Planet Zoo Arid Animal Pack review: The horn, the hump, and the quill 

While I sometimes have reservations regarding the species that do or do not make the cut in Planet Zoo DLCs, I must admit that I enjoy the regular updates. These add fresh new faces, structures, and more for players to introduce, providing them with a plethora of options to design and populate their zoos with. The latest Arid Animal Pack does the same again, and that too quite beautifully.

Developed by Frontier Developments and coming out in 2019, Planet Zoo successfully captured the spirit of the Zoo Tycoon series and presented it with much more nuance and depth. While the base game contained a large variety of species, some were missing, and quite understandably so.

The subsequent DLCs have been carefully divided across different themes and brought in new faces, be it the spooky Twilight Pack, the vibrant Grasslands Animal Pack, the exquisite Tropical Pack, or the recent Arid Animal Pack. So how does the latest offering fare?

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Dromedary Camels, African Crested Porcupines, and Tiffany Summers are here with Planet Zoo Arid Animal Pack

I was elated to hear that Dromedary Camels were a part of the latest Arid Animal Pack. It was a nostalgic callback for me as I absolutely enjoyed watching and tending the Dromedary Camels in Zoo Tycoon 2. These tall lumbering giants are an absolute delight to have in your zoo, and Frontier developers have captured their essence beautifully.

Oh, and they spit, with free update 1.14 adding spitting behavior for Dromedary Camels, Bactrian Camels, and Llamas. Other than this species, the Arid Animal Pack added the Addax, the Dama Gazelle, the African Crested Porcupine, the Sand Cat, the Black Rhino, the Somali Wild Ass, and the Exhibit animal Desert Horned Viper.

It is no surprise that Planet Zoo developers have yet again nailed their execution with the debuting species' behavioral antics, nuances, and design. A case in point is the African Crested Porcupine, with its distinctive quills and silver hair on the back meticulously brought to life. Another is the adorable Sand Cat, especially interacting with cardboard boxes.

Unlike others, the Desert Horned Viper is an Exhibit animal. These are unique species in Planet Zoo that are purchased with the structure they reside in. Given its desert biome, the exhibit for this particular snake species is filled with large yellow rocks.

Finally, coming to this pack's scenario in Planet Zoo, you will have to help Tiffany Summers build a zoo in the Middle East in preparation for "a big party." It incorporates quite a few debuting animals and allows players to get a grip on things regarding them.

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Is the Arid Animal Pack worth it?

As with every Planet Zoo DLC pack that I have reviewed in the past, I am left with the question if it is worth it or not once I have checked everything new that is on offer. And truth be told, I am on the ropes about Arid Animal Pack. Apart from my love for the Dromedary Camel and the excitement to see the adorable Sand Cats in action, the Arid Animal Pack did not capture my imagination.

African Crested Porcupine (Image via Planet Zoo)

This is not to take away anything from the excellent job the developers have done to bring these species to life, especially the textures and designs present in this pack. It is merely to suggest that the enjoyment of these DLCs that merely add new species is dependent on the subjective likes and dislikes of the player.

The Arid Animal Pack is absolutely worth the price you pay for it, provided the animals on offer are ones that you adore and want to see in your zoo. For those wishing for another walkthrough exhibit, sadly, it brings none.