Seoul, South Korea – KRAFTON, the South Korean developer best known for the global phenomenon PUBG: Battlegrounds, is stepping into the life simulation genre with its new title, inZOI. Launching into early access on March 28th with a price tag of 188 yuan (approximately $26 USD) on Steam China, inZOI is drawing immediate comparisons to EA’s iconic The Sims franchise. Early hands-on impressions suggest a modern take on the formula, with a strong emphasis on character customization, community content, and innovative AI-driven NPC behavior.
While not a metaverse multiplayer online game as some might have speculated, inZOI caters to the role-playing (RP) enthusiast. It eschews traditional multiplayer in favor of a robust single-player experience augmented by a Canvas community platform. This platform allows players to share custom-created clothing, houses, and even third-party mods, fostering a vibrant ecosystem of user-generated content.
Currently, the early access version features two distinct sandbox maps: Dowon, a Korean-inspired locale, and Bliss Bay, an American-themed environment. A third map, styled after Indonesia, is planned for future release. While the maps offer a decent amount of space, the number of interactive locations feels somewhat limited in this initial release.
One of the game’s strengths lies in its character creation. inZOI offers a level of detail and aesthetic sensibilities that are particularly appealing to Asian audiences. Players can meticulously craft characters to their liking, and even import custom textures or utilize AI to generate unique clothing designs. The limited number of available accessories in the early access version suggests that community contributions will play a crucial role in expanding customization options.
inZOI distinguishes itself from The Sims with its control scheme. Players can directly control their characters using WASD keys, offering a more immersive experience compared to the traditional point-and-click interface. The game also features an over-the-shoulder camera view, although this perspective can be prone to clipping issues within interior spaces. For indoor environments, the classic top-down view, reminiscent of The Sims, often proves to be a more practical choice.
Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of inZOI is its integration of AI to govern NPC behavior. By leveraging NVIDIA Ace small language AI model and the 0.5B parameter Mistral NeMo Minitron language model (enabled through an in-game setting), the game allows NPCs to act autonomously. Players can even influence their characters’ actions by setting AI prompts, dubbed Smart Zoi. For example, setting the prompt You dream of becoming a programming master will encourage the character to spend time learning to code.
However, the AI behavior in the early access version isn’t without its quirks. NPCs tend to generate new ideas and actions after only a few seconds of inactivity, which can lead to frustrating interruptions when interacting with objects in the environment. This can result in characters abandoning tasks mid-way to pursue a new whim.
Despite these early access growing pains, inZOI presents a compelling alternative to The Sims. With its modern control scheme, robust character customization, and innovative AI-driven NPCs, KRAFTON’s new title has the potential to carve out its own niche in the life simulation genre. As the game evolves through early access and community contributions, it will be interesting to see how inZOI further refines its unique blend of traditional simulation elements and cutting-edge AI technology. Whether players will be able to recreate the chaos of a virtual Bully or the obsessive tendencies of a digital Yandere Simulator remains to be seen, but the potential is certainly there.
References:
- IT之家. (2024, March 27). 《绝地求生》开发商 KRAFTON 生活模拟游戏新作《inZOI（云族裔）》实测：看齐 EA《模拟人生》. Retrieved from [Insert IT之家 Article Link Here]
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