InZoi Vs. The Sims 4: Which Life Sim Is Better?
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Phil Owen
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InZoi has finally made its debut in Early Access on Steam, and after considerable anticipation that Krafton’s life simulation will likely be the first real contender for The Sims in years, we’re obviously extremely eager to compare the two.
The reality is, undoubtedly, that any new life simulation will have a tough time going up against a title like The Sims 4, which has been around for a decade and has released numerous DLCs throughout that time. It’s simply not a fair matchup. Given that, a straightforward apples-to-apples comparison may not be the ideal way to assess this rivalry between a seasoned giant and a brave newcomer–that might not be fitting. Instead, let’s delve into what each game excels at. While InZoi does still come across as somewhat hollow compared to The Sims 4, Krafton’s title already possesses distinct features that EA might not be able to replicate anytime soon.
This is particularly evident in the realm of customization. However, simultaneously, InZoi is still quite behind The Sims in terms of simulation elements. Let’s explore these differences so we can better discern whether InZoi truly stands a chance as a competitor to The Sims moving forward.
InZoi is superior: extensive customization
First and foremost, character creation in InZoi seems roughly comparable to what’s available in The Sims 4–but then I discovered the real customization options, like the ability to create your own clothing items and upload images that you can use as textures for them. It turns out, you can do the same with any furniture you place in your home. InZoi indeed incorporates tools for crafting custom content, while achieving this kind of creativity in The Sims 4 necessitates third-party mod tools. It’s a tremendous feature that makes InZoi stand out in at least this one significant aspect.
The Sims is superior: It offers much more “stuff”
While you may not customize your clothing and furniture in The Sims 4 to the same depth as in InZoi, the need for such customization is less pressing due to the sheer amount of content available in The Sims 4. Each new expansion has added numerous clothing and build mode items to the base game, so even players who haven’t spent a cent on The Sims 4 have consistently received new usable items over the years. The abundance of content means that the lack of extensive, built-in customization isn’t a significant concern.
InZoi is superior: Everything is more detailed
It’s not just the customization–everything in InZoi is at least somewhat more detailed compared to their equivalents in The Sims 4, from minor aspects like how your Zoi changes into pajamas before bed, to more significant matters like the way your home accumulates dirt that needs regular cleaning. InZoi delves deep into the details in a surprisingly engaging manner.
The Sims is superior: a more user-friendly build mode
InZoi’s detailed mechanics extend to its build mode tools, which can be both an advantage and a drawback. Sure, there are some features that you can create with InZoi’s building tools that you cannot in The Sims 4, but I’m uncertain if it’s beneficial for most players, as even when you gain a bit of detail-oriented functionality, you sacrifice some ease of use in the process. The user interface in InZoi is somewhat cluttered and has a steeper learning curve. In contrast, in The Sims 4’s build mode, you can manipulate any object just by clicking on it, and it’s clear that although InZoi’s build mode is more in-depth, it’s more challenging to learn and utilize.
InZoi is superior: customization of your city
In The Sims, you typically have nearly limitless freedom to modify any lot in the game, but you cannot alter anything else–beyond the numerous worlds of The Sims 4, which are set in stone. InZoi takes a different approach, allowing players to alter their cities as much as they desire. You can utilize build mode wherever you wish, placing food trucks throughout the town so you’re never far from an emergency meal, for instance. And in the Edit City menu, you can…
presumably presumably generate global modifications, fancy decorating your village with (quiet) crocodiles or making it quite dirty–otherwise you might possibly presumably create your neighbors tidy mean or tidy pleasant. In The Sims 4, many of these tasks will remain unattainable even with modifications.
The Sims is superior: Pets
While InZoi allows you to incorporate stray dogs and cats into your city, you might not engage with them significantly, nor can you take any of them home with you since InZoi currently does not support pets. In contrast, The Sims 4 does allow for pets, but they are available only through paid expansions (Cats & Dogs and Horse Ranch).
InZoi is superior: the scheduler
Utilizing InZoi’s scheduling tool, you can set up all your appointments for the week, selecting where you will go and at what time, with your Zoi eagerly organizing everything. The scheduler is excellent for activities outside the home, so you can’t use it to fully automate your Zoi’s life, but it certainly simplifies managing large families, as it allows you to manually set up most of their actions in advance for those who prefer to plan ahead.
The Sims is superior: A far more cohesive simulation
The Sims 4 functions as a virtual representation of real life and possesses social dynamics similar to those we experience in society. For example, if you betray your partner, they could potentially become very upset and speak negatively about you to their friends, damaging your reputation and causing others to like you less. It serves as a funhouse mirror reflecting reality.
This is an aspect that InZoi lacks significantly–a meaningful sense of cause and effect.