Early Access Preview for inZOI

Crafting a life simulator that is both entertaining and an accurate reflection of the real world is no easy feat. You have to strike a delicate balance between offering players creative freedom and maintaining enough rules to ensure decisions feel both impactful and believable. The challenge lies in seamlessly blending these elements to create an engaging experience. It’s akin to creating life itself — a daunting task, as Dr. Frankenstein might attest. However, developer Krafton has gamely stepped up to the plate with inZOI, based on my experience with its Early Access iteration. From the get-go, its stunning, lifelike visuals make a bold statement, and initially, the ambitious simulator mechanics come together harmoniously. But after diving deeper into this digital realm, the shortcomings of inZOI begin to reveal themselves, leaving the environment feeling more barren than anticipated.

Let’s tackle the obvious comparison first: inZOI is impossible to discuss without mentioning The Sims. Much like that beloved series, you assume the role of a godlike entity capable of crafting and controlling virtual lives — think building homes, personalizing ‘Zoi’ characters, and orchestrating local drama. Your Zois work, attend school, and explore their world based on the level of autonomy you grant them. At first glance, the parallels are striking, but delve a bit deeper, and Krafton’s unique spin on the genre begins to emerge.

Starting a new journey in inZOI involves creating your household with the help of the detailed Character Creator Studio. Aside from picking basic traits like name, gender, and age, you define your avatar’s personality through one of 18 available traits, from Authoritarian to Individualist. Each trait influences in-game behavior with a helpful Characteristics sidebar detailing the effects. Naturally, as a diligent freelancer, the Go-Getter trait caught my eye, lending my Zoi a professional edge and an extra dose of nervousness. As your Zoi navigates the virtual world, they develop preferences and dislikes, which can influence their mood. While the grab-and-go personality options simplify the setup, they can sometimes feel a touch restrictive.

In terms of aesthetics, you have plenty of options to choose from or engage in meticulous customization by adjusting specific facial features. I opted for a mix, selecting a base and fine-tuning it to mirror my likeness. The color options are extensive, offering everything from preset palettes to detailed hue adjustments. Thanks to inZOI’s realistic style, my Zoi quickly took on a lifelike appearance, and personalizing their makeup and hair became a fun endeavor.

One of the standout features in inZOI is its fashion sensibilities. During character creation, you must assemble nine separate outfits, covering everything from formal to seasonal attire. The wardrobe options blend trendy styles like cargo parachute pants with timeless classics such as military jackets. Basic items like t-shirts come in various cuts and can be layered creatively. Crafting a Y2K-inspired ensemble felt like a delightful experience, right down to the leg warmers and oversized jersey. However, some baggier clothes tended to clip awkwardly with Zoi bodies. Despite these minor glitches, the fashion elements felt polished and genuinely enjoyable.

Once your Zoi family is ready, it’s time to find them a suitable abode. inZOI currently offers two locales: the Korean-inspired Dowon and the sun-soaked Bliss Bay in California. You can either design your own house or settle into a pre-crafted lot, with each area featuring a modest array of public spaces like cafes, parks, and shrines. It’s at this point that some of inZOI’s cracks begin to show. Sure, Dowon dazzles with its neon glow and Bliss Bay exudes coastal tranquility, but linger long enough, and these settings start to feel superficial. Despite detailed touches — like a McDonald’s parody that amused me — it was disheartening to see the world as more of a facade than a living, breathing environment.

This sense of emptiness extended to the daily routines of my Zoi. While managing essentials like hunger and hygiene was straightforward, the broader cultural context felt lacking. Despite my Zoi’s Go-Getter trait, their actions didn’t seem markedly different compared to another Zoi with an opposing personality. Even starting a family in a separate household led to repetitive dialogues, where conversations about Cryptocurrency and humility cycled endlessly. Initially amusing, the repetition soon rendered relationship development a bit stale.

It’s delightful when small details, like the treadmill display or the delicious-looking food, captivate enough to draw a rumble from my stomach along with my Zoi’s. Yet, these well-executed moments often accentuate the blandness of other repetitive tasks. At times, my Zoi felt like an automaton more than an individual. It’s possible this might change as they develop preferences and friendships, though 15 hours in, I noticed no such diversity.

However, inZOI does perk up with its Karma system, which assigns consequences based on actions. As you engage with characters or items, often a yin-yang symbol will signal a potential effect on your Karmic score. Stealing is bad; offering directions is good. While I was initially sceptical, the karmic balance became apparent in play. One day, after unleashing a tirade in the park and failing to snag a toy from a claw machine, my Zoi made a turnaround through kind gestures and jokes, finally securing the toy. The simplicity and effectiveness of the Karma system offer an engaging invisible boundary – I only wish more actions influenced this score.

Much remains to be explored before arriving at a final judgment — from careers to the intricacies of build mode. Indeed, inZOI is still in Early Access, and it certainly feels like it. The impressive visuals and intricate interactions clash with certain rough edges, giving the world a somewhat impersonal atmosphere. Nonetheless, there’s undeniable depth lurking beneath these surface flaws, promising a rewarding gaming experience as Krafton continues to refine its virtual universe. I’m eager to see how inZOI evolves with time and what it ultimately achieves as it works toward a final launch.