Exotica: Petshop Simulator

Exotica: Petshop Simulator is a charming management simulation game that lets players run their very own pet shop. You start with an empty storefront and gradually build it up by caring for animals, decorating cages, managing employees, and keeping your customers happy.

What I loved most about Exotica was the sheer variety of cute pets you can house, from dogs and cats to more exotic choices. Seeing my pet shop slowly fill up with an eclectic menagerie of lovable animals was a constant delight.

As a fan of simulation titles like House Flipper and SimCity, I found Exotica's core gameplay loop of juggling tasks while steadily growing a business highly entertaining – and the cute animals are just the perfect icing on this exotic cake!

Creature Comforts

Exotica really shines in the care and customization it allows for each animal. You can decorate the pets' habitats and ensure they have food, water, toys, and ample space to be happy. I admired the attention to detail here, even including facts about each animal's proper care.

Though complex, mastering the needs of each animal to keep them healthy was very rewarding. In terms of customization options for your shop's critter residents, Exotica compares favorably to management titles like House Flipper, while the animals look like a simpler version of those seen in the classic Zoo Tycoon 2.

Shop Till You Drop

Running your store's front counter and managing customers is a huge part of the Exotica gameplay. You must keep popular pet supplies like food and toys stocked on shelves, ring up shoppers efficiently, and market animals to interested adopters.

This retail angle adds an enjoyable layer of hectic multitasking, especially once you hire employees with their own needs to be managed. While the customer interactions aren't extremely deep, they did remind me fondly of keeping shoppers happy in games like SimCity.

Building Your Critter Empire

A major long-term goal in Exotica is expanding your small starter pet shop into a thriving emporium. As your business grows, you can the shop's size for more retail space and animal enclosures, and boost the care quality for happier pets.

Seeing your tiny hobbyist store transform into a bustling, profitable enterprise fueling your dreams of pet shop domination is immensely satisfying! The way unlocking achievements and upgrades gradually empowers you to greater success again recalls excellent simulation titles like House Flipper.

With its charming pets, detailed customization, and addictive business management gameplay, Exotica: Petshop Simulator should delight animal lovers and management sim fans alike with hours of wholesome fun. I wish shopper AI was a bit more complex for added challenge, but otherwise found the game polished and enjoyable.

Pros

• Adorable variety of pets to collect and care for
• Deep animal customization and enclosure options
• Addictive gameplay loop of running your business

Cons

• Can feel repetitive once your enterprise is established
• Tutorials could be more comprehensive