The ultra-realistic life simulation game, inZOI, is finally out! After several days of being the most wishlisted game on Steam, inZOI's Early Access release has arrived, bringing over 80,000 players on its first day. inZOI is the new shiny toy all simulation lovers are eyeing, but is the $25 price tag worth it? Does this Early Access version live up to the overflowing hype?

NOTE: Coming from a frequent player of The Sims, the most successful life simulation series out there, this review will feature plenty of comparisons between The Sims 4 (base game) and inZOI. The goal of this honest review is to determine whether inZOI offers a similar experience to The Sims, if it’s better or worse, and what it would feel like for first-time life-sim gamers.

InZOI Avatar Creation

The avatar creation phase in inZOI is undoubtedly the best part of the game, allowing you to customize your Zois in incredible detail. The tug-and-pull mechanic, applied to key body points, gives players immense control over their Zois’ appearance. Despite being in Early Access, inZOI offers a variety of style options, including hairstyles, eye colors, makeup, and much more!

Within the Create a Zoi phase, you'll find the Craft option, where you can combine different necklines, sleeves, bottoms, and more to design your own shirts. There are also additional Craft options for clothing materials and accessories! You can also use built-in AI in the game to create textures and designs for you. This feature sets inZOI apart from games like The Sims, offering more creative freedom in designing your character’s wardrobe.

Another standout feature is Photo Mode, which is incredibly fun (more than we like to admit). In this mode, you can pose your Zoi and capture unique facial expressions. While some poses may give you the creeps, others are just plain fun to experiment with. Our personal favorite? The “Shoot Money Gun” pose!

This mode gives off an Infinity Nikki vibe, where you can dress your Zoi in your best clothes and find the perfect angle for your own little photoshoot. A Video Mode is also set to be added in future updates, and we're excited to see what that will bring!

InZOI Build Mode

The Create a Zoi phase started off strong, but transitioning to Build Mode was a bit of a letdown. If you move your Zois into an already completed home, it’s a direct experience as you can jump straight into gameplay. However, we tested Build Mode, and it felt underdeveloped.

Building the house was easy enough, with mechanics similar to The Sims, but we were left frustrated. After finishing the house, it still lacked wallpapers and tiles (we just couldn’t find it!), the counters were misaligned, and the furniture was placed haphazardly. At that point, we regretted not opting for a pre-made home layout.

Overall, building in inZOI wasn’t enjoyable (or perhaps we just aren’t good at it), and it doesn’t feel particularly beginner-friendly. Several setbacks made the building process irritating - like overlaps that didn’t seem to fit properly, clunky rotation mechanics, and more.

InZOI Gameplay: Social and Open World Interactions

As soon as you start walking (yes, you can control your Zoi’s movement, much like a role-playing game), you’ll immediately notice the The Sims meets GTA vibe. Navigating around furniture and streets is smooth and often seamless. Actions, from cooking to playing guitar to socializing, feel incredibly realistic.

However, social interactions in inZOI are a mixed bag. There are a lot of “unique” but often bizarre conversation options that can leave you scratching your head. Examples include: “Say Life is But One Layer of a Dream?” “Say Your Soul Chose You?” and “Say There Is a Cat Only You Can See?” - what’s going on in the chat department?

The open world is one of inZOI's major selling points, something The Sims doesn’t offer. In its Early Access release, the game features two open-world locations: one in Korea and one in the United States. A third location in Indonesia is on the way. These cities are fun and massive to explore, offering interactions with various street items, such as food vendors, vending machines, and kids’ playgrounds - among many others.

InZOI Lore and Storyline

Lores and storylines are meant to be fun, but the premise in inZOI - where you work as a developer at a Zoi company, with a cat as a boss, creating and controlling Zois in a corporate setting - just doesn't sit right. We see some sort of vision, like it could be a tinge of comedy in the game. But it’s an uncanny loop that doesn’t add much excitement, and the “work” setting removes much of the whimsy and charm that could make the game enjoyable.

However, it does seem like inZOI isn’t focused on “fun” but rather on “realism,” as evidenced by its constant references to AI, cryptocurrency, and even K-pop.

Final Thoughts

Playing inZOI felt like a roller coaster ride - there were moments of fun, but also plenty of confusion and frustration.

One thing you’ll immediately notice about inZOI is its heavy talks (and usage) of AI, practically shoved in your face. The inclusion of AI in gaming is a topic of debate and its omnipresence in inZOI might not sit well with everyone, especially when it frequently pops up in conversation points and are somewhat intrusive in your daily life as a Zoi.

The game has several positive aspects: its ultra-realistic visuals are stunning, and the open world offers a fresh take on the life simulation genre. The Create-a-Zoi feature? Absolutely fantastic. But beyond that, many of the game’s features feel lacking in depth compared to The Sims, and the overall tone can feel off-putting, especially for players accustomed to the whimsical nature of The Sims. inZOI's story and setting can feel hollow, making it hard to connect with.

In conclusion, inZOI may not be for everyone. If you enjoy realistic, GTA-style gameplay with a focus on immersion, it could be your ideal experience. However, if you’re a fan of cozy, whimsical life simulators, inZOI may fall flat. For an Early Access experience though, the $25 is certainly worth it, so give it a shot!

Final Score in this honest review: 6/10