RollerCoaster Tycoon: Loopy Landscapes

The Good
OK.. If you haven't read any of the review for either RCT or Corkscrew Follies, do so. The basis of the game is listed in those reviews, and it would be a waste of time to go over it again in detail.

The short version is this: Build a theme park using the scenarios given and complete the scenarios with what the program gives you.

Loopy Landscapes gives RTC fans more scenarios and some prgram tweaks that make it a bit easire to use.

The first noticable tweak is the new Menu for Scenario selection. Now each add-on pack has it's own tab, with all the scenarios under each tab. Also if you download any of the extras off the official RTC site, or want to enter the competitons the RTC puts up, each of those have their own tabs as well. It makes for easier picking of the scenario you want to play.

The rest of the program looks exactly the same with a few graphical enhancements. Now depending on what you have for "park themes" can determine what you have for choices for your queue lines. For instance you can have a Roman theme (Pillars and whatnot), Jungle (lots of bamboo and huts), Carnival tents, and more.

Another small but much needed tweak is also the "Set the price the same throughout the park" Box for your stalls. This alleviates having to indiviually go around your park to raise or lower your prices on all your stalls. Just click on one, and the program will change all of the them for you.

The Bad
Sandbox, sandbox, sandbox!

This game really needs a decent sandbox mode. I've complained about it before and I'll do it again. But the reason I think that Chris Sawyer hasn't released his scenario editor is so he can keep pushing out these updates and bringing in the money :) But what do you expect? According to PCGamer, RCT has been in the top 10 best selling games since the game debuted last year :)

The Bottom Line
Buy it. You''l need the original RCT to play, but Loopy Landscapes includes all the scenarios from Corkscrew follies as well, so you'll definitely get your money's worth.

It's a good add-on to a fantastic game, but it STILL needs a sandbox mode.

Bottom Line: If you love the original, the add-on is a must have. If you have played the original, try it, you'll love it.

The Good
More varied Scenario Objectives. No longer the Park Value or Guests (although they are still there...) you now have open-ended time objectives such as "get 2000 guests in the park, dont let your park rating go bellow 700, and no money requirements" to "complete the 5 partialy built roller coasters, with exitement above 6.60" and "have a monthly ride income of 9,000 or more". The Scenario selection screen is much improved, you no longer need to scroll down forever to get to the original set of scenarios, or that recently downloaded one, their just a tab away. More Landscapes, more Ride-Types, and you can standardise the price of items throughout your park

The Bad
Well, I dont know if this effects everyone, but the version I bought only incuded US-English language, and not the UK-English that I got in the previous discs. A shame, but not life threatening. The Research Engine needs an overhaul (its just too plain slow), and the negociating-with-staff and buying-stock-for-shops that we once had in the Original Classic "theme Park" is much missed. The Set-Price-across-park function has a huge bug in it (because if you build a new shop that sells an item that you already standardise the price of, the price changes immesly. The Load Time is also much longer than before.

The Bottom Line
Its RCT, but Bigger. Just wish it was even bigger, and they'd update the site more often.