The Eldritch Zookeeper

The Eldritch Zookeeper is a PC game combining elements of multiple genres, such as economic strategy and survival games. The game has been developed by an independent studio called Cranktrain.

Plot

The main protagonist of the game is an unfortunate man, tricked by an animated skeleton into accepting a dangerous job of the manager of a mysterious zoo. On the spot, the hero of this story learns that the zoo’s main attraction comprise terrifying creatures taken directly from the literary works of H.P. Lovecraft. Every day, new creatures are delivered to the zoo, and it is up to the player to ensure them proper living conditions, as well as making sure they do not eat the visitors, who in turn cannot lose their senses. The game features a slightly comedic atmosphere, and the encountered monsters are amusing rather than frightening.

Mechanics

In the PC release of The Eldritch Zookeeper, a player has to carry out the responsibilities typical for economic strategy games in which one has to manage amusement parks. It is crucial to manage the budget and construct various structures, most importantly fences to keep all the monsters locked.

Apart from keeping the monsters at bay, a player has to provide the visitors with some other attractions – after being in the presence of all the monsters, one has to calm down a little, as even seeing one of these creatures is so terrifying that it might cause one to lose his mind. This is why a player has to care for the visitors’ mental health by giving them a chance to relax and have some fun.

Almost all the mechanics implemented into the game are typical for economic strategy games; however, The Eldritch Zookeeper stands out from the aforementioned games in one significant way – the zoo manager is a specific character controlled by the player as in survival games. All the activities have to be performed by him in person, which might be hindered by character’s permanent death (is such situation a player has to start the game over). Thus, should a monster breach its cage, a player often has to fight for survival or run for it.

Last updated on July 18, 2017