inZOI impressions: Augmented reality and magical cats

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While The Sims is tough to challenge, here comes inZOI as a more realistic choice, powered by Unreal Engine 5 and boasting stunning visuals. It emphasizes self-expression over zany antics. The game certainly catches your eye with its top-notch graphics, intricate character creator, and humorous cat characters. However, it’s still in the Early Access stage, showcasing more of a polished prototype than the final product it aims to be. Additionally, there’s an AI feature that generates content, but it seems to conflict with creativity in a virtual world and doesn’t add much value to the overall experience.

The character customization tool in ZOI is notably impressive, showcasing visuals and providing numerous options for intricate details right from the start. Since I’m not someone who enjoys fine-tuning every little detail, such as adjusting cheek bones, I selected a few pre-set options to modify for a short while. Essentially, I created a digital replica of myself, which is what I often do when diving into simulation games.

Living by myself in a luxurious apartment that’s not actually located in California, I decided against creating any family members. Instead, I chose contrasting personality traits and embarked on an adventure to… essentially make things up as I went along.

Going with the flow

Initially, I had two main curiosities: observing how my character behaved independently and determining the feasibility of influencing his actions. Upon assuming control in this virtual realm, my initial instinct was to tackle cleanliness, using a vacuum to tidy up the plush carpets within an apartment that drained more than half my budget. Admittedly, cleaning is monotonous, so I encouraged him to engage in something more intriguing, like settling down at the computer. There, I discovered various possibilities, but writing particularly caught my eye due to its appeal. I was intrigued by the prospect of testing whether this digital self could achieve literary success, a goal that seemed unattainably grandiose in my real-life circumstances.

Upon realizing that writing could enhance my critical reasoning abilities (awesome!), I found myself with the task of deciding on a type of novel to compose. A variety of genres were provided, each with a difficulty level, and upon selecting one, I was free to add details about my creation. Naturally, I retained the standard text, which seemed like it had been translated by a machine. Given that it was my first digital novel, adding more detail felt unnecessary. As I observed my virtual counterpart writing, doubts about my intentions began to surface. Eventually, the novel was completed and sold from my inventory for approximately $15. However, the cost of walking over to the fridge to heat up some takeout noodles was almost as much – oops!

Once everything was neatly arranged, it was time for me to delve into the second book, hoping that my slightly enhanced analytical mind would result in a more profitable outcome. Midway through, my character felt an urge to step outside and find companionship. Indulging him, I suggested he take the elevator for an adventure beyond the pages. As soon as he exited, he turned around, re-entered the elevator, and returned to his work on the book. This depiction of reality was uncannily relatable! The second book proved successful, fetching around 30 simoleons. Recognizing the lessons learned from this writing journey, I decided to send our protagonist to the beach for some social interaction. After a short bus ride and loading screen, I found myself at an almost deserted beach with a solitary food truck.

Making friends, and a surprise visit

As more individuals arrived and passed by, it was evident that conversation time had come. However, the dialogue choices presented were far from normal, awkwardly crafted with no distinctive character or flair. One option, supposedly about discussing stocks, was a lengthy, convoluted statement on “growth” that didn’t fit within the speech bubble. At this point, I allowed my character to take action, engaging people and selecting dialogue options at random. I set my character’s demeanor to be calm and relaxed, but he persistently tried to instigate arguments with almost everyone encountered. We did make one friend in the process though, and decided to leave the beach once the sun had set. Our new friend sent an impersonal, mechanically-written text message, which we replied to in a similar manner. Was it growing pains or artificial intelligence’s handiwork? It’s hard to tell.

On the first day, I wasn’t certain if anything was a success or not, so I made my digital self retire to bed. InZOI appeared content to let me watch him sleep, but it felt strange, so I manually advanced the time. My character woke up at 4 AM, fully charged and ready to go. It seems the need for sleep was reduced for gameplay purposes, sacrificing realism. Now, after having breakfast and starting work on my third book, a child knocked on my door. I hadn’t met this child before, and there were no adults in sight. The child watched me eat at my table, making the situation somewhat awkward, so I decided to focus on my work instead. I’m unsure if the child eventually left or not.

On my first day using inZOI, it mirrored the overall experience I’ve had so far: visually appealing yet awkwardly unfamiliar. The text in the game is reminiscent of medical jargon written by extraterrestrials, and the character interactions are as engaging as watching painted figures on a clock. Traits or personalities don’t seem to influence any noticeable changes; they simply stand there while action timers play out on the user interface. Playing inZOI is like stepping into a sterile, robotic replica of The Sims, with far fewer intricacies or entertaining activities. As it’s still in early access, there’s hope that inZOI may develop and offer more to those who enjoy setting things up and building rather than focusing on the simulation aspect.

Currently, the game “inZOI” is accessible in its early stage for personal computers. For the purpose of this article, we’ve obtained a copy of the game ourselves.

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2025-04-09 16:28