Life-simulation fans have been eagerly watching InZOI carve out its identity in a genre long dominated by The Sims. While InZOI already boasts stunning visuals and a more dynamic take on daily life, the fact that the game is still in Early Access means that it has a long way to go before it can market itself as a finished product.
With upcoming updates for InZOI, the game is slowly shaping itself to deliver hot-commodity features that will make it stand out as the life-sim game to beat in the genre. However, there’s one major frontier it could claim to truly stand apart from other life-sims. By embracing a fresh, imaginative concept that other titles have barely scratched the surface of, InZOI could carve out a space all its own and captivate players in entirely new ways—in a spookier manner, even.
InZOI Player Count is Hitting New Lows
Despite a successful launch period, InZOI's active player count continues to fall to new lows.
InZOI Should Embrace The Supernatural and Paranormal
The Sims introducing occult and supernatural lifeforms changed how players manipulate stories and households. As the true monarch of imaginative supernatural sims, The Sims remains undefeated in this category due to the sheer breadth of content available for players leaning towards the otherworldly. Nevertheless, InZOI has the opportunity to stand out. By introducing the supernatural, InZOI could get up to speed with the different occult life forms available in The Sims 4. But rather than treading familiar ground with vampires, aliens, or werewolves, InZOI has the perfect opportunity to tap into lesser-explored territory by introducing cryptids, urban legends, and mythological oddities to spice up gameplay.
Cryptids are the Perfect Choice for InZOI
Instead of the same familiar creatures that could offer predictable gameplay features, InZOI could embrace cryptids: creatures from folklore, local superstition, and conspiracy theories that are full of mystery and intrigue. Cryptids are popular in horror games, but InZOI could introduce them to the life-sim genre to make them less scary. From the Mothman and Chupacabra to new, game-original legends, cryptids would offer a different kind of supernatural flavor. They’re tied to regional myths, bringing a rich cultural texture that could vary by in-game neighborhood or even player choices.
Players could have encounters ranging from full-blown abductions like The Sims 4 to blessings, depending on how they interact with these mysterious beings. Befriending a cryptid might unlock secret traits, hidden locations, or rare objects, giving players even more control over their stories. It would also open the door for light horror or cozy mystery aesthetics, two storytelling angles that are highly popular but frankly underutilized in life-sims like The Sims.
Why the Supernatural Matters in Life-Sims
For a game genre that is characterized by playing at life, supernatural gameplay is surprisingly some of the most requested and sought-after features and playthrough routes for sims. In fact, The Sims’ supernatural-leaning DLC has been some of its most popular. Players love breaking free from everyday realism to explore darker or more fantastical storylines. However, The Sims tends to revisit the same creatures over and over. And in The Sims 4, Maxis has trimmed the supernatural gameplay options into individualized DLC instead of one huge expansion like The Sims 3 Supernatural expansion pack. Vampires and aliens, for example, have become almost expected additions rather than exciting surprises.
Players yearning for a fresh twist could find it in a game like InZOI, where the rules of the world are still being defined. Adding a supernatural layer would also provide players with new systems to interact with, beyond career ladders or social relationships. Imagine a character tracking mysterious footprints around their neighborhood, or accidentally stumbling into a ritual that alters the gameplay. It would encourage exploration, experimentation, and storytelling in a way that feels fresh even in a life-sim genre stacked with great games.
Taking a Different Path Than The Sims
By focusing on cryptids and folklore, InZOI would avoid direct comparisons to The Sims' usual supernatural content while still offering the fantasy layer players love. It would also allow developers to tap into fan theories, user-generated myths, and even live-service-style updates, where new legends appear over time. Instead of just being another game with vampires and zombies, InZOI could become a life sim where anything could be lurking just out of sight. It would deepen the game’s personality and give players endless new mysteries to solve and stories to tell.
InZOI
WHERE TO PLAY
inZOI is a life simulation game where players step into the role of creators, shaping the world as they envision and witnessing the various stories that unfold.
Through this immersive experience, we aim to inspire players to appreciate life as the profound gift it is—a journey that is filled with meaning at every turn.
Step into diverse lives, brought to life with realistic graphics!
InZOI features a fully functional community simulation experience where characters, known as Zois, live their lives with their own free will.
Zois perform actions and build relationships based on their personalities and life experiences, leading to unexpected developments such as rumors, trends, and disease.
Take control of cities inspired by real-world locations and shape them into the perfect backdrop for your own stories by modifying factors such as weather, properties, and streets. All of this comes to life with stunning, realistic graphics powered by Unreal Engine 5.
Bring your imagination to life with endless customizations!
InZOI offers advanced customization tools, empowering creators to freely design their characters and bring their imagination to reality.
Choose from over 250 customization options to create your own unique Zoi, adjusting everything from hair, skin, and physique to outfits, accessories, nail art, and more.
Mix and match architectural elements like walls, roofs, stairs, fences, platforms, and gates to create unique buildings. Decorate spaces with a variety of objects, and customize your furniture to make every detail your own.
Bring your characters to life using inZOI's facial and motion capture capabilities, and create stunning videos set in your world of choice.
Share your creations and connect with other creators!
Easily share your creations and interact with other creators using Canvas, our in-game sharing platform. Showcase your characters, homes, and stories, or find inspiration from other creators. Join creators around the world on Canvas for a more connected inZOI experience!
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 5
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
- Number of Players
- Single-player
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Unsupported
- Genre(s)
- Life Simulation
- Platform(s)
- PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
