Avakin Life Review (PC, iOS, and Android)

Having come out in December 2013, you're likely to have already played Avakin Life. However, the 3D life simulation game has gone through a lot of changes since, chief among them the recent launch on PC platforms, on August 13, 2025. Now, you can not only play the game on mobile but also on more powerful PC machines. 

Still, Lockwood Publishing has launched the game into Steam Early Access, meaning you can still put forward changes you'd like to see in the final launch. And with the disheartening mixed reviews so far, I suspect you'll have plenty of suggestions for additions or changes. 

Yet, you'll want to be sure about whether spending time in the game is right for you. And that's precisely what we're here for: to expound on all you can expect, including the pros and cons, via our Avakin Life review below.

Double Life

Avakin Life is more of a social interaction game than it is a life simulator. Or at least that's what it's been famous for over the years. Most especially during the COVID lockdown period, when people would meet with their real-life friends in the game, and resume their usual hobbies. 

You can become anyone you want, designing and customizing the character in your own style. And then proceed to meet up with friends and online players, hanging out in public spaces, partying together, and going on lots of adventures by the beach, on the rooftop, and so on. 

Granted, Avakin Life offered very little in the way of actual gaming, save for mini side quests. But the hangouts and dance parties were more than enough to attract millions of players worldwide. You'd join the game, meet strangers who become longtime friends. What more can you ask for?

Dressed to Kill

Avakin Life is similar to other life simulation games you might have played before: The Sims, Second Life, InZOI, etc. However, one of the ways it stands out above the rest is the wealth of customization options available to you. Through the character creation and customization tool, you can come up with an avatar who's unique, stylish, and authentic to you. From the hairstyle to the facial structure and body, you can tweak nearly every aspect of your avatar's physicality, and come up with lookalikes to celebrities, friends, neighbors, you… 

But the most fun comes in the fashion choices. Avakin Life has a whopping variety of clothes, headbands, hair color, tattoos, prints, shoes, and more. And if you're feeling uninspired, you can always check out the fashion sense of other players, often coming up with fun and creative ways of self-expression. 

There's no limit to how many styles you can create, with the option to unlock more clothes and costumes via the in-game currency (or real money). And once you have a complete look, you can save it and switch to a different look later. Fashion is always changing, of course, and for the most part, Avakin Life has kept its wardrobe current and packed to the brim.

Dream Home

Next is choosing your dream home, which you buy with in-game currency. You're free to decide where you'd like to live on the map, with a hot brew of cool spots to reside. Personalizing your dream home is always at the heart of life simulation games, and Avakin Life has been pretty creative about the decoration options. The more houses, apartments, or even mansions you buy, the more choices you have to fix them up however you want. You can choose from different wallpapers and floors, with more options unlocking down the road. 

Quite important is the freedom to design your own clothes and houses. Using the Avacraft tool, you can create new clothes, modifying their colors and materials. There's an option for using templates. Alternatively, AI to generate fresh designs. Using the Buildly Creator Kit, you can build your dream home, designing the exterior and interior spaces. You can then buy furniture and decor pieces, tapping into your inner creativity and personal style. 

Catch Up with Friends

With the nitty-gritty design and customization of your character and home done, you can now indulge in parties and events of your choice. You join servers to connect, interact, and explore Avakin Life's virtual world together. 

These are your public chat rooms, where you build friendships and come up with ideas to pass the time. You can head to the shopping malls for some impulse buying adventures or relax with one another at the theme parks. If you'd like a sidebar with a character you fancy, you can chat to them privately, flirt, and even date. 

This is the primary focus of Avakin Life: to bring strangers together in one space, to socialize and make friends, to enjoy events, and explore Avakin Life's world together. There's always something fun happening every day, whether an activity or event, connecting players from all around the world.

Rise and Fall of Avakin Life

The whole setup has been pretty fun for a while, with strangers becoming friends and engaging in the same activities and events on even a daily basis. You'd have your crew that you like to hang out with, just like in real life, and connect. 

During the COVID lockdown period, especially, Avakin Life helped maintain social normalcy for many players. It was a way to keep in touch while still enjoying leisurely hobbies and partying together. With the recent launch of Avakin Life on PC platforms, you'd expect the player base to go up. 

But unfortunately, Avakin Life has suffered a concerning dip in player base. What was once a community-driven game has become sparse in numbers. You'd log in to a server and be the only one active. Popular hangout spots have become ghost towns, and no one seems interested in socializing anymore. But why? What's changed?

Money Speaks

Perhaps the biggest reason Avakin Life players have reduced is the monetization model. Previously, the in-game currency was lenient. Sure, you'd play the game for free, and unpack mysteries and complete quests to earn rewards and in-game currency. The more you level up, the more in-game currency you earn, which then allows you to buy clothes, furniture, decorations, and more. The monetization model was fair enough to essentially unlock anything you want at affordable prices. 

Now, Lockwood Publishing has locked most items and events behind a paywall. Sure, you can still grind the Avacoins in-game currency. However, items are so much more expensive right now; obnoxiously expensive, it makes no sense to chase after them.

Not only that, but Lockwood Publishing has added more monetization options, including VIP and crowns. VIP subscriptions cost real money, depending on the tier. And they offer exclusive rewards and perks like daily Avacoins and Crowns. It even gives you access to the VIP lounge, where more exclusive items and badges are available. 

Crowns, on the other hand, are a secondary in-game currency, which you must buy with real money. And well, essentially everything important, including items and clothes, now costs Crowns. Lockwood Publishing's new focus is on extracting money from players, given that you can't practically enjoy the game without spending money. 

Perhaps it's the misguided priorities that have also prompted players to express the lack of innovation in the gameplay. Many of the activities and events you enjoy in Avakin Life have been present from the start. You'll find new clothes and items, tied to Crowns. But as far as new things to do, as in The Sims, for instance, where you can launch careers and run businesses, that remains a wishful dream for Avakin Life fans.

Verdict

Avakin Life is pretty grand, especially with its thousands of customization options. Whether it's a real-life character or entirely out of the blue, you can essentially create and design them using Avakin Life's character creation tool. Changing up the makeup, hairstyles, and clothes is so much fun, especially when they accurately capture your style and taste. 

And an even finer touch is the addition of animations, where you can choose to walk around like a zombie, strut like a model, and so much more. Further, Avakin Life has remained current, constantly updating its fashion trends and wardrobe choices. Every week, new styles are added, which spell out your style to the nitty-gritty hats and rings. And still, you can design your own clothes via the AI design tool. Equally, dream homes are within arm's reach, thanks to different locations, themed furniture, and tons of decorations. 

Lots of gamers have met strangers in Avakin Life who became friends, whether it's hosting parties at your place, setting up picnics, night outs, or more hangouts. Often, friends end up doing the same activities, as if in real life, sharing hobbies and adventures. And given the weekly updates, you frequently have new events and rewards to collect. 

As much as the environmental variety and things to do are limitless, Avakin Life has recently lost its momentum. Fewer players are logging into the game for various reasons, including toxicity in the chat rooms, heavy sexual content, and distasteful consumerism. All of the negative feedback has been relayed to Avakin Life's developers. The question is, will they listen to the consumers? Will Avakin Life regain its former glory? Only time will tell.