Animal Company

Animal Company is a free action and adventure and simulation game from Wooster Games, which also publishes it. It mixes co-op survival, monster fights and sandbox physics toys in a loud social setting. It launched on the Meta Horizon Store on July 3, 2024, and is listed as early access.

How it plays

You and other players explore hostile areas run by a shadowy organization the game calls the Canopy Group. The store text names haunted forests, hidden research labs, snowy mountain slopes, old mines, a low-gravity nuclear zone, lava caves and frozen lakes. Monsters hunt you while you search for loot.

• Gadgets and loot: unlock toys and gear, then build and swap items such as weapons, vehicles, drones and robots.
• Tech Tree: level up through a progression tree that opens new abilities.
• Custom animals: build a character from different body parts and dress it up; the developer says limited-time outfits and characters rotate in every two weeks.
• Player-made events: organize mini-games, tournaments or concerts for your friends.

Wooster Games says the game gets updates every week.

Multiplayer

Play is built around groups. You can drop into random public servers or set up private ones with friends, and the listing covers co-op, player versus environment and player versus player. Proximity voice chat and in-game walkie-talkies let you shout, whisper or panic as monsters close in, and the developer pitches sessions as material for clips on TikTok and YouTube. It also says it runs one of the biggest Discord communities in social VR, with contests, giveaways and creator programs.

Comfort

Meta rates Animal Company as moderate, meaning it is comfortable for some people, so players prone to motion sickness in VR may want to ease in. It supports standing and room-scale play, with no seated mode listed, and uses controllers plus voice input.

Platforms and what to know before buying

• Price: free on the Meta Horizon Store.
• Headsets: Meta Quest 3, Meta Quest 3S, Meta Quest Pro and Meta Quest 2.
• Internet: a connection is required.
• Ads: no in-app ads.
• Early access: yes, the game is in early access.
• Language: English.
• Age rating: 12+.