Ghosts

Ghosts in inZOI introduce a supernatural twist to the game's otherwise realistic life simulation. While core gameplay focuses on living Zois, these spectral beings occasionally appear under specific conditions, offering unique story moments and interactions. The system connects closely with karma, shaping each Zoi’s fate in both life and death.

Karma-Based Approach

In inZOI, each action a Zoi takes, whether benevolent or mischievous, contributes to its karma tally. Upon death, a karma evaluation determines a Zoi’s next step:

• Transition to the Afterlife: A Zoi with sufficiently high positive karma seamlessly moves on to the afterlife.
• Becoming a Ghost: A Zoi with insufficient karma lingers in the living world as a ghost. In this spectral form, it may continue earning or losing karma, attempting to redeem itself enough to pass on.

Recent developer interviews reveal an additional, more dramatic implication of the karma system: if too many Zois become ghosts, new Zois cannot be born and families cannot form, effectively creating a ghost town. Players are thus responsible for maintaining reasonable karma levels among their Zois to avoid overpopulating their city with restless spirits.

Ghost Encounters & Gameplay

During Early Access, ghost appearances are intentionally limited. Players cannot take direct control of ghosts but may witness them at specific times or under certain conditions. These encounters—whether eerie, emotional, or even humorous—reflect each ghost’s unresolved issues and personality traits from life.

Planned Features

The development team plans to expand ghost-related content after Early Access, adding depth without overshadowing core life simulation.

• Ghost Appearance Rate Slider: Control how frequently ghosts appear, from none at all to a city overrun by spirits. Higher settings make it more challenging to help ghosts earn enough karma to move on.
• Atmospheric Encounters: Expect more startling and unsettling appearances—although some moments could be lighthearted. Living Zois can also experience Lingering Fear if caught off-guard by a ghost.
• Emotional Reunions: Not every encounter will be frightening; ghosts may reunite with loved ones for poignant or dramatic moments.
• Ghost Scholars: New jobs like clairvoyants could enable Zois to sense and communicate with ghosts more effectively.
• Traits Carry Over: Ghosts retain the personality traits they had in life. A gentle Zoi remains calm, while a bully becomes a mischievous or frightening spirit.
• Special Ghost Tasks: Ghost-only objectives provide supernatural storylines for players seeking more fantasy elements.
• Cultural Influences: Dowon’s ghosts will incorporate Korean folklore, adding regional flavor and variety to each location.

Ghost Town Scenario

If a large number of Zois die with poor karma, their spirits may accumulate, halting new births and family formations in the city. This mechanic can result in a literal ghost town, forcing players to address rampant negative karma and work toward freeing the spirits. It adds strategic depth to everyday interactions: even minor negative behaviors, like constantly disturbing other Zois, can have lasting consequences for the entire city.

Balancing Realism and Fantasy

inZOI strives for a realistic life simulation while embracing fantasy through its ghost mechanics. These spectral encounters can be haunting, poignant, or surprisingly comedic, offering a break from everyday routines. The developers note that these features—and the karma system—are not meant to enforce only “good” actions, but rather encourage diverse player-driven stories and moral nuances.

References

• PC Gamer Magazine – Interview with Hyungjun Kim, Game Director of inZOI, discussing the ghost and karma systems.
• inZOI Developer Diaries/Discord Updates