Indie developer Clapperheads has a little secret for fans ready to dive into its newly released horror zoo keeping simulator: it has 23 different stories, each leading to a different ending.
I've had Zoochosis on my radar since it was announced, and its trailer at the Future Games Show only made me more excited. And yet, even though some pretty harsh Steam reviews have given me pause, I've never been more curious about this very, very strange looking game than I am today, with the developers saying that “the depth of the game increases with each game” in a new Steam. update.
“We have decided to reveal a secret: THE GAME HAS 23 STORIES LEADING TO DIFFERENT ENDINGS,” says Clapperheads. “Your choices directly impact how the story unfolds. Each playthrough unlocks a new animal with a different behavior pattern and a new monster. The depth of the game increases with each playthrough.”
I think this is a great idea for a short game like Zoochosis (most first games last on average 1-2 hours), but it also sounds like a tall order for a small studio. Of course, it's nothing compared to Baldur's Gate 3's 17,000 unique endings, but I can't imagine Clapperheads has the resources and experience of Larian.
Zoochosis is advertised as a “body camera horror simulation game” where you take on the daunting task of a zookeeper dealing with newly infected mutant animals. My favorite I've seen so far is the spider giraffe. Your goal is to save the animals by discovering the cause of the mutations, finding a vaccine and curing them, but it seems there are many ways to succeed and many paths to failure.
Kick off the spooky season with something from our list of best horror games.