With the recent content drops for Planet Coaster: Console Edition in the form of the Ghostbusters DLC and this, the Studios Pack add-on, parity has now been reached with the PC version. Will this seemingly final piece of DLC match up to the likes of World’s Fair and Vintage Pack add-ons?
The Studios Pack is less of a ride-intensive add-on, and more about creating your own ‘working’ film studio. Heavily inspired by the likes of Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Universal theme parks that allow you to live out the movies, the Studios Pack attempts to recreate this feeling of jumping through the lens into your favourite blockbuster.
It isn’t completely void of rides though. There is Re-Motion, a special ride that takes you through a parking lot with gunfights and explosions aplenty, ratcheting up the excitement factor. Likewise for Horror Heights, which is very much like the Tower of Terror at various Disney parks. This is just the basic lift system however, as another ride known as Erie Elevation puts this lift into motion with a medical facility overrun by zombies. Watch the terror unfold floor-by-floor as zombies overrun the building.
If the lack of rides available is off-putting then it is worth noting that the real-life theme parks that inspire this latest add-on are similar. They aren’t as ride-intensive either and are much more about the movie experience or exploring the backlot of the studios.
The meat of the Studios Pack DLC is based around the new track ride, Big Screen Tour. If you’ve ever been to the aforementioned theme parks, then easily one of the standout experiences is the behind the scenes ride. Big Screen Tour allows you to create your own by building this track ride and then adorning it with the new scenery toys as your disposal.
Big Screen Tour can also be used as a more traditional transport ride in a standard theme park.
The Studios Pack comes with over 400 new scenery pieces and blueprint items for you to be able to fully create a unique studio tour. The scenery pieces contain a lot of variation: there are more than enough cars in various poses or doing various stunts that you could have several motorway pile-ups on your tour, plenty of crew members are available to give you a “behind the scenes” shot, trains, tanks and back alleys are all overrun by zombies and a Wild West train heist has gone wrong. Many of these are scenery items that feel like a pre-packaged exhibit. You can go into the granular once again with the blueprint items, where you can also find the special effect tools such as plasma explosions and electricity arcs to dazzle your brave adventurers.
No Big Screen Tour though is complete without a radioactive shark tank. I am pleased to confirm that is also here.
Disappointingly, there are only four new facility buildings, which is by far the least of any Planet Coaster DLC pack. And even more so, there aren’t any unique shops or stalls this time around either. There is a new entrance arch complete with bright lights and movie-style posters, a staff room designed like a fire station and bigger buildings that group the smaller gift shops and food stalls all under the same roof. But these also lack any real identity and just look like very generic buildings in comparison with some of the other themed efforts.
Unlike some of the other content packs such as the Adventure Pack or the Spooky Pack, the Studios Pack for Planet Coaster: Console Edition on Xbox requires a little bit more imagination to get the most out of it. By no means is that a bad thing, but those who have played primarily with pre-built rides and assets may be a bit disappointed with what is on offer here. For those wanting to flex their creative muscles once again in Planet Coaster, the Studios Pack is one of the biggest add-ons to be able to do just that. Across the board though, one or two more rides and facilities would have helped sweeten the deal.
Complete your coaster-collection with the Planet Coaster: Studios Pack on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One
