Gameplay & Controls (2)

Learn how to navigate menus, manage your park, and control ACU & Ranger teams in Jurassic World Evolution 2. Your ultimate guide to park management!

Alright, let's dive into the nitty-gritty of actually playing Jurassic World Evolution 2! This section covers how to get around the menus and manage your park like a pro. Think of me as your co-pilot here.

First off, to pull up the main menu at any time, just hit the Square button. This is your command center for checking things like your Island Rating, active Contracts, Reputation, how your Finances are looking, and any available Missions for your current island. You can hop between these different sections using the L1 and R1 shoulder buttons.

Island Navigation & Menus

When you want to select an island to manage, use the left Analog Stick to highlight it and then press the X button to select it. Easy peasy.

You'll also see options for the Expedition Map, Fossils, Research, and the Ingen Database. These are basically shortcuts to views you'd normally access through their respective centers (Expedition, Fossil, Research, etc.). The Ingen Database is super handy for checking out info on discovered dinosaurs, dig sites, paleontology, genes, locations, and the archive.

Need to tweak settings or save your progress? Pressing the Options button brings up the Options Menu, where you can Resume your game, Save or Load your career, Restart the Island, adjust Settings, access Help, or Exit to the Main Menu.

ACU & Ranger Center Controls

Now, let's talk about managing your dinosaurs. While you're out on the island:

• Pressing L1 brings up the ACU Menu. You'll need an ACU Center built, connected, and powered to use this. From here, you can dispatch the ACU Helicopter or Transport teams. Hit R1 while in the ACU Menu to access the Upgrades screen, press R1 again for helicopter Skins, and a third time to deactivate the ACU Center if needed. This is your go-to for tranquilizing escaped dinos and transporting them (or dead ones).
• Pressing R1 brings up the Ranger Menu. Again, you need a Ranger Centre built, connected, and powered. You can send out up to three Ranger teams, each capable of various tasks. Like the ACU menu, hitting R1 cycles through Upgrades, Jeep Skins, and the option to deactivate the Ranger Centre. You'll probably use this a lot for repairing damaged structures, refilling feeders, treating injured dinosaurs, and curing diseases (if you've researched the cure!).

Management View & Basic Actions

Want a bird's-eye view? Pressing the Triangle button while on the island activates the Management View. This special filtered view lets you see all your resources on the map. You can use L1 or R1 here to cycle through filters, showing only dinosaurs, only vehicles, or everything with the 'View All' tab.

As for basic actions:

• Pressing the X button is your main 'select' or 'confirm' button. If you're hovering over an item with the cursor, X selects it. If nothing's under the cursor, it does nothing. It's used for almost every action in the game.
• The Circle button usually does nothing when you're just exploring the island. However, when something is selected or you're waiting for confirmation, Circle acts as your 'cancel' button.
• The Left and Right Analog Sticks are crucial. The left stick lets you move your cursor around the map and navigate menus, while the right stick controls the camera, letting you zoom and rotate to get a better look at everything.

That covers the main controls and menu navigation. Keep practicing these, and you'll be managing your park like a seasoned pro in no time!