Mini Review: Let's Build A Zoo (PS5) - An Absorbing and Quirky Tycoon

Don’t let the cutesy pixel art style fool you; managing a zoo is more than just a walk in the park. Let's Build A Zoo wastes no time to allow the player to establish a living hell or a haven for both your visitors and animals.

The game excels at two main mechanics which make it stand out from its tycoon competitors — the morality and splicing systems. The morality system adds a welcome splash of humour. Quests such as dealing with illegal traders or reporting them can greatly impact the route you want to follow; a more capitalist or a more benevolent nature. DNA splicing is another oddly fun integration. While this feature can take a while to unlock, it's worth the grind. With the CRISPR gene-splicing technology, you can start mixing and matching animal species to your heart’s desire; from a crocodile to a duck, the possibilities are endless.

Hand-holding in this game is virtually non-existent. Aside from a few quick tips here and there, it's up to you to figure out how to manage your zoo. It is nice to let the player choose their own playstyle right from the start, essentially making it a sandbox experience. However, at the same time, you are dumped with a plethora of information, which makes the lack of a proper tutorial noticeable. Talking about chaos, the poor UI aggravates this issue. Navigating through the menu and unlocking items for your zoo can be messy, with the latter having no clear categorical relation as you open up new items to decorate your park.

Still, with enough humour and its fun game mechanics, Let’s Build A Zoo will have you sinking hours into your park, if you can get past its poor UI and lack of guidance.