With not a lot of a competition in the Life Simulation genre, there is space for a new game to arrive and immerse us in the splendors of digital living. Enter inZOI, a vibrant life simulation which is finally approaching release. This feature describes 15 aspects which should help you decide whether to buy or not, but it’s worth noting that this game is so broad that 15 entries simply isn’t enough.
What is it?
Coming from South Korean developer InZOI Studio is balmy slice of life sim inZOI, a challenger to the best games in the genre with far-reaching scope to alter any aspect of its world to create unique stories and experiences. As the game’s strapline goes: “life itself is the true gift, and every journey has its own meaning.” With a variety of creative tools, inZOI players will be able to visualise then craft their dream life.
Developed in Unreal Engine 5
Distinguishing itself visually from other games which have stylised, cartoonish aesthetic, inZOI is being developed in Unreal Engine 5, presenting detailed character models and lush, realistic environments; the game’s efforts towards realism intended to – according to inZOI studio – let player imaginations run free. There’s a degree of uncanniness to the game’s inhabitants – dubbed Zois – but whether this fosters more imagination than other games in the genre is debatable. The aforesaid creative toolbox surely provides the means to realise player imagination; realistic graphics, in a way, are a canvas.
Coming to early access
inZOI is releasing to early access on PC via Steam March 28th. The game has suffered a couple of delays during production owing to further polish. The in-house developer inZOI Studio, clearly feel the time is now to get the game into players’ hands, although, as with all early access releases, certain features will be unavailable until later. The breadth of features beyond the once-available-now-offline Character Studio hasn’t been shared, but we’d expect there to be plenty to see and do during the expected 6-month early access period.
Platforms
For now, PC is the only platform you’ll be able to play inZOI. As per the game’s official Discord channel, consoles are coming after the early access period ends – namely PS5 and Xbox Series X. Switch hasn’t been mentioned thus far but given Nintendo’s impending change of the guard to Switch 2 the eight-year-old Switch is too outdated. Switch 2 – if it does come to Nintendo’s console – is most likely.
Character creator
Boasting a more intricate character creator than other games in the genre, inZOI’s now offline Creation Studio demo showcased just how detailed your Zoi can be. There’re over 250 options for setting age, body profile, personality traits, life goals, outfits, and more. The dazzling array of choice to finetune your creation’s face, hair, skin, eyes, and makeup, down a granular level via hex colour codes is overwhelming. To combat choice paralysis inZoi will provide presets to get you started.
Build and customise homes
Much like Creation Studio, inZOI’s Build Mode harbours daunting opportunities for customisation. Walls, half-walls, rooves, rooms, doors, windows, each component of your house must be chosen from a staggering number of templates before being dropped and dragged onto a plot of land. Granularity is here too. Taking windows as an example, there’re options for frame type, buildings materials such as wood and plastic, and hex colour codes and textures for each. AI powered texture generators, or the option to upload your own textures, will provide detail unique to your own build.
Cities
Cities will harbour up to 300 Zois, each capable of operating with free will, forming their own relationships, influencing communities, starting rumours, setting fashion trends, and even – according to InZOI studio – spreading illnesses. Cities confirmed include Seoul-modelled Dowon, laid back Santa Monica-esque Bliss Bay, and Cahaya. There are numerous other cities playable in inZOI, but we’ve not seen what they look like or which part of the world they’re modelled after yet, but for reference these places are called Brusimo, Goldenfield, Winiber, Haegang, and Recalleta.
Customising cities
Much like your homestead, cities will be customisable in many ways, from deciding on climate, cleanliness of the streets, road signage, and animal density. In a move not dissimilar to city builders, inZOI players will be able to choose from numerous horticultural options to decorate their city – trees, grass, and bush types can be selected although their placement as far as we can gather isn’t customisable. Furthermore, each city’s culture, topography, and service buildings will influence the type of careers and side activities your Zoi can undertake.
Careers
And on that note, expectantly inZOI will feature numerous careers which you can opt to follow for your Zoi. Unlike other games in the genre which placed the need to actually leave home and go to work behind DLC, inZOI includes job activity in its base game, and wide-ranging are these jobs too. Typical office jobs, convenience store workers, or earning money as a server in a café are present, but you could also chase a career in the fire service, work in a theme park, and even spend your daytime hours as a vocal coach for a pop idol contestant.
In-game messaging system
Numerous are the ways your Zoi can interact with others. When speaking face to face, there’re pragmatic options or more mood-specific dialogue options, all broken down into familial, business, and friendship categories. One of the most interested means of interacting with your fellow citizens though is via inZOI’s in-game messaging system. On your phone, you’ll be notified when a mate wants to hang-out, and when friends or family members move into your neighbourhood.
Seasons included in base game
Another way in which inZOI is attempting to one-up other games in the genre is by including seasons, and by extension temperature effects on your Zoi, in the base game rather than locking behind DLC. Explained by inZOI’s creative director Hyungjun “Kjun” Kim a city like Dowon will reflect each of the four seasons whilst sun-baked Californian inspired Bliss Bay will be at least inclement all year round. Worthy of note is your Zoi will have to dress accordingly as, according to Kjun, should they fail to wrap up in freezing temperatures they risk dying from hypothermia.
Karma system
This one won’t be available when early access begins but as part of inZOI’s roadmap a karma system is set to be implemented which will provide your Zoi with good or bad perception in the eyes of other Zois depending on their actions and the choices you make. Good karma actions include putting rubbish in the bin instead of dropping litter, being nice to your fellow Zois over text instead of, say, sending offensive messages, and posting supporting comments on other Zois’ social media posts.
Modding support
Another aspect which won’t be available when early access launches, but InZOI studio have confirmed that modding support in partnership with mod storehouse CurseForge will come. Furthermore, creative director “Kjun” Kim pledges the modding process will minimise any obstacles preventing modders from expressing themselves creatively and artistically. By partnering with CurseForge – “Kjun” says – creators will have access to a dedicated platform of tools and resources to craft whatever mod their imagination cooks up.
In-game 3D printer
This is a cool feature. inZOI includes a 3D printer that is capable of recreating virtually any real life object in game, providing the source photograph is clear enough. This sounds too good to be true, but early play testers report this feature functions fairly well. How it works, for instance, is you can snap and upload photos of cushions to plonk on your upholstery, or chair legs to snap onto your office décor. Textures are another aspect that can be uploaded – a feature we alluded when we outlined the extensiveness in which you can customise your home’s building materials.
Single player only
At present, inZOI will be single player only with no online community or multi-player support whatsoever. This, of course, could change as it seems like it’ll be a missed opportunity at present to foster an environment whereby inZOI players get to live together in a shared city.
