I’ve never really wondered what it would be like to be a doctor out on the African plains, treating injured wildlife in the middle of a safari. Wildlife Doctor by A440 brings that vision to life in virtual reality — not as a precise veterinary simulation, but as a fascinating and immersive VR experience that puts players in the role of a wildlife medic.
At first glance, the concept might sound like a quirky VR twist on Trauma Center, the classic medical game series. But Wildlife Doctor is doing something more unique. Designed exclusively for the Pico 4 Ultra, the game supports the device’s Motion Tracker to create a deeper sense of realism and physical engagement. Rather than aiming for perfect accuracy, it focuses on conveying the scale, intensity, and emotion of emergency wildlife care.
At the Tokyo Game Show, A440’s booth was designed to reflect that same immersive experience. The floor was covered with artificial turf and scattered plastic animals, inviting players to take off their shoes before stepping into the virtual savannah. While the demo didn’t use the Motion Tracker just yet, it made full use of Pico’s standard controllers for all the medical actions.
Once inside the headset, there’s no long introduction or backstory — you’re dropped right into the action. The demo included two animal cases: one a calm tutorial, and the other a more intense scenario with real-time pressure and a chance of failure.
The first patient is a gazelle with a small leg injury and infection. Your tools — wound cleaner, anti-inflammatory injection, ointment, and needle — are arranged around you at floor level. Because of the animal’s size, you have to move physically between your tools and the wound instead of selecting them from a menu. It’s a small touch, but it makes a huge difference in realism.
The process feels surprisingly natural. Clean the wound, prepare and inject the anti-inflammatory, carefully apply the ointment, and finally use another injection to revive the animal. Each action feels deliberate, and the tactile nature of VR makes it more emotional than expected. When the gazelle finally gets up and walks away, there’s a genuine sense of accomplishment.
Then comes the elephant. The task is similar but far more demanding. The scale of the animal means you can’t simply sit down and treat it from one spot — you have to stand, move, and adapt. Fetching tools, reaching high or low, and reacting under pressure with the creature’s vital signs ticking down on a bar above its body all add to the tension.
This is exactly where VR shines. The physicality of movement, the pressure of the timer, and the immersive scale of the animals make every decision feel meaningful. It’s not about memorizing medical steps — it’s about being present in the scene, responding quickly, and feeling part of the rescue effort.
Though the demo was brief, it left a strong impression. With more treatment types, deeper storytelling, and full use of the Motion Tracker in future builds, Wildlife Doctor has the potential to become a standout title for the Pico 4 Ultra. It’s a creative, heartfelt look at the intersection of wildlife care and virtual reality — and I, for one, can’t wait to see what happens when the next patient is a wild giraffe.
