Hours after releasing their horror zookeeping sim, indie dev reveals a “secret”: There are “23 storylines that lead to different endings”

Indie developer Clapperheads has a little secret for fans ready to dive into its newly released horror zookeeping sim: it has 23 different storylines 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, despite some pretty harsh Steam reviews giving me some pause, I’ve never been more curious about this very, very strange looking game than today, with the devs saying “the depth of gameplay increases with each playthrough” in a new Steam update.

“We’ve decided to reveal a secret: THE GAME HAS 23 STORYLINES THAT LEAD 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 gameplay increases with each playthrough.”

I think this is a cool idea for a short li’l game like Zoochosis (most first playthroughs are averaging 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 anywhere near Larian’s resources and experience.

Zoochosis is billed as a “bodycam horror simulation game” in which 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 uncovering the cause of the mutations, finding a vaccine, and curing them, but it sounds like there are plenty of ways to succeed and plenty paths to failure.

Kick off the spooky season with a little somethin’ somethin’ from our list of the best horror games.