I was lucky enough to get my hands on a preview build of Park Beyond which is a brilliant-looking Park Management game by the incredible developers Limbic Entertainment and Publishers Bandia Namco. If you have been following my recent coverage on Invision you know that I’m currently into my management game and have been covering games and DLC packs, however, this time around it isn’t from Frontier.
I have had my eyes on Park Beyond ever since I saw the reveal trailer, I was blown away and couldn’t contain my inner child when I realised the potential of the game when I saw a roller coaster flying through the air and being shot out of a cannon. I remember me thinking that if this is done correctly it could be the best Park management game on the market with it revolving around theme parks and you creating roller coasters that are only limited by your imagination. So, sign me up as I will be front of the line to pick this up.
The preview build allows me to play missions 1-3 of the campaign, as well as the exploration park and Sandbox Mode. So there was a lot on offer for me to get a feel for the game and honestly, I couldn’t have been happier. It was everything I thought it would be and more. I was making roller coasters that were defying gravity, going underground, and having loops for days, I think I put the Smiler to shame. The different missions were engaging and allowed for ease into how the game works and what to expect.
Mission 1 – Coaster Creation
This mission did a brilliant job at showing you the basics and getting an understanding of how to build an effective roller coaster as well as meeting two of the game’s colourful cast, Blaze and Phil. I enjoyed building a massive roller coaster from my bedroom through the city, even if the Council would have flipped if this happened in real life. It gave you an overview of the different track types as well as let you use the roller coaster cannon that allowed you to fire your roller coaster car from one point to another, leaving the track.
This would never be a thing in real life but in Park Beyond nothing seems impossible. I spent a lot of my time in this mission trying to get my head around the controls as they did feel awkward and the camera angle at times was hard to judge but it’s just a learning curve I’m sure I’ll get a hang of with the many hours I will be sinking into this game.
Mission 2 – Management’s first steps
After Phil caught wind of my breathtaking city coaster it only seemed right that he hired me to fix and manage a park that was going through a rough patch. This mission allows you to dive into the basics of Park Beyond‘s management systems that were simple and easy to figure out. You meet with Phil and a new character Izzy as they discuss your plans on turning this park from a dud to a success. You’ll get to choose a target demographic (I chose Teens) and a theme for the park (I went with Sci-fi/Aliens).
From here you’ll complete the different objectives as well as follow the instructions to get a feel for the mechanics that will aid you in making every park a huge success. After the first mission, this one defiantly lets you see a lot more of what Park Beyond can offer as well as the do’s and don’t to building and managing a theme park properly.
This was making sure that the rides and park met the needs of the target audience, the food, and stalls on offer had everything your guests need at the right prices, as well as making sure there were plenty of rest areas as well as bins. It was a nice level of management that I felt was a challenge but nothing to the point where I felt like there was too much going on.
I also got a better feel for the mechanics when it came to building a roller coaster as the controls at times did feel a little off and awkward, but I did enjoy building my first park and eventually turning a profit which allowed me to move onto the third and final mission of this preview build.
Mission 3 – Impossification Time!
This was sadly the last mission I was able to get my hands on but it was the one that allows me to use the incredible impossification feature. You are in a desert location and are tasked with following objective flags to unleash your first impossification on a coaster or a flat ride. Keep in mind the placement of rides and structures in this mission, as the more you progress the more they ask of you, and the less room you have if you don’t plan before building. impossification is one of my favourite mechanics in the whole preview as it allows you to make the wacky and amazing rides that they show off in the trailer.
This is where your imagination is put to the test and lets you defy everything about the laws of gravity and technology to the point where you are making rides that realistically make no sense but are brilliant. I loved the fact that with every ride you make you can sit in them and experience them as if you were in them. This elevates your gaming experience as you get to ride the rollercoaster and wacky creations, I could spend all day riding a virtual rollercoaster as they are just something else when using the tools at your disposal in Park Beyond.
After completing the missions in Park Beyond, I was able to go and play in the Sandbox Mode, where the fun truly began because there were no limitations. I spent many more hours seeing how far I could push the game and was blown away by some of the abominations I came up with. I have had so much fun with this preview build and can’t wait to see what else is in store for me when the full game is finally on 16th June 2023.
Conclusion
Park Beyond went beyond my expectations and delivered a park management game that was mind-blowing, gripping, and hours of fun. Like mentioned this was just the preview build, the tip of the iceberg. I can’t wait to be let loose on the full release in June. I loved the coster creation mechanics, the management side, and the onboard cameras for the roller coaster. It had everything I could have asked for and it will be nice to see what else will come in the future in terms of content, DLC, and seeing other people’s creations.
I loved Planet Coaster but this might have just dethroned it, growing up I loved rollercoaster tycoon, and when Planet Coaster came out I thought “There is no way to top this” and then along came Limbic Entertainment. I’m not saying that I will stop playing Planet Coaster but it might have to sit on the sidelines for a while.
Park Beyond Trailer
If you would like the chance to participate in the PC Closed Beta Test happening between May 9th 2023 to May 19th 2023 then follow the link provided: https://beta.bandainamcoent.eu/en/cb/park-beyond-beta?
However, if you are ready to pre-order like I am then follow this link to see all the amazing editions of Park Beyond which includes the Impossified Edition which comes with an incredible Omnicar desk figurine and more fantastic goodies: https://en.bandainamcoent.eu/park-beyond/park-beyond?utm_campaign=ParkBeyond_Preorder
For more previews of games head here https://invisioncommunity.co.uk/category/previews/
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