Inzoi review: A breath of fresh air for life sims on the Mac

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Life simulators are among the longest-lived and most-played game genres and hardly any other title has dominated the field like The Sims. Game developer Krafton wants to set new sim standards with Inzoi with a realistic, open world, smart AI, in-depth design options, and lots of customization. Particularly noteworthy is that Inzoi surprises with a Mac release and almost an equal to the PC version.

In this review, I’ll examine whether Inzoi is the creative new beginning that many Sims fans are hoping for, and how the ambitious project performs on macOS in everyday life.

Gameplay and features: Freedom, simulation, drama

The heart of Inzoi lies in an open, detailed city in which digital life follows its own rules. Compared to established representatives of the genre, Inzoi feels much more “alive” thanks to its real-time world, dynamic day-night rhythm, realistic road traffic, and a persistently simulated neighborhood. The controls are direct, the menus are streamlined, and after just a few minutes, you can immerse yourself in the management of your character(s), houses, everyday problems, and career paths.

The character-specific progression system is a highlight. Motivation, personality, career choice, friends–everything influences events, and social life is much easier to feel than with other sim games. Inzoi emphasises variety with surprising events, relationship dynamics, and even long-term developments: characters do not simply age, but change their preferences, react differently to failures, and relationships slowly degrade, or become “historically” anchored in the long term.

In the building and furnishing section, Inzoi combines intuitive drag-and-drop controls with a surprising attention to detail: furniture, architecture, colors–everything comes to life and can be changed immediately without a great deal of menu complexity. The AI is already solid in the Early Access version and also in the Mac release. Although there are occasional minor errors (such as misleading NPCs, redoubts, or occasionally broken routines), the level of “suitability for everyday use” is already remarkable compared to other Early Access launches. The game world never feels sterile, but rather chaotic–like in a real city.

System requirements

System requirements:
Krafton recommends at least macOS Sonoma, an M2 chip, 16 GB RAM and an SSD for smooth gameplay on the Mac. For the highest details and larger game worlds, an M2 Pro or M3 Pro is clearly recommended.

On an M2 or M3 MacBook Pro, the game runs largely smoothly in 1080p or 1440p with high to very high graphics settings; the typical frame rates are between a fluid 60 and 90 fps, depending on the settings and scene density. With HDR and ray tracing, lighting moods and weather effects in particular can be enjoyed particularly realistically thanks to Metal 3 and the Apple-optimised engine.

On a MacBook Air with M2, you should reduce the detail levels, but even then, as long as there are no huge households or “full extension” houses in the game, you will at least get a playable title. Compatibility with gamepads and mice is generally flawless, and drag-and-drop mechanics (e.g., moving furniture) also work well with the trackpad.

In contrast to many of its competitors, Krafton is already using the latest engine and prompt updates for the Mac. The Mac version is available just a few weeks after the Early Access version for Windows, with all the important features, updates, and without having to wait months for bug fixes. Some users report rare crashes after major patches, but overall, the Mac release is stable, with clear support for Apple Silicon architecture. No differences were found in the AI logic, events, or the most important gameplay elements between Mac and PC during testing.

The customizing potential is huge from day one. There are already ready-made additional skins, new houses, and the first community mods. As expected, Mac integration remains somewhat more conservative in modding, but is explicitly supported by Krafton according to the roadmap.

What makes Inzoi special is the much more dynamic social life compared to Sims 4. Actions quickly develop chain reactions, and decisions made or relationships developed often only become comprehensible later. The story mode brings refreshing conflicts and gives the otherwise free simulation a twist that holds real surprises even for experienced Sims players.

Inzoi presents itself graphically modern and smooth, but remains clearly legible in the comic scenario and pleasantly undemanding for beginners. One particularly positive aspect is that details such as facial expressions, body language, and everyday objects are lovingly designed without overloading the style. The soundscape and music are convincing with appropriate moods–no comparison to the first Sims offshoots, the soundtrack remains unobtrusive, and the sound effects contribute to the immersion.

The controls on the Mac are intuitive, easy to learn, even for simulation newcomers, and not prone to errors. A big plus: even larger households or events can be controlled very efficiently via quick access and overlays that can be displayed, which makes Inzoi stand out from many other titles, especially on the Mac.

Should you buy Inzoi?

Inzoi does a lot of things right that established series have missed: the seamless transition between city, home, and everyday life, the motivating story engine, the high level of customization, and the convincing, future-proof technical architecture shows what a modern simulation game can look like on all platforms.

For Mac users, it is finally a PC hit that is being released almost simultaneously and with a full feature list, and which was rightly presented prominently by Apple as a showcase. The latest hardware is cleverly utilized, loading times and controls are perfect. There are bugs, but they are hardly annoying.

Anyone who likes The Sims or is simply looking for more freedom and closeness to everyday life should definitely give Inzoi a try. Krafton delivers a real statement here–the first lifestyle game that really brings Mac gaming on a par with Windows in 2025.

See our round up of the Best A-list Mac games you can play.

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