Sawt Falasteen - South Korea's life game 'InZOI' challenges 'The Sims'

Krafton, the developer of battle royale "PUBG: Battlegrounds", says it offers a fresh take on the concept using striking visuals -- with "InZOI" shooting to the top of wishlists on the online Steam platform.

"What stood out the most when I played "InZOI" was just how visually stunning it is," said Kim Rail, a YouTuber known for playing "The Sims", a game whose last instalment debuted nearly a decade ago.

"The game's character is rendered with such precision that she looks almost like a real person," Kim said. "After decorating interiors, taking a screenshot makes it look like a magazine photo due to the high visual quality".

"The Sims", a spin-off from the popular "SimCity" franchise, takes players inside individual homes, allowing them to customize everything from furniture to relationships.

Over 25 years, "The Sims" and its three sequels have sold more than 200 million copies, and Electronic Arts is now planning a multi-player version.

But "InZOI" producer and director Kim Hyung-jun said they offered something new.

"I believe "InZOI" offers something that "The Sims" does not, and that users will find a different kind of enjoyment in that," he said.

"Inzoi" topped the best-selling games chart by revenue on Steam just 40 minutes after the launch Friday morning, while Krafton stocks in Seoul rose six percent.

- K-pop career -

"InZOI" producer Kim, an avid player of "The Sims", said it was an "honour" to be compared to the game.

"'The Sims' is a philosophical work that offers diverse interpretations of life," he said. "At times, it felt like a miniature version of real life, and I was often amazed by how thoughtfully the developers portrayed various aspects".

But Kim told AFP he wanted to focus more on how the "relationships" are portrayed in his game.

"For instance, if a player gets into a fight somewhere, the news spreads, and they may receive criticism or support through social media. We've built a system where one event leads to another," he said.

It also has a unique twist from its home nation, drawing on maps including one from South Korea -- and a possible career path that allows players to become a K-pop idol.

"Tapping into the global interest in K-culture, the game features detailed recreations of Korean streetscapes, convenience stores, karaoke rooms, and traditional restaurants, allowing players to explore and engage with uniquely Korean settings," said Kim Jung-tae, a gaming professor at Dongyang University.

It "lets players experience a wide range of everyday Korean life", he added.

"InZOI" uses "Unreal Engine 5" developed by Epic Games, the first for a life simulation title, which supports detailed customization options for characters, including features such as eye bags and iris size.

The impressive graphics come at a cost.

The recommended systems for "InZOI" include an Intel i7 processor and an Nvidia RTX 3070 -- a significant leap from "The Sims 4", which runs on the more modest requirements of an Intel i5 and a GTX 650.

Content creators suggest the challenge will be to woo the huge numbers of players of "The Sims", who are used to more moderate graphics but also lower computer specs.

"The game's success is expected to hinge on the stability of its live service and the developers' ability to consistently deliver new content," said Kim, the professor.

- 'Separate lives' -

Krafton said the ambition to challenge a leader like "The Sims" came from the global success of "PUBG", a combat survival game whose mobile version surpassed one billion downloads and recorded 50 million daily active users.

"Even within the company, no one truly expected that success," "InZOI" producer Kim Hyung-jun said. "Back then, the idea of creating something like that in Korea was an unusual challenge".

So, despite Krafton having "limited understanding" of the life simulation genre, the company backed the idea, he said, adding that thankfully early release responses were "more enthusiastic " than they had expected.

But, compared to "The Sims", Kim accepts his game still has "a long way to go".

"'The Sims' 4 has been in service for 10 years, while "InZOI" has only been in development for two. I'd say it's about 20 percent complete in comparison," said Kim.

"I don't view the comparison negatively. Just as everyone lives a unique life, "The Sims" and "InZOI" are separate 'lives', each with their value and appeal".

L.Hussein--SF-PST