TiGames is taking players back to where it all began. The studio behind the critically acclaimed F.I.S.T.: Forged In Shadow Torch has officially confirmed that ZOOPUNK, their ambitious 3D action adventure game, is heading to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, and Microsoft Store. While we’re still waiting on a concrete release date, what we’ve seen so far suggests this prequel could be something special.
For those who fell in love with the dieselpunk aesthetic and anthropomorphic rebellion of F.I.S.T., ZOOPUNK promises to scratch that same itch while expanding the universe in unexpected ways. This isn’t just a retread of familiar ground—it’s an origin story that digs into the messy, violent birth of Torch City itself.
When machines wake up and choose violence
Set decades before the events that shaped Rayton’s journey in F.I.S.T., ZOOPUNK drops us into a world on the edge of catastrophe. The discovery of fire seed energy—a revolutionary power source—kicks off an era of rapid technological advancement. Sounds great, right? Well, not exactly.
This volatile energy doesn’t just power machines; it awakens them. Mechanical debris scattered across the world gains consciousness, transforming into self-aware war machines that quickly learn humanity’s worst trait: violence. What starts as tools designed to harness energy becomes an existential threat as these machines establish their own empire, hell-bent on domination.
The setup creates a fascinating philosophical conflict that goes beyond typical “robots vs. organics” fare. At the heart of ZOOPUNK’s narrative lies a question about the soul itself. The animal inhabitants believe the soul is something innate, inseparable from life—you either have one or you don’t. The mechanical army? They see it differently, viewing the soul as data that can be copied, learned, and replicated. It’s this fundamental disagreement about consciousness and existence that fuels the First Torch War, forcing rival animal factions to put aside their differences and unite against a common enemy.
A fractured world shaped by chaos
The world-building in ZOOPUNK sounds genuinely intriguing. According to TiGames, every atom on the planet is connected to a vast central network, with the Fire Seed acting as the transmission medium. Anything touched by this unstable force gets transformed and reshaped according to something called “the will of the Creator”—a detail that raises more questions than it answers (in the best way possible).
This instability has fractured the world into isolated regions, each shaped by its own geography, resources, and ideology. Players will explore war-torn landscapes that include a nomadic network of mechanics and wanderers, a volcanic industrial fortress, a rare sanctuary of purity standing defiant amid the chaos, and a crumbling military citadel where order has decayed into ruin. Each location promises its own visual identity and storytelling opportunities, moving away from the interconnected Metroidvania structure that defined F.I.S.T.
Three warriors, three fighting styles
Combat takes center stage in ZOOPUNK, and TiGames is leaning hard into character diversity. Rather than giving you one protagonist with multiple weapons, you get three distinct playable characters, each with their own fighting philosophy inspired by their animal traits:
Braton the Rhino is your heavy hitter—a powerhouse brawler who swings around a massive flame sword like it weighs nothing. If you like feeling unstoppable and watching enemies crumble under raw power, Braton’s your guy.
Rayton the Rabbit (yes, that Rayton, before he became the resistance fighter we know) brings agility and speed to the table. His melee-focused combat style is all about staying in motion, weaving through enemy attacks while delivering rapid strikes.
Trixie the Chipmunk rounds out the trio with nimble, precise acrobatics. She’s built for hit-and-run tactics, darting in to strike before enemies can react, then disappearing just as quickly.
The extended trailer showcased all three characters working together to infiltrate a heavily fortified enemy domain, racing to seize something called “the Spark” to protect Torch City. The dynamic between these three fighters suggests we might see some interesting cooperative mechanics or character-switching gameplay, though TiGames hasn’t confirmed the specifics yet.
Breaking away from the metroidvania mold
One detail worth noting: TiGames explicitly mentioned that ZOOPUNK aims to “break away from the typical Metroidvania style” that defined F.I.S.T. This is a bold move considering how well that formula worked for their previous game. The extended trailer hints at more linear, story-driven level design with distinct environments rather than one massive interconnected map. Whether this shift will resonate with fans remains to be seen, but it shows the studio isn’t content to simply repeat what worked before.
ZOOPUNK was one of only a handful of games featured during the Xbox Partner Preview Showcase, where it made its gameplay debut. The trailer offered our first real look at combat mechanics, character interactions, and the game’s striking visual design—a blend of industrial grit and vibrant animal characters that feels both familiar and fresh.
A new chapter worth watching
There’s something compelling about prequels that explore the “before times” of established universes. ZOOPUNK isn’t just banking on nostalgia for F.I.S.T.—it’s building out a world with its own conflicts, characters, and stakes. The philosophical angle about the nature of consciousness, the fractured world design, and the promise of diverse combat styles all point toward a game that could stand on its own merits.
We still don’t have a release date, but with PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC confirmed, TiGames is clearly aiming for a wide audience. For fans of the Animal Punk universe, ZOOPUNK represents a chance to see how Torch City became the battleground we explored in F.I.S.T. For newcomers, it might just be the perfect entry point into a universe of metal, wilds, and will.
The First Torch War is coming. The question is: which side will you fight for?