As someone who's from the SEA (Southeast Asia) and a huge fan of Planet Zoo, the game's fresh-from-the-oven Southeast Asia Animal Pack DLC is probably one of my most highly-anticipated DLCs ever... well, if I take out the penguins-containing aquatic pack DLC that is!

Unlike previous DLCs which only contain 5 animals at most, this animal pack comes with 8 new animals, all of which are iconic to the Southeast Asian region. This includes the sun bear, clouded leopard, Malaysian tapir, proboscis monkey, North Sulawesi babirusa, binturong, Ussuri dhole, and the giant leaf insect! Personally, I love that the DLC includes so many new animals. Decorations and sceneries are good and all, but this is a zoo sim so animals should be the focus here.

Of course, being one of the world's most diverse and endemic hotspots of flora and fauna, there are probably many more animals and insects that you'd like to see in this DLC, such as the lesser mousedeer (Kancil), but I also understand that it's simply impossible to include them all. I'm not sure about you but my fingers are definitely crossed for a "Southeast Asia Animal Pack 2"!

By the way, if you're thinking... where are the orangutans? The animals that primatologists like Jane Goodall were able to communicate with to some extent? They are already available in the Standard Edition of the game so be sure to check that out!

Now, as it is common with every DLC pack, new animals come with their respective new habitats, enrichment items, and educational materials for the guests. However, I'd like to mention that there aren't any new scenery pieces in this pack, which I think is a bit of a downer and a huge pity. There should have been plenty of inspiration for the designers over at Planet Zoo to work with, considering that Southeast Asian culture and architectural designs are quite unique from the typical Chinese or Asian design.

That aside, I'm especially over-the-moon with this DLC's new scenario, mainly because it's set in my home country of Malaysia - in the state of Perak, specifically - and that it features a gorgeous tropical rainforest biome. Although it's not a biggie, I'd just like to point out that the name of the park you're supposed to be fixing up this time, the Haiwan-Hebat Park, sounds very awkward to someone who knows the local language.

In this scenario, you're expected to help restore the park to what it could have been... before it ran out of funding mid-expansion that is. There is plenty to do here from fixing up half-finished habitats, adding in new varieties of animals, and of course, to making sure everything's, from guest satisfaction to animal welfare, in tip-top shape.

As usual, the Planet Zoo: Southeast Asia Animal Pack DLC also comes with access to the Steam Workshop, allowing you to create your own designs, upload them and share them with Planet Zoo players worldwide. There are currently more than 50,000 items available in the Steam Workshop for the game so if you haven't already, you might want to hop on over and check them out. There are some really great pieces there.

If you're interested to grab the DLC, and we would definitely recommend it, know that the DLC only costs $9.99 and it's already out now on Steam.