Do not be fooled by its cutesy appearance, as running a zoo is not an easy task despite the cutesy pixel art style. It is up to the player whether they want to create a living hell or a haven for their visitors and animals by building a zoo in Let’s Build A Zoo.
Two main mechanics make it stand out from its tycoon competitors – morality and splicing. A welcome splash of humour comes from the morality system. You can choose to go down a more capitalist or more benevolent path depending on how you deal with illegal traders. The splicing of DNA is another weird integration. Even though you have to grind to unlock this feature, it’s worth it. By using CRISPR gene-splicing technology, you will be able to mix and match animal species to the extent that you wish. You can do anything from swimming with crocodiles to catching ducks, it is all possible.
In this game, there’s hardly any hand-holding. You’ll have to figure out how to manage your zoo on your own, aside from a few tips here and there. This is essentially a sandbox experience, letting the player choose their own playstyle right from the start. Since the amount of information presented to you is overwhelming, it is obvious that there is no tutorial to accompany the game. When it comes to chaos, the poor UI makes it worse. There is a little bit of confusion in getting around the menu and unlocking items for your zoo, as there is no clear categorical connection between the items as you unlock new additions to it.
In spite of this, if you can get past the poor User Interface (UI). And lack of guidance, Let’s Build A Zoo is a game that will have you spending hours making your own zoo.