InZOI: 10 Best Tips for Beginners

When you’re given free liberty over your in-game character to do with them whatever you want, it can quickly overwhelm even the most seasoned gamers. Sure, you can aimlessly wander around, talking to random people and picking up odd jobs. But it helps to have a goal in mind. That way, you can look back and marvel at how far you’ve come.

While there’s still a long way to go before InZOI can compete on par with The Sims, you’ll find quite intriguing features like the freedom to fully control your Zoi and drive around the city. Keep in mind that InZOI is still in Steam Early Access. Plenty more exciting features have been scheduled to be released in the coming weeks and months. 

Even then, the new updates will only add to the numerous features both newcomers and seasoned life sim gamers have to get used to in the new franchise. So, to help you make the most of your first playthrough, we’ve highlighted InZOI: best tips for beginners below.

10. Plan Your Schedule

The Schedule feature in InZOI is a daily planner that allows you to allocate tasks that your Zoi will complete without constantly watching over their shoulder. Make sure to set your own schedule, as InZOI will set an automatic one that can collide with your goals. 

The tasks can be as simple as doing chores or going to the beach, provided they contribute to achieving the socialization, cleanliness, or other goals you’ve set for your Zoi.

9. Mind Your Karma

Your Zoi will have a karma system, which is entirely free for you to manipulate. When you’re rude and mean to people, you’ll develop bad karma. But that’s okay, especially if you intend to start fights and commit crimes.

Alternatively, if you’re nice to people, your karma system will skyrocket on the positive side. This will allow you to get along with people and engage in more harmonious activities. 

Essentially, how high or low your karma is unlocks more interactions and activities that are, at the end of the day, great content to play through.

8. Learn the Controls

InZOI plays differently from The Sims. So, make sure to learn the controls to enjoy a smooth playthrough. Briefly, InZOI uses WASD on the keyboard to move your character, rather than The Sims does to move the camera. 

Press and hold Shift to run. Left click to interact with people and objects. Press and hold the left click on the mouse to move the camera, and the right to rotate the camera, and so on. 

There are more hotkeys for pausing, switching perspectives, entering Build Mode, and more actions, which you can learn from the tutorial and menu. 

7. Level Up at the Library

How do you level up your Zois, you ask? Well, you hit the books at the library. There are more ways to level up. But the library is the quickest. Simply read books on gardening, cooking, and more that grant your Zoi skill points. These skills can come in handy at work, hobbies, or even in improving your social skills.

Later on, you can train with specialized equipment and unlock new story paths and interactions.

6. Tend to Your Zois’ Needs and Emotions

Every Zoi has four prime needs: food, sleep, hygiene, and entertainment. Be sure to stay on top of each one, ensuring they remain at their optimum. You need to ensure your Zoi is well-fed and well-rested, so they have the energy to go about their day.

They need to take regular showers that influence their well-being, as well as engage in fun activities that keep them happy. This ties in with the need for Zois to socialize and build relationships, whether based on love, friendship, business, or family.

5. Clean Regularly

Besides your Zoi hitting the showers, they need to live in a clean house, too. It may come as a surprise to The Sims players, who only clean when Sims make a mess. But InZOI houses are often getting dusty. So, your Zoi has to clean daily using a broom, mop, or vacuum cleaner or hire a cleaning service.

4. Make Your City Your Own

You can either live in Korea-inspired Dowon or Southern California-inspired Bliss Bay. The former is more cultured with a lively atmosphere. Meanwhile, the latter provides a summer, beachside vibe. It’s a matter of personal preference.

However, you can modify the cities in the Edit Map menu, tinkering around with the appearance of trees, wildlife, weather, etc. Your modifications then influence your interactions, stories, and gameplay. 

You can take a step further and customize your city’s safety, civic awareness, social difficulty, emotional behavior, and more advanced settings. As you can imagine, these create a dynamic and evolving playthrough that feels fresh and engaging.

3. Don’t Be Afraid to Use the Money Cheat

The thing is, most of the things you do in InZOI will need money. Even your first house is restricted to your starting assets. But before you can learn how to make money, feel free to use the money cheat system. It’ll instantly give you 100,000 Meow, which comes in handy when paying the bills and engaging in the activities you crave.

2. Exercise Free Will

One of the most essential features, I feel, is Free Will. It gives Zois autonomy, so they don’t always have to wait for you to do stuff. They can eat when they get hungry and go to work automatically. Of course, there are some moments when you’ll still need to intervene. But overall, Free Will helps make the city feel more real and lively.

1. Customize to Your Fill

Fortunately, InZOI implements a deep customization system that gives you plenty of options to make the entire experience your own. It’s not just the city that can be tweaked and edited to match your taste. Your home, too, is free to decorate, as is nearly every aspect of your characters’ appearance and outfits.