Zoochosis Game Cover
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"Zoochosis" is a night shift zookeeper simulation where players must care for and save infected animals from turning into mutants. Interaction with the animals includes preparing meals, restocking, and cleaning enclosures. The player's choices determine the ending, as they try to save specific animals and survive the night, leading to multiple possible endings.

  • PC
  • Windows

Reviews

58%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,055 reviews
story68 positive mentions
gameplay64 negative mentions
  • Unique concept combining animal care and horror elements
  • Interesting monster designs and atmosphere
  • Developers are actively working on patches and improvements
  • Repetitive gameplay loop with little variation
  • Numerous bugs and glitches leading to soft locks
  • Misleading trailers that do not represent the actual game experience
  • gameplay312 mentions

    The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players criticizing it for being repetitive, simplistic, and poorly implemented. While some appreciate the unique mechanics and the potential for engaging gameplay, others find the core loop tedious and lacking in depth, often leading to a sense of boredom after a few playthroughs. Recent patches have improved certain aspects, but many still feel the game falls short of expectations set by its promotional materials, leaving it feeling underdeveloped and frustrating at times.

    • “The gameplay and the mechanics are absolutely amazing. When I first played this game, I genuinely was extremely excited because I fell in love from the trailer, and the game was 100% worth it. It seems a bit repetitive at the beginning, but every new game+ gives you a different selection of animals to either cure and take care of. If you like animal-based games but also love horror games, this game is the one for you.”
    • “The main gameplay loop of figuring out the disease and then treating the animals is very satisfying, so even without any horror elements, Zoochosis is quite an immersive and enjoyable experience.”
    • “I love the gameplay! Sure, there are some bugs here and there, but the whole team of developers is actually trying to fix as much as they can, and that's a really huge plus, not only for this game but for the whole team of developers and also for the community.”
    • “The gameplay loop is too repetitive without any real input or danger for the player.”
    • “The gameplay is extremely repetitive, and the food-making minigame is just terrible.”
    • “The core gameplay loop quickly becomes repetitive, leaving players with a sense of tedium.”
  • story287 mentions

    The game's story has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it intriguing yet underdeveloped. While some appreciate the potential for multiple endings and the unique premise, others criticize the pacing, lack of depth, and rushed execution, leading to a disjointed narrative experience. Overall, the story is seen as a redeeming quality amidst gameplay issues, but many feel it requires further refinement and expansion to fully realize its potential.

    • “The story is intriguing.”
    • “The story and twists are quite entertaining and were fun to unravel.”
    • “I bought it for the awesome monsters, but I was blown away by how great the story is!”
    • “The story is very poorly executed.”
    • “The story just isn't great, predictable, and rushed.”
    • “The story is shallow and boring, with characters not acting how you would expect, along with very few things being explained.”
  • stability100 mentions

    The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous players reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and soft locks that significantly hinder gameplay. While some users have noted improvements and a lack of issues in their own experiences, the overall consensus is that the game is currently very buggy and lacks polish, making it difficult to recommend until further patches are released. Many players suggest waiting for fixes before purchasing, as the game is described as a "buggy mess" that can lead to frustrating experiences.

    • “It was cool at release, but now it's almost bug-free.”
    • “Playing on Steam Deck, this game runs great (plugged) on medium/low settings with fast loading between the zones.”
    • “Don't want to know how buggy the rest of the game is when you can get stuck in the tutorial 20 minutes into the game.”
    • “The game is very buggy and you will get soft locked at points.”
    • “Paid $25 for a half-baked game that freezes, glitches, and leaves you disappointed.”
  • graphics75 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed feedback, with some players praising the visuals and creature designs as impressive and immersive, while others criticize them for being inconsistent and plagued by bugs. Many users noted that the graphics can be demanding on hardware, leading to performance issues, and some feel that the overall aesthetic does not compensate for gameplay shortcomings. Despite these criticisms, several reviews highlight that the game's art style and atmosphere are strong points, suggesting potential for improvement with future updates.

    • “Very good game, in depth, great graphics, amazing story.”
    • “The graphics are amazing and the immersion feels incredible, glad they managed to patch up a few glitches which helped me actually finish the game.”
    • “The graphics and creature design is amazing, I love the freaky mutated animals.”
    • “Got multiple graphical glitches from the start, nothing to write home about, but still present.”
    • “The graphics used in trailers and the Steam product description are misleading.”
    • “The graphics are also nowhere near as pristine as past renditions, even when set on 'epic' settings.”
  • grinding46 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with players describing the gameplay as tedious, repetitive, and akin to performing mundane chores rather than engaging in a horror experience. While some appreciate the potential for unique encounters and multiple endings, the overwhelming sentiment is that the grind becomes monotonous and detracts from the overall enjoyment, making it feel more like a job than a game. Many players express frustration with the lack of variety and the excessive back-and-forth tasks required to progress.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Grinding can be a rewarding experience if you invest the time and effort into it.”
    • “The grind is real, but the satisfaction of leveling up makes it all worth it.”
    • “This game was so boring I didn't want to play it, but I still wanted to give it a fair shot, so I procrastinated for weeks until finally getting around to playing it again only to realize again that it's always either a tedious list of chores or some overly edgy shock value content.”
    • “However, after the initial excitement fades, the repetitive tasks, like feeding animals and administering vaccines, quickly become tedious.”
    • “The gameplay loop is tedious chore bait and the routine gets old fast.”
  • atmosphere38 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is often praised for its spooky and unsettling qualities, with strong visuals, sound design, and unique monster designs contributing to a creepy environment. However, many players feel that the gameplay fails to capitalize on this atmosphere, leading to a disconnect where the tension built in the early stages dissipates due to repetitive mechanics and lack of real threats. Overall, while the game has a solid atmospheric foundation, it struggles to maintain that intensity throughout the experience.

    • “The dark atmosphere is really oppressive and anyone sensitive to that kind of thing will totally get it.”
    • “Ultimately, zoochosis is a game with a lot of heart and a genuinely creepy atmosphere.”
    • “The voice acting is commendable and truly enhances the unsettling atmosphere.”
    • “I loved the interaction with animals, but I was expecting a horror atmosphere; I was expecting to get spooked, and I didn't even once.”
    • “Too repetitive, agonizing tutorial, general atmosphere that was more comic than horror.”
    • “The monster cannot actually hurt you in any way; it takes away from the otherwise creepy atmosphere. When you get attacked, it has no consequences, and it just makes the game not as scary as it could be.”
  • replayability31 mentions

    The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating the random elements, multiple endings, and the variety of animals to cure, which encourage experimentation and different playthroughs. However, many reviewers criticize the linearity of events, lack of meaningful unlocks, and bugs that detract from the overall experience, leading to a sentiment that while it has potential, it may not justify its price or provide sufficient depth for repeated play. Overall, it offers some replay value but is hampered by its short length and repetitive gameplay.

    • “With multiple endings, the game offers replayability and various outcomes.”
    • “The game is very replayable due to it unlocking new animals to cure after each playthrough.”
    • “It's designed as a replayable experience where you experiment with different choices or methods to calm the mutations each run, eventually allowing you to discover more and more of the story.”
    • “Ultimately, it's fun for the first playthrough but definitely not worth the price tag as it has little to no replay value.”
    • “The idea of replay value isn't really there with 8 animals and a repetitive loop for each one.”
    • “The lack of meaningful unlocks or an endless mode further diminishes the replayability factor.”
  • optimization21 mentions

    The game's optimization has received significant criticism, with many players experiencing severe performance issues, including lag and stuttering, particularly in key areas like animal enclosures. While some users note improvements following frequent patches from the developers, the overall consensus is that the game is currently unoptimized, requiring a high-performance computer for a satisfactory experience. Players recommend waiting for further updates before purchasing, as the game's unique concept is overshadowed by its technical shortcomings.

    • “Edit: the dev has been hard at work, making one patch a day for over a week, and the performance is way better now.”
    • “Performance is getting better by the day.”
    • “The game both looks great and runs smoothly, letting the player jump headlong into the insane and skin-crawling story!”
    • “Very unoptimized game that had nothing to do with the trailers.”
    • “As much as I want to love and play it for its unique concept and great designs, my experience is ruined by the poor optimization. The biggest issue is with the lag you get when inside the animal enclosures, which is arguably the most important location to not have that lag since your reaction time is delayed.”
    • “The game is poorly optimized, and I was getting heavy stuttering even after dropping everything down to the lowest possible settings with a GTX 3060.”
  • humor16 mentions

    The humor in the game is described as campy and often unintentional, with players finding amusement in quirky animations, odd character behaviors, and bugs that add to the comedic experience. Many reviewers noted that while the game attempts to blend horror and humor, it often leans more towards being funny in a bizarre way, leading to laughter during gameplay rather than genuine scares. Overall, the lighthearted moments, such as amusing character interactions and unexpected scenarios, contribute to a fun, albeit flawed, gaming experience.

    • “In conclusion, the game is a funny time and you should give it a shot and give it your own thoughts.”
    • “I will say it was quite hilarious to have the penguin forced to attack me as it just bobbed me up and down on the roof for a bit before dropping me.”
    • “Maybe assuming the game might be a bit of a ‘horror comedy’ was on me: while I’m fully aware that part of taking care of animals is cleaning up their waste, I just assumed that a trailer that so proudly showcased their ‘poop-sucker’ had a sense of humor.”
  • monetization13 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game has drawn significant criticism, with many players feeling that the advertising misrepresented the product, leading to perceptions of it being a cash grab. Reviewers suggest that the game lacks depth and meaningful gameplay, which further fuels the belief that it was designed primarily for profit rather than to deliver a quality experience. Some even propose that a free-to-play model with a more robust development approach could have better served the game's potential.

    • “I actually am wondering if the whole point of the trailers was to make this a cash grab.”
    • “Feels like a cash grab.”
    • “If not, then it was a cash grab that will fade into obscurity.”
  • emotional9 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is described as a mix of wholesome elements and missed opportunities, with voice actors delivering commendable performances but lacking the depth needed for full engagement. While the toggle feature enhances inclusivity, some players feel the game appears unfinished, with missing scenes that detract from the overall emotional impact. Despite these shortcomings, the game's concept and updates have been appreciated, contributing to a fun and challenging experience.

    • “This game is so wholesome!”
    • “The fact there is a way to toggle this off in the game made me feel included.”
    • “That said, it does seem like an unfinished product - a lot of scenes and occasional scares that are shown on the trailers are just not present, which is somewhat heartbreaking considering how good the idea behind it was.”
  • music8 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the dark ambient tracks that enhance the atmosphere, while others criticize the lack of effective background music during key moments and the poor quality of boss music. Many feel that the music does not contribute significantly to the horror experience, with some describing it as either absent or poorly executed. Overall, while there are elements of the soundtrack that are praised, many players believe it falls short in creating the intended immersive experience.

    • “Also, the dark ambient music is really awesome.”
    • “No music.”
    • “Little to no music.”
    • “I hate to say it, but the game was a major letdown. The boss music is awful too; it's more suspense music than boss music. It sounds like jumbled up sound effects and then it was called a day.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

3hMedian play time
6hAverage play time
2-6hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 11 analyzed playthroughs

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