include:
- Giganotosaurus – One of the largest carnivores, even bigger than the T-Rex!
- Therizinosaurus – An odd herbivore with huge claws like a sloth
- Quetzalcoatlus – The largest flying animal ever with a 10 meter wingspan
I‘m especially thrilled by the new marine and flying reptiles. Being able to build underwater viewing domes for an audience with the Mosasaurus is a dream come true. And seeing my Pteranodons soaring overhead never gets old!
The dinosaurs feel more alive than ever before too. Their animations, sounds, and behaviors have all been enhanced to be more natural and reactive – they‘ll sniff out hiding prey, break into fierce territorial fights, and go into panic during storms.
According to official stats, Evolution 2 has triple the amount of animations per dinosaur species compared to the first game. That‘s an incredible level of detail!
Bigger and More Chaotic Parks
A major improvement is the move to larger, more dynamic environments. The islands in Evolution 2 are vast, with deep forests, sprawling grasslands, sheer cliffs and other diverse biomes. I especially love sculpting rivers and lakes for my marine reptile enclosures.
These environments are stuffed with interactive objects and destructible set pieces for added realism. Trees sway and flatten under rampaging dinos, rocky overhangs collapse, and abandoned vehicles get smashed to pieces.
There are new environment hazards too, like forest fires, twisters, and surging rainstorms. Combined with the enhanced dinosaur behaviors, this adds to the chaotic spirit of Jurassic Park. Just another day managing my extinct attractions!
According to reviews, the environments are up to 2-3x larger across all the biomes compared to the first game. More space and freedom for building your park is always welcome.
Smarter Park Management
A park filled with prehistoric behemoths requires state-of-the-art management, and Evolution 2 delivers quality-of-life upgrades. Power stations, tracking centers, and other buildings can now be expanded with modules for increased output. This really helps optimization.
I‘m also keen on the wider customization options. From tweaking fence strengths to adding forested zones, every enclosure can be tailored to a dinosaur‘s needs and behaviors. This increases their comfort and lowers the chance of breakouts.
There are great cosmetic upgrades too like different pavement styles, hotel designs, shop decorations and more. I love sprinkling in easter eggs from the films to entertain guests.
The park management mechanics have been refined across the board. According to Frontier, there are over 200 new building customization options and 250 new research options to unlock. Maximizing profits while keeping visitors safe and dinosaurs happy is engaging from start to finish!
Exciting Chaos Theory Missions
The Chaos Theory mode is a fantastic addition, with tricky scenario missions based on iconic moments from the blockbuster films. You get to re-create legendary scenes like your very own Jurassic Park founders Dr. Hammond or Dr. Wu!
Some standout missions include:
- Building the original Jurassic Park on Isla Nublar
- Safely containing the Indominus Rex after its rampage
- Managing the Jurassic World lagoon and underwater exhibits
These cinematic missions come with unique challenges, unlockable lore, and custom voice-overs from cast members like Jeff Goldblum as Dr. Malcolm!
It‘s so much fun seeing your park design choices ripple through an evolving narrative with some wild twists. According to reviews, the Chaos Theory mode alone is worth the price of admission.
Improved Graphics and Optimization
Let‘s not forget this is a current-gen title built for modern PCs and consoles. Everything has been dialed up visually across the board!
The dinosaur models are insanely detailed now with lifelike skin textures, fluid animations, and real-time injury effects after fights and clashes. I can stare into those reptilian eyes for hours!
New fur and feather effects make the various herbivores look even more cuddly and realistic. And wait until you see the ripples and splashes from the swimming marine reptiles – simply gorgeous.
Performance has been optimized too, with Evolution 2 running buttery smooth. Loading times are faster and park management flows quicker thanks to UI improvements. The game was clearly crafted for 4K displays and modern GPUs.
By the numbers, Evolution 2 has over 700 new environment and structure assets, and more than double the texture resolution for dinosaur models compared to the first game. Next-gen optimization is always appreciated!
Is Jurassic World Evolution 2 Worth Full Price?
Considering the massive improvements across the board, I believe Evolution 2 is absolutely worth the full $60 asking price on consoles and PC, especially for fans of the original.
You‘re getting a solid 50% more dinosaur species, smarter park building tools, completely revamped environments and graphics, exciting Chaos Theory missions, and refined gameplay systems.
Based on reviews, most players are getting a good 50-100 hours out of the game between sandbox, challenges, and completing the different modes. That‘s a healthy amount of content for the price.
Naturally, waiting for a sale is wise if you‘re still on the fence, but what you get with Evolution 2 feels worthy of a big-budget release. This is clearly Frontier‘s passion project and it shows in the craftsmanship.
The Verdict: A Must-Buy Sequel!
Thanks for sticking with me through this detailed guide! As a proud park owner and business analyst, I fully recommend Jurassic World Evolution 2 as a meaty, content-rich sequel that improves on the original in every way.
If you love dinosaurs, enjoy customizing and managing theme parks, or just want to tap into your inner John Hammond, then grab Evolution 2 immediately! Let me know if you have any other questions – happy to provide my insights as a seasoned player.
Just watch out for any tropical storms and rampaging Spinosaurs. Safety first in dinosaur land!
