At Gamescom 2024 in Cologne, Germany, Krafton presented the latest demo build of their upcoming title, inZOI.

Krafton's latest demo build of inZOI, specially prepared for the Gamescom exhibition, features a new area called Bliss Bay, inspired by Santa Monica Beach in the United States. This build showcases significant enhancements to the game's core element—character customization—a feature highly anticipated by fans of the life simulation genre. Additionally, new features such as driving cars, constructing buildings, and editing cities have been introduced, offering a more enriched experience compared to the previous G-Star demo build.

On the third day of Gamescom, Krafton's dedicated inZOI booth, easily identified by the mascot cat Psycat hovering above, offered attendees the opportunity to experience the latest demo build. With approximately 40 minutes allocated for each session, visitors could explore the enhanced customization system to create their own ZOI characters and freely navigate the newly added areas and features.

The inZOI demo build begins with the creation of a personalized ZOI character. While the previous G-Star build offered a range of customization options, the latest version introduces a detailed editing feature within the character studio, allowing for even more precise and unique character designs.

As players adjust the angle of their ZOI’s face, markers for detailed editing appear on various facial features, enabling the creation of a truly one-of-a-kind character. Many attendees spent the majority of their demo time focused on this aspect. Jang Sung-hwan, the Art Director of inZOI's development unit, who was on-site assisting participants, explained, “Many visitors are dedicating most of their demo time to character customization. Since the detailed edits aren’t displayed as numerical values, it’s impossible for others to replicate your unique creation.”

In addition to the detailed facial editing, inZOI offers over 250 customization options, allowing players to modify various aspects of their ZOI character, including hairstyles, shirt sleeve lengths, nails, age, and body shape. While not available for hands-on testing during the demo, the build also features an AI-powered tool called AI Texture, which enables players to freely create custom clothing patterns.

Another standout feature in the latest build is the integration of inZOI's UGC (User-Generated Content) platform, Canvas. This platform allows players to upload and showcase their custom ZOI designs, share creative character appearances with the community, and explore other users' designs. Players can also give "likes" to creations they admire. Active participation on Canvas can lead to account ranking upgrades from Bronze to Diamond.

Jang Sung-hwan, Art Director of inZOI, revealed that in just two days following the opening of the Character Studio, over 100,000 creations were made and shared on the inZOI UGC platform, Canvas. The platform is easily accessible through various channels, with one of the most popular designs currently being a ZOI modeled after American singer-songwriter Billie Eilish, which has garnered over 4,000 likes.

Jang noted that recreating the appearance of popular celebrities or crafting unique designs that stand out can attract positive reactions from the community. He also emphasized that Canvas allows users to share not just character designs, but also elements like furniture designs and home interiors. Data created and uploaded to Canvas during Gamescom can be retained and used in the game once it launches in Early Access.

After sharing a custom ZOI design on Canvas, the demo allowed for exploration of the newly added, U.S.-inspired area Bliss Bay. The gameplay here involved using the provided initial capital to purchase empty lots and build homes, or entering pre-existing houses, similar to gameplay in the Do-Won area. Notably, several American-style furniture and building presets were added in this build, and players could purchase a car once they acquired a house with an attached garage or parking space.

The latest demo build of inZOI introduced a new feature allowing players to purchase and drive cars, marking a significant addition to the gameplay. While the driving mechanics still felt a bit unpolished, the ability to drive a sleek convertible from a first-person perspective offered a unique and enjoyable experience, especially compared to the previous reliance on public transportation for long-distance travel.

After acquiring a car, players could explore various locations within the Bliss Bay area, a new region inspired by Santa Monica Beach. The demo allowed for diverse interactions, such as gathering on the beach with other ZOI NPCs to play guitar or visiting an amusement park to ride a rollercoaster in first-person mode. Although not tested in the demo, the game seemingly offers darker outcomes, such as the possibility of dying in a car accident and returning as a ghost, depending on the player’s actions.

Exploring the different objects and observing the varied reactions of ZOIs in Bliss Bay was engaging, though the limited job options in this area were a drawback. Players could find jobs through the "Jobs" app on their in-game phone, but in Bliss Bay, only part-time positions like amusement park staff, surf shop attendant, or fast-food worker were available. While working as an amusement park employee, diligently cleaning tables and floors, it was hard not to feel a pang of guilt, especially if the ZOI had been originally created with an artistic temperament in mind.

Towards the end of the demo, the inZOI City Simulator feature was introduced, allowing players to assume the role of a god-like figure overseeing the entire city. This mode enables players to exercise omnipotent control, adjusting the weather, placing additional elements such as billboards, trees, decorations, and animals, and altering the overall environment of the city.

For example, using the environmental adjustment feature, the entire city's appearance can be transformed in an instant. Sliding the control toward a more dilapidated setting turns a vibrant, clean city into a post-apocalyptic landscape. This change doesn't just affect the city's aesthetics; it also influences the daily lives of the ZOIs, leading to more frequent accidents due to aging infrastructure. The feature also allows for creative freedom, such as filling a park with crocodiles or pandas.

The City Simulator is designed to appeal to players who enjoy wielding ultimate power, contrasting with those who prefer to observe their characters living ordinary lives. This feature is expected to be a highlight for gamers seeking the thrill of controlling every aspect of their virtual world.

The inZOI demo at Krafton's booth concluded here, showcasing a variety of content that couldn't be fully explored within the 40-minute session. For fans of life simulation games, inZOI offers an extraordinary level of detail in character customization, likely making it a standout title in the genre.

Kim Hyung-jun, the Producer of inZOI, expressed his hopes for the game: “We hope that through inZOI, players can realize the life they dream of while exploring various aspects of existence. Our goal is to offer a unique experience that goes beyond a typical game, allowing players to reflect on the meaning of life.” As he confidently conveyed his vision, there’s anticipation that inZOI will become a distinctive title, offering experiences that are difficult to encounter in real life.