What is the Zoochosis Game About?
Zoochosis is a bodycam horror simulation game where players take on the role of a zookeeper tasked with identifying infected mutant animals and creating vaccines to cure them. The game combines the mundane tasks of zoo management with terrifying survival horror elements. If you’re interested in exploring more horror games, Zoochosis represents a unique entry in the genre that stands apart from conventional horror titles.
On September 8, 1993, Paul Connelly takes a night shift job at Pine Valley Zoo to support his struggling family, only to discover that animals are infected with parasites that mutate them into monsters. As Paul navigates his first shift, he must balance caring for the animals while uncovering the dark secrets behind the zoo’s mysterious closure.
The Zoochosis horror game transforms what should be a simple zookeeping job into a nightmare scenario. Players must maintain their composure as they perform routine tasks like feeding and health checks, all while knowing that any animal could transform into a grotesque creature at any moment. For those wondering how to survive as a maid in a horror game, many of the same principles apply here—stay vigilant, follow protocols, and trust your instincts when something feels wrong.
Gameplay and Mechanics
Core Gameplay Loop
The Zoochosis video game centers around a structured routine that becomes increasingly challenging as the night progresses. Players operate from a small train that travels between animal enclosures, which serves as both transportation and a mobile workstation.
Food Preparation: Before visiting each enclosure, players must prepare meals using a unique minigame. You’ll cut different blocks of meat and vegetables into the correct portions based on each animal’s dietary needs. This seemingly simple task becomes more complex as you try to balance speed with accuracy.
Animal Care Tasks: Once you arrive at an enclosure, your duties include:
- Filling water troughs
- Taking temperature readings with a heat gun
- Collecting stool samples with a vacuum device
- Drawing blood samples
- Listening for abnormalities
- Observing animal behavior for signs of infection
Diagnosis and Treatment: After gathering data from all animals in an enclosure, you must identify which ones are infected and create the appropriate vaccine. Making the wrong choice or moving too slowly can result in full mutations occurring.
The Bodycam Perspective
The entire experience is viewed through a bodycam perspective, adding tension and immersion to every encounter. This unique viewpoint limits your field of vision and creates a sense of vulnerability as you navigate the dark, grimy facilities of Pine Valley Zoo.
Animals in Zoochosis Game
The game features a diverse roster of zoo animals, each capable of horrifying transformations when infected. Animals include giraffes, zebras, elephants, moose, hippopotamuses, gorillas, penguins, wallabies, giant pandas, ostriches, and rhinoceros.
The Zoochosis Game Elephant
The elephant enclosure presents unique challenges due to the animal’s size and strength. Players must be particularly cautious when performing health checks on these massive creatures, as an infected elephant can be one of the most dangerous threats in the game.
The Zoochosis Game Gorilla
Gorillas require careful observation and quick reflexes. Their intelligent behavior makes it harder to distinguish infected individuals from healthy ones, as they may attempt to hide symptoms or act normally to avoid detection.
The Zoochosis Game Zebra
The zebra mutation is particularly disturbing, featuring grotesque body horror elements. Multiple zebras inhabit the same enclosure, forcing players to check each one individually while managing time efficiently.
The Zoochosis Game Hippo
The hippo’s mutation resembles creatures from Dark Souls, with horrifying physical distortions. These transformations represent some of the most visually shocking moments in the game.
The Zoochosis Game Penguin
Despite their small size, penguins present their own challenges. Players must wait for penguins to pause long enough to draw blood samples, which can be tedious when dealing with multiple birds in the enclosure.
Story and Characters
Paul Connelly – The Protagonist
Paul is a struggling father who fails to adequately support his wife and daughter, leading him to accept the risky night shift position at Pine Valley Zoo. His desperation for money makes him willing to overlook the obvious red flags surrounding his new workplace.
Oliver Metzger (Doc) – The Employer
Oliver Metzger instructs Paul on his duties and reveals disturbing information, including that he injected Paul with a parasite to “protect” him from being eaten by mutated animals. Doc’s character holds the key to understanding the zoo’s dark history.
Sarah Watkins – The Journalist
Sarah Watkins is a female journalist who teams up with Paul to investigate the source of the parasites and stop the infection. Her involvement adds an investigative element to the horror narrative.
Multiple Endings System
The Zoochosis game features multiple endings determined by player choices throughout the night. The gameplay revolves around decisions regarding which animals to rescue and which to avoid, ultimately determining the player’s fate.
To achieve the “good” ending, players must successfully cure all infected animals while surviving the night. However, the game can be punishing, requiring careful resource management, good timing, and quick thinking to survive and reach the favorable outcomes.
Many players report experiencing “bad” endings on their first playthrough, which often result in Paul’s termination or worse. The lack of manual save points means players must start fresh attempts to see different endings.
Zoochosis Game Download and Platforms
Where to Get the Game
The Zoochosis game download is available exclusively on PC through the Steam platform. The game was released on September 30, 2024, and is currently only available for Windows.
Players can find the game by searching “Zoochosis” on Steam or visiting the official game website. The game was also released on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 in August, expanding its availability to console players. If you’re interested in other PlayStation titles, check out the best PS2 games or top underrated PS2 hidden gems for classic gaming experiences.
System Requirements
While specific requirements vary, the game utilizes realistic 3D graphics and atmospheric effects that require a moderately capable gaming PC. The bodycam perspective and detailed animal models demand decent processing power for smooth gameplay.
Zoochosis Game Price
The standard price for Zoochosis is $24.99 USD on Steam. However, the game has been available at discounted prices during sales events.
The lowest historical price occurred in October 2025 when the game was available for $15.74. Budget-conscious gamers may want to wishlist the title and wait for seasonal Steam sales for better deals.
The price point has generated discussion among players, particularly given the game’s relatively short playtime of 1-2 hours for a single playthrough. However, the multiple endings and replay value may justify the cost for players interested in experiencing all possible outcomes.
Zoochosis Game Review: The Verdict
What Works
Atmosphere and Concept: The unique premise of a horror zoo simulation stands out in the indie horror space. The combination of mundane zookeeping tasks with body horror creates an unsettling experience that few games have attempted.
Monster Design: The mutated animals showcase creative and disturbing designs that effectively deliver horror. Each transformation feels unique and genuinely disturbing.
Bodycam Immersion: The first-person bodycam perspective successfully adds tension and limits player awareness in ways that traditional viewpoints cannot.
What Doesn’t Work
Reviews indicate the game focuses heavily on mundane zoo processes rather than horror elements, with tedious gameplay that can feel repetitive.
Players report slow animations, janky mechanics, and severe voice clipping in dialogue sequences. The pacing issues become more apparent during subsequent playthroughs when you’re forced to repeat the same preparation sequences.
The mystery elements are disappointingly straightforward, with important revelations being “spoon-fed” rather than discovered through exploration. This reduces the investigative aspect that the setup promises.
Performance Issues
Steam Deck performance is reportedly rough, with optimization problems affecting the portable gaming experience. Even on standard PC hardware, some players report bugs and technical issues that can disrupt gameplay.
Reception
On Steam, the game has received mixed reviews, with 60% of the 1,155 user reviews being positive. Recent reviews show improvement, with 73% positive ratings in the last 30 days, suggesting patches may have addressed some launch issues.
Professional reviews echo mixed sentiments. While praising the concept and atmosphere, critics note that execution doesn’t fully deliver on the promising premise.
Tips for Playing Zoochosis
Maximize Your Efficiency
Since time management is crucial, develop a rhythm for your tasks. Prepare food quickly during the minigames, and learn the optimal path through each enclosure to minimize backtracking.
Pay Attention to Details
Small behavioral changes in animals can indicate infection. Watch for unusual movements, sounds, or appearance changes that might help you identify problems before they escalate.
Manage Resources Wisely
Vaccines and medical supplies are limited. Making incorrect diagnoses wastes precious resources and can doom your playthrough. Take time to analyze all collected data before creating vaccines.
Expect Trial and Error
The game relies heavily on trial and error for successful runs, as the tutorial covers only basic mechanics. Don’t be discouraged by initial failures—each attempt teaches you more about the systems and optimal strategies.
Plan for Multiple Playthroughs
Since the game features multiple endings and no manual saves, plan to play through several times. Your first run will likely end poorly as you learn the mechanics, but subsequent attempts will go more smoothly.
The 1990s Setting
The game is set in September 1993, giving it a period-specific aesthetic. The dated technology and communication methods add to the isolated feeling of being trapped in the zoo overnight. This era choice also explains the lack of modern conveniences that might otherwise trivialize certain challenges.
TV Tropes and Cultural References
The Zoochosis horror game draws inspiration from classic body horror films, particularly John Carpenter’s “The Thing.” Rock Paper Shotgun praised the game as an “open homage to The Thing”, recognizing its attempts to capture that film’s paranoid atmosphere and grotesque transformations.
The game also shares DNA with other popular horror titles like Five Nights at Freddy’s in its use of security cameras and monitoring systems, though Zoochosis puts players in direct contact with threats rather than keeping them at a distance. For fans of tabletop horror experiences, you might also enjoy Arkham Horror, which offers a different kind of Lovecraftian dread.
Developer Background
Zoochosis was developed and published by Clapperheads, in partnership with Playworks. The game was announced on January 16, 2024, generating significant buzz before its September release.
Clapperheads had previously developed “Sparky Marky,” gaining some recognition in the indie horror space before Zoochosis became their breakout title in terms of visibility and pre-release hype. For aspiring developers interested in creating their own games, check out our guide on how to make a video game in 2026 to learn the fundamentals of game development.
Community and Updates
Since launch, the development team has been responsive to player feedback. The improving review scores suggest ongoing patches and updates are addressing initial concerns about bugs and performance.
The game’s Discord community provides a space for players to discuss strategies, share ending variations, and troubleshoot technical issues. This active community support extends the game’s value beyond its relatively short runtime.
Is Zoochosis Worth Playing?
For horror enthusiasts interested in unique premises and body horror aesthetics, Zoochosis offers an experience unlike most indie horror games. The zoo setting and mutation mechanics provide fresh territory in an often-familiar genre.
However, potential buyers should be aware of its limitations. The short playtime, repetitive gameplay loops, and technical issues mean this isn’t a universally recommended title.
Best for: Players who enjoy replay-focused horror games with multiple endings, fans of body horror and creature design, and those willing to work through some mechanical roughness for a unique concept.
Skip if: You need polished AAA production values, prefer lengthy horror experiences, or find repetitive task-based gameplay frustrating.
The game works best at a discounted price for most players. At $15-20 or less, the experience feels more appropriately valued for what it delivers. For gamers looking for perfect presents, check out our guide to gifts for gamers to find something special for the horror enthusiast in your life.
Final Thoughts
Zoochosis represents an ambitious attempt to blend simulation gameplay with survival horror. While it doesn’t fully realize its potential due to pacing issues, technical problems, and repetitive mechanics, the core concept remains compelling enough to attract curious horror fans.
The mutated animals deliver genuine scares, the bodycam perspective creates effective tension, and the multiple endings provide replay incentive. These strengths combat against the tedious routines and limited narrative depth that hold the experience back from greatness.
As an indie horror title, Zoochosis succeeds in carving out its own niche. It may not be perfect, but there’s nothing quite like it in the current gaming landscape—and that uniqueness has value for players seeking fresh horror experiences.
