Polyzonia, an ecosystem simulator set in the Amazon rainforest, is in development and aims to give players the experience of breathing life into an environment until it can thrive independently. The game draws comparisons to Spore in its approach to gradual creation, starting players with a chosen biome and tasking them with introducing flora and fauna.
Gameplay appears to involve direct player interaction at a granular level. Players can add plants to biomes and then introduce animals. For instance, one might select a capybara to encourage it to defecate, which in turn could attract a jaguar. The simulation extends to micro-interactions, such as manually pollinating flowers or guiding frog spawn into a river to continue its life cycle.
The ultimate goal of Polyzonia is for the ecosystem to achieve self-sufficiency, enabling the rainforest to sustain and develop on its own. The developers emphasize that plants and animals are not merely decorative elements but active participants within the world, with players capable of influencing their behaviors and survival. The game's Steam page suggests an intent to foster a respectful approach to the virtual wildlife, acknowledging that video games can sometimes create a distance between players and on-screen elements, leading to the objectification of characters and animals.
Polyzonia is currently available to wishlist on Steam, though a specific release date has not yet been announced.