Imagine combining the management and strategy aspects of a tycoon game but with the horrors and unpredictability of a Lovecraftian story. That’s pretty much the premise of The Eldritch Zookeeper, which was recently announced by Cranktrain, and is scheduled to launch “soon” on Steam.

The game sees players taking on the role of a down-and-out dude who needs a job and ends up working at a zoo that houses Eldritch abominations. No really.

The gameplay centers around trying to keep the Lovecraftian creatures pacified and at bay, while also attempting to not die. Also, if you fail to keep the monsters happy… well, let’s just say it’s like entering the mouth madness. You can check out the announcement trailer below, which was spotted by Blues.

According to Cranktrain, the game mixes in the strategy and tycoon management aspects of games like Theme Park and Dungeon Keeper – some of Bullfrog’s classic games before they were bought up and destroyed by he corporate Eldritch monster known as EA – while also throwing in a bit of horror once the creatures inevitably escape.

Some of the creature designs seem to fit the theme of what you would expect from an Old One, but others look a bit goofy and lazy. Even still, the concept of this game is cheekily brilliant.

We don’t oftentimes get strategy-horror games, especially ones with a bit of a comedic theme.

The main objective is to grow the zoo, bring in more people., and keep those darned monsters happy.

If the gameplay loops are fun, and the monster outbursts are a bit random and thematically engaging, I could easily see this game becoming a niche sleeper hit amongst enthusiasts craving for a new Tycoon game.

The system requirements aren’t too steep, but it does require a GTX 960, which seems a little odd for a game with its design. Nevertheless, it’s set to arrive “soon”, and you can keep track of The Eldritch Zookeeper by visiting the Steam store page.