Usually there is something that a game has to do to impress me. Whether it’s just an amalgamation of perfect elements, or a unique feature that brings something new and innovative to the table (that isn’t gimmicky), there are a lot of...
Usually there’s something that a game has to do to impress me. Whether it’s just an amalgamation of perfect elements, or a unique feature that brings something new and innovative to the table (that isn’t gimmicky), there are a lot of games coming out now that are catching my interest. World of Zoo (not to be confused with World of Goo) is an interesting take on what one would expect to be a sequel to the Zoo Tycoon franchise. And yes, while it developed by the same team as Zoo Tycoon, it takes a rather different perspective and subsequently targets a different audience. That’s not really a bad thing, though.
In terms of presentation, World of Zoo looks quite amazing and honestly surprised me for a game I’d never heard about. The game has a very clean and crisp cartoon style look that really hammers home the fact that simplicity can do just as much a job as complex, realistically textured graphics. Animals are textured well, with most of their animations adding life and personality to their existence, really helping younger players get involved. Similarly, animals actively react to your character’s “presence” which adds some more personification to them, rather than just having them as static wanderers. The environments are somewhat lacklustre but are literally the backdrops to the creatures that players will be raising in their exhibits. The presentation is nice and offers a novel safari/jungle-esque theme to fit in with the game’s overarching motif. The game’s graphical style really did captivate my inner child and I can only imagine the effect would be amplified in younger audience.
As previously mentioned, World of Zoo takes place within a Zoo, but takes players on more of an animal focused approach, rather than managing an entire Zoo. Upon booting the game, players will be able to choose a species of animal to start with and will be taken straight into the enclosure. From here, several actions can be taken to either strengthen or weaken the relationships between the animals and the caretaker (as in, the player). Fortunately, World of Zoo never forces the player to undertake any specific actions based on what their animal is doing, and instead encourages players to purchase objects and engage in actions that will make the exhibit a better place to live rather than to suit the current and immediate needs of the animals. This focus on increasing the quality of life for the animals also makes the game much less difficult and more laid back, creating a rather unique experience that is very open to younger children.
Developing bonds with these creatures gives “Hearts”, which in turn give promotions, which furthermore give new items and foods for the player to purchase. The currency in World of Zoo is primarily Star Tokens, which are unlocked through the winning of challenges as well as building enough bonds with the animals to attain a “Magic Moment”, in which the creature directly interacts with the player. Challenges consist of motion based mini-games in which players groom their animals, look for treasure, or diagnose and heal their ailments. These challenges are a nice touch for players looking for a bit of activity throughout the game’s rather laid back structure.
Finally, World of Zoo offers two features that also break it apart from other strategy games. The first, customisation, will no doubt appeal to the more creative player, and allows the customisation of animals to create a species that is more to their personal liking. We tried to create a mish mash of different animals but ultimately failed, unfortunately, so if you do customise an animal it will still have to resemble the “base” of the customisation. Secondly, a feature that I am sure most parents will appreciate, and that is the sponsorship from the National Geographic. Several fact files can be unlocked that allow players to research for themselves what their animals enjoy eating and doing, which not only educates players but could also at the least develop some very basic research skills. Coming from the National Geographic, too, we know it’s credible information. A very smart move from THQ.
Most of the game’s soundtrack is cheerful and upbeat, matching perfectly with the game’s overall theme and the messages it’s trying to convey. Admittedly, some animal effects can get a bit repetitive and may drive some players to the point of insanity, but for the most part the small musical pieces here and there are competent.
World of Zoo is a rather ambitious title that attempts to appeal to a younger audience with a genre that usually requires micro management more fitting for a mature audience. Thankfully, the developer has managed to create a simple simulation title that is perfect for children and may even start to become interesting for more mature players, too, while still containing some favourable moralistic and educational elements. Be warned, however, as this is a largely shallow affair that might not offer anywhere near as much entertainment if you’re above the target audience’s age range.
A very nice combination of crisp graphics and smooth animations give this games inhabitants life and personality. A few boring bits here and there in the games environments, but since these are acting as backdrops the disparity between them and the character models is negligible.
A perfect balance of simple gameplay thats sure to appeal to a younger audience without scaring them off with many technicalities. Focusing directly on the relationship between the animals and the character/player themselves is an interesting new perspective to take and makes World of Zoo a rather unique game within the genre.
Hardly any soundtrack offerings but what is presented definitely fits in with the rest of the games themes. Some sound effects become very repetitive, but overall a rather competent offering.
There are quite a few animals and such to collect, while players who seek to gain everything may find themselves busy in bonding with every animal in order to purchase every item or piece of food. That is, if they can be bothered to persevere for that long.
I was not expecting, well, anything from World of Zoo, and was pleasantly surprised to find that it was quite an enjoyable affair. Definitely a great entry-level simulation/strategy title that takes a different look at the genre.
Another new addiction?