This past weekend, my friend Liran casually dropped a message in our group chat: “inZOI is way more addictive than I thought.” Attached was a screenshot—his character had just proposed to someone in the park after a flirty chat and a hug. Less than an hour later, while his Sim slept peacefully, he got a text saying she had died.
Wait, what?
Welcome to inZOI—the new life simulation game that’s making waves on Steam. Still in early access, it’s already garnered over 2,000 user reviews with an impressive 86% rating marked “Very Positive.” The game has captured players’ attention not just for its realism and emotional depth, but also for what it doesn’t have: no $1,000+ worth of paid DLC.
And that’s kind of a big deal.
Imagine you walk into a cozy city park in a virtual world. A charming stranger strikes up a conversation. One thing leads to another, and the two of you are engaged before nightfall. Then, the next morning, you receive a cold, matter-of-fact text: she’s gone. Forever.
Yes, that’s an actual in-game story shared by players. And there are plenty like it. One person wrote, “We hugged. We kissed. She died. 10/10, would recommend.” Another said, “I planted a cherry tree in her memory. Named it after her. I love this game.”
Sure, it sounds ridiculous. But isn’t that what life is? Messy, unpredictable, sometimes tragic, and often hilarious in all the wrong places?
That’s the genius of inZOI.
It doesn’t just simulate life—it surprises you with it.
The game has a lot going for it. For starters, the graphics are beautiful—not hyperrealistic to the point of uncanny, but atmospheric enough to feel grounded. The lighting feels like a real late-afternoon sun filtering through city buildings. Characters move with believable rhythm. The soundtrack hums in the background like something you’d hear in your favorite indie coffee shop.
But what really makes inZOI stand out is how it handles freedom. There are no DLC traps here. You don’t have to fork over another $30 for a new hairstyle or $50 to unlock a neighborhood. What you see is what you get—and what you get is surprisingly generous.
For long-time Sims fans burned by expensive expansions, this feels like a breath of fresh air. A free sofa isn’t just a sofa—it’s a statement: We’re not going to nickel-and-dime your imagination.
That freedom also extends to how the game allows you to fail. And weirdly, that’s part of the charm. Your character might lose their job, bomb a date, or suffer heartbreak. And those moments—those unexpected, sometimes nonsensical twists—are exactly what breathe life into this digital world.
It’s not perfect. Some early access hiccups still linger. A few users have noted that NPCs occasionally behave erratically—like jumping straight into a romance five seconds after meeting you, or getting stuck in a loop of staring blankly at city fountains. Others mentioned performance issues on mid-range PCs.
But here’s the thing: the devs know. Game director Hyungjun “Kjun” Kim has been candid about where they stand. “The Sims is a great game,” he told PCGamesN. “We’re nowhere near that level—yet.”
The key word? Yet.
This is just the beginning. The team has already confirmed plans for full mod support and free future DLCs. And the numbers don’t lie—on launch day alone, inZOI hit over 66,000 concurrent players. While it hasn’t hit The Sims 4’s record of 96,000 (which came after it went free-to-play), it’s clear inZOI is climbing fast—and it’s not even the weekend yet.
Let’s not forget that this game knocked Hollow Knight: Silksong off the top of Steam’s most wishlisted games. That’s no small feat.
But beyond the numbers, what really gets you is the feeling. Boot up inZOI on a quiet rainy evening and find yourself wandering a neon-lit street market, or sitting alone in your tiny apartment listening to lo-fi music as your character stares out the window. It doesn’t rush you. It doesn’t bombard you with quests or urgency. It simply lets you be.
That might sound like a small thing, but in today’s overstimulated gaming world, it’s kind of revolutionary.
Whether you’re a Sims veteran or someone new to life sims, inZOI offers something refreshingly different. It’s raw. It’s emotional. It’s a little weird. And it reminds you that life—digital or otherwise—is unpredictable, unpolished, and surprisingly beautiful when you’re not trying so hard to control everything.
So no, inZOI isn’t perfect. But maybe that’s the point.
It’s not trying to be the best version of life. Just a believable one.
And honestly? That might be exactly what we need right now.
