Are you looking for a theme park simulator that’s just as strategic as it is thrilling? Bandai Namco and Limbic Entertainment’s Park Beyond is coming soon, and it’s designed to spark both your strategic and creative sides. Let’s dive into our first impressions.
Gameplay
Park Beyond builds on the essentials of a theme park simulator. Your mission is to create an amusement park (though it’s not technically yours) filled with rides, food stalls, restaurants, souvenir shops, and various service buildings. The main goals are to keep improving and maintaining your park to attract more visitors and keep them happy. Happier guests mean more profits, which you can then reinvest in the park.
The game offers two primary modes: Campaign and Sandbox.
In Campaign mode, you follow the main story, which gradually introduces you to the game’s core mechanics and customization options as you progress. The tutorial is straightforward and easy to grasp within the first hour or so.
Sandbox mode, on the other hand, gives you the freedom to do whatever you want. You can pick your map, set your starting capital, and choose the level of difficulty. This mode unlocks most structures and the Modular building feature for greater customization.
Strategic Management
The management options in Park Beyond are extensive and well-organized. While the game isn’t overly challenging at first, it can become more complex depending on your goals.
Initially, the amount of information available can seem overwhelming. You’ll need to keep track of basic stats like profits, losses, visitor numbers, and their happiness levels. But there’s more to consider.
Different visitor groups—adults, families, and teens—have unique preferences for rides and food. Plus, you can monitor changing trends to boost your park’s appeal and profits. The top opinion feature lets you see how visitors feel about your park, helping you identify areas for improvement.
The heat map overlay provides essential information and can guide your decisions.
You’ll also engage in meetings with stakeholders and officers, tackling various management issues. You’ll need to make choices about the park’s direction, its themes, and target audiences, balancing your vision with the influence of other characters. These decisions often involve navigating conflicts and challenges related to the park’s performance.
Your Creativity Is the Limit
What makes Park Beyond truly unique is its concept of “impossification.” This idea lets you defy the laws of physics, adding thrilling elements to your rides for an even more exhilarating visitor experience.
In summary, Park Beyond combines strategic depth with creative freedom, making it an exciting and engaging theme park simulator to look forward to.