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Kaiseror Since: Jul, 2016
#1: Jan 16th 2024 at 4:03:00 PM

Came across a trailer for an independent bodycam horror game called Zoochosis. The premise so far seems to indicate that you're a new zookeeper who finds out that some of the animals are infected and turning into horrific mutants. You can save the animals and which ones you save will determine your ending.

Though it looks interesting given the atmosphere and the John Carpenteresque body horror.

StormGriffin Since: Oct, 2022
#2: Jan 16th 2024 at 7:44:30 PM

The creature friends from Wild Kratt finally got sick of Zach trying to mechanize them/Donita trying to turn them into fashion accessories/Gourmand trying to eat them/Paisley trying to destroy their homes and decided to summon Cthulu.

Although, to be serious, this does look genuinely good. Zoos are really underused in horror-related works (and in fiction in general), in my personal opinion, when you really could do so much with them.

Noaqiyeum we must dissent (it/they) from across the gulf of space (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
we must dissent (it/they)
#4: Jan 21st 2024 at 2:37:02 AM

Fingers crossed for more body horror like that giraffe. (The kangaroo with a Belly Mouth looked a little underdesigned to me, though the rest of that scene built up to it very effectively.)

I thought "Zoochosis" sounded like a rather jokey name initially, but I found out it's an established term for self-injurious behaviour in mistreated zoo animals which have been compared to PTSD symptoms. Seems appropriate.

ERROR: The current state of the world is unacceptable. Save anyway? YES/NO
eagleoftheninth Shop all day, greed is free from a dreamed portrait, imperfect Since: May, 2013 Relationship Status: With my statistically significant other
Shop all day, greed is free
#5: Jan 21st 2024 at 4:12:50 AM

I like the focus on saving the animals. Looking forward to how this one turns out.

One day, we will read his name in the news and cheer.
Cronosonic (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#6: Jan 23rd 2024 at 1:44:26 AM

Oh joy, another horror game that I'd be too much of a wuss to play myself.

But in all seriousness, The Thing meets Five Nights at Freddy's in a zoo is a shockingly compelling concept, and yeah, zoos are a surprisingly underutilized setting. Last time I saw a zoo as a notable location in a game (or any recent work of fiction for that matter) was the abandoned zoo in Half-Life: Alyx, though sadly there's no animals there (aside from invasive alien species).

From the screenshots and gifs on the Steam page, it looks like the only animals available are herbivores? On the one hand, turning otherwise relatively harmless creatures (well, some of these animals can still hurt you and you don't want to fuck around and find out around a hippo) into horrifying monstrosities is probably the point, but imagine having to deal with a mutant lion or a crocodile/alligator. Oh boy. Maybe that's the crossed-out square at the bottom of the station selection, reeks of obvious foreshadowing.

Also, why the hell does a zoo have a nasty-looking meat grinder that reduces animals to neat slabs of meat?! Though considering the shape of the wriggling body looks oddly human-shaped, that brings even more questions. But the implication is that in order to find a cure to the parasite, sacrificing at least one infected animal may be necessary. Though the fact that the parasite can survive the meat grinder is also pretty unnerving. Has this zoo actually had to deal with the parasite before? How many instances of the parasite are there?

Though it's also nice that the main objective is actually defeating the parasite through figuring out a cure and saving the animals, not just surviving until the end of your shift.

Edited by Cronosonic on Jan 23rd 2024 at 8:46:02 PM

Kaiseror Since: Jul, 2016
#7: Jan 23rd 2024 at 4:56:12 AM

[up] I imagine we just haven't seen any of the carnivores in the marketing yet because (as you suggested) herbivores turning into abominations is much more striking. It's probably why the giraffe seems to be the face of the game so far. Still, I think they'll show up, I've never heard of a zoo with only herbivores.

RAlexa21th Zettai Ryouiki Enjoyer from California (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: I <3 love!
Zettai Ryouiki Enjoyer
#8: Jan 23rd 2024 at 7:03:07 AM

I hope the fish eye camera can be turned off. First-person games already give me motion sickness.

Continue writing our story of peace.
Trainbarrel The Story Supporter from The Star Ocean Since: Jun, 2023 Relationship Status: You cannot grasp the true form
The Story Supporter
#9: Jan 23rd 2024 at 7:08:57 AM

Or it is just herbivores due to the predators having already been eaten by them?

Or they are being saved as a surprise for the players once the game is out so they really will get the scare of a lifetime.

"If there's problems, there's simple solutions."
Kaiseror Since: Jul, 2016
#10: Mar 24th 2024 at 5:13:38 PM

A new trailer was released. Shows as bit more of the game, including an infected zebra.

Kaiseror Since: Jul, 2016
#11: Mar 26th 2024 at 7:56:37 AM

We now have a gameplay trailer. Apparently the main character talks. Honestly wasn't expecting that.

SgtRicko Since: Jul, 2009
#12: Jun 27th 2024 at 3:40:17 PM

Another trailer, and just as creepy as the others.

Man, I got no idea what the heck is going on with those poor animals... but at this point, they seem more akin to the creature from The Thing instead of their original forms, and all we're doing is simply placating them by feeding and cleaning up after them.

Edited by SgtRicko on Jun 27th 2024 at 3:44:05 AM

Trainbarrel The Story Supporter from The Star Ocean Since: Jun, 2023 Relationship Status: You cannot grasp the true form
The Story Supporter
#13: Jun 27th 2024 at 7:23:29 PM

I pity that poor ass that galloped by in that trailer.

Having your head split open like a flower is one thing.

But having your holes reversed is a whole other jar of horror.

...

The creativity in the animal shapes is quite fascinating though.

"If there's problems, there's simple solutions."
SgtRicko Since: Jul, 2009
#14: Sep 11th 2024 at 9:24:45 AM

We've got a release date: September 30th.

Noaqiyeum we must dissent (it/they) from across the gulf of space (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
we must dissent (it/they)
#15: Sep 11th 2024 at 11:47:44 AM

And with that, the parasites are decisively and irrevocably Creepy Cute.

ERROR: The current state of the world is unacceptable. Save anyway? YES/NO
SgtRicko Since: Jul, 2009
#16: Oct 26th 2024 at 11:25:03 AM

Just remembered Zoochosis was supposed to have already released... and now I guess I know why we didn't hear very much about it after a certain point.

The reviews coming in aren't painting a good picture. Lots of glitches, a very short story, and uninteresting repetitive tasks when caring for the zoo animals led to folks' disappointment. The biggest source of player criticism though seems to be how the game ultimately doesn't live up to the trailer's depiction; instead of playing a twisted version of Sim Zoo while trying to fight off a parasitic infection, it's much more scripted and rigid in design.

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