Reality with control

Simulators have confidently moved beyond the narrowly specialized genres. Today, they are not just accurate imitations of professions or systems, but full-fledged game worlds with a high degree of involvement. The genre has long become a field for experimentation, where realism, creativity, and strategic thinking are combined. The TOP 10 PC simulators provide a vivid snapshot of the industry, from conquering the skies and depths to building cities and managing your own farm.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 – a visual and physical symphony of the sky

The TOP 10 simulators on PC opens a project that has ceased to be just a game. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 has turned into the most accurate simulation of aviation space. Each aircraft reproduces real characteristics: speed of ascent, inertia when descending, weight coefficients when changing fuel and load. Even the position of the center of mass plays a role. Management requires knowledge of navigation, instrument reading, understanding of autopilot and weather risks. When flying long distances, the system takes into account the radius of action, fuel consumption, altitude of the echelon and weather changes in real time.

Euro Truck Simulator 2 – a rhythm and route simulator

The next position in the TOP 10 PC simulators belongs to Euro Truck Simulator 2. Here, trucking takes on an almost philosophical depth. Driving a truck becomes a series of decisions: when to stop, how to plan the route, which roads to trust, and how to anticipate weather traps. The game values regularity and precision over speed. The nighttime highway with headlights in the fog, rain, crosswinds, and challenging interchanges create a realistic driving experience.

Route mechanics

Each delivery is a separate story. Some cargo requires special storage conditions: temperature, vibration level, and humidity. The driver must monitor fuel consumption, find the best prices at gas stations, repair equipment, and expand the fleet. Managing the company is a separate level: hiring employees, improving skills, and opening offices across Europe. The routes pass through real cities: Prague, Berlin, Lyon, and Venice.

Cities: Skylines 2 – Urban Planning Realism with a Focus on Logic

Cities: Skylines 2 provides tools for building a complex urban system, where each building, road, and service affects other components. The player doesn’t just place objects; they design a cohesive structure, maintaining a balance between citizens’ needs and budget constraints. Any change in zoning triggers a chain reaction, affecting traffic patterns, tax growth/decline, and population migration.

A living ecosystem

The city grows not according to a template, but according to the rules of supply and demand. If businesses open in an area, residents will move there. If transportation is not sufficient, businesses will leave. Management requires tracking more than 30 indicators, including unemployment, crime, pollution, education, wealth, traffic, and satisfaction levels. The system simulates not only statistics, but also the individual needs of each resident, such as someone seeking a job closer to home or someone moving due to noise levels.

Farming Simulator 22 – Farming Simulation as a Business Model

In the list of TOP 10 PC simulators, Farming Simulator 22 occupies the niche of realistic agricultural management. Instead of an idyllic village, the game offers a professional approach to farming. The player plans seasonal activities, selects crops based on climate, market prices, and available machinery. Weather conditions play a crucial role, as rain affects the speed of harvesting, while drought affects crop yields.

Field Engineering

The technical component is a separate layer of gameplay. The player controls a fleet of machines: tractors, seeders, sprayers, trailers, and sorting lines. The player adjusts the depth of plowing, the width of coverage, and the type of sprayer. If the equipment is not properly adjusted, it can result in a loss of yield, increased fuel consumption, or equipment failure.

Kerbal Space Program – Science and Failures Under User Control

The list of TOP 10 PC simulators includes Kerbal Space Program as an example of game design that combines humor, physics, and engineering precision. In this game, the player takes on the role of an aerospace agency, starting from scratch and gradually mastering the challenges of satellite launches, manned missions, and interplanetary travel. Each stage requires precise calculations, including the mass of the spacecraft, engine thrust, air resistance, and fuel reserves, all of which are governed by the laws of real-world ballistics.

Not only science, but also humor.

Despite the engineering seriousness, the user maintains balance through a unique style. The small green Kerbals astronauts express emotions during disasters and triumphs. When overloaded, their eyes bulge; when falling, they scream in panic; and when landing successfully, they exclaim in delight.

The Sims 4 is a social strategy game with improvisation elements

The Sims 4 is the most human and at the same time the most ironic game in the genre. The player constructs virtual lives, from the appearance and character of the characters to the architecture of the house and the daily schedule. Each Sim is a complete personality with emotions, desires, fears, weaknesses, and habits. The world reacts to actions: arguing leads to a breakup, friendship leads to shared projects, and romance leads to children. Even random actions affect the scenario: forgetting to eat breakfast leads to hunger, hunger leads to aggression, aggression leads to conflict, and conflict leads to dismissal. This is the depth of simulation — every decision has consequences, often unpredictable.

Tropico 6 – Island-Scale Politics and Economics

The TOP 10 PC simulators include Tropico 6, which is an example of management satire with a focus on political and economic mechanics. The player takes control of an archipelago state, where they have complete control over finances, the military, resources, public sentiment, and diplomacy. This is not just a city-building simulator, but a comprehensive model of political governance.

Micromanagement in action

The Tropico 6 system is built on chains of influence. For example, a farm produces sugar, which is processed by a rum factory, which exports its products through a port built with tax funds collected from local shops. One disruption in the chain, and the economy collapses. This level of detail requires precise management of resources, human flows, and budgets.

Subnautica – Survival in a Different Dimension

The TOP 10 PC simulators include Subnautica, which is an exception to the usual approach to simulation. There are no tractors, skyscrapers, or offices here — only the ocean, silence, and alien depths. The game takes you into a world of total uncertainty, where a spaceship has crashed on a planet completely covered in water. There is no compass, map, or interface — only visual cues, sounds, the color of the water, and the innate instinct for survival.

Organic gameplay

Survival begins with a capsule and empty hands. The task is to obtain oxygen, find water, and build a shelter. All tools, from flippers to submarines, are crafted from the materials obtained. There are no “loot boxes” or inventories with pre-made resources; it’s all about exploration, processing, and production.

RimWorld is a simulation of the human psyche on the verge of

A psychologically rich strategic game that creates not just a base, but a story. RimWorld uses a unique event generator called the “AI Storyteller.” This is not a scripted scenario or randomness. The algorithm analyzes the current situation in the colony, including resources, health, morale, temperature, and relationships, and selects events that can create an emotional impact. For example, a storm may break out somewhere. Raiders may arrive at another location. Or, an air conditioner may break down, triggering a chain reaction.

House Flipper — Renovation as a Genre

The TOP 10 PC simulators are completed by a game that does not offer grandiose scale, but immerses in a very specific process – the purchase, repair and resale of housing. House Flipper builds the game cycle on the micro-management of construction and design tasks, turning each stage of repair into a full-fledged mechanics.

The user analyzes the market, chooses a run-down room, makes an estimate, buys materials and starts to restore. The economic model takes into account costs, profits, the needs of potential buyers. The sale depends not only on the quality of the finish, but also on the color of the walls, the location of the bathroom, and even the model of the sink.

Top 10 PC Simulators: A Reflection of a Genre Without Borders

The simulation genre is no longer a niche. Today, it encompasses not only drivers and farmers, but also mayors, repairmen, astronauts, colonists, and even architects of human destinies. The top 10 PC simulation games demonstrate how precise mechanics, attention to detail, and an organic balance between realism and entertainment create a deep and multi-layered gaming experience.

2025 was marked by the release of the long-awaited demo of inZOI, an ambitious life simulator developed on the Unreal Engine 5. The release provided users with the opportunity to test the key features of the project before the launch of early access. The full-fledged character editor and house-building module showcased a high level of graphics, flexible interaction, and a focus on creating interesting user content.

Graphics, mechanics, and detail: immersing yourself in the gameplay

The visual performance immediately established itself as a new standard in the genre. Photorealistic skin, smooth animation, high-detail objects, and adaptive lighting showcased the project’s ambitions. The gameplay transitioned into an interactive cinematic experience, allowing for real-time control of emotions and facial expressions. Each scene in the editor allowed for manual customization of facial expressions and eye movements, going beyond just physical appearance. The physics of objects went beyond the ordinary, with hairstyles reacting to wind, clothing adapting to body positions, and shadows forming naturally. The inZOI demo set a new visual standard for life simulators.

Character Editor: ultra-precise customization

The editor’s toolkit competes with a full-fledged appearance designer. The user controls the shape of the face, the distance between the eyes, the curve of the nose, the skin tone, the hair texture, and even the mobility of the joints. The wardrobe includes not only basic clothing but also the ability to combine styles and brands. The character designer allows you to set the gait, facial expressions, voice tone, and favorite actions.

Each option retains contextual dependencies: if you choose a sporty build, the animation of movement will change, the gait will become heavier, and the reactions will become more aggressive. The inZOI demo provided a tool for not just customizing the appearance, but for recreating the character through visuals.

House construction: scale and depth

The construction system has offered an architectural editor. The inZOI demo revealed a whole module where it is possible to manage the layout, design, facades, decoration, furniture arrangement, lighting and landscape. Each room can be customized individually: from the drawing of walls to the choice of floor texture.

Placement of windows, electrical wiring, water supply, ceiling height – everything is included. Realism is achieved through physically correct interaction of materials: wood reflects light differently than concrete, curtains react to the wind from the street. The test format allowed us to create not just an interior, but a full-fledged living space that responds to weather and time conditions.

System requirements and optimization

Despite its visual power, inZOI showed good performance. On a configuration with an RTX 3060 and a Ryzen 5 5600X processor, the system achieved a stable 60 FPS at 2K resolution with high settings. The developers implemented DLSS 3, multi-threading support, and on-demand asset loading. This allowed for smooth gameplay even with high levels of detail and active editing.

Community engagement: Twitch, Steam, and live streaming culture

The release of the inZOI demo was accompanied by a large-scale media launch in the form of live broadcasts and integration into the digital streaming ecosystem. Major gaming channels on Twitch immediately included the project in their broadcast schedules, and the developers organized a demonstration of the game’s features on Steam, revealing key aspects of the character editor and building mechanics.

On the day of the premiere, the number of active viewers exceeded 43,000, with peak activity occurring during the demonstration of flexible facial expression customization. Commentators praised the level of facial detail and the organic animation. The scenes of character creation with individual walking, gestures, and clothing that visually separated the players from each other were particularly striking in the broadcasts.

On the Steam platform, the developers included a block of answers in the live stream. The questions were related to in-game scenarios, possible mod support, the addition of pets, voice acting tools, and future modes. The inZOI demo attracted the attention of not only gamers but also content creators. A streamer with an audience of 200,000 subscribers conducted a marathon stream featuring character editing and the interior of a country house, which garnered 120,000 views in 36 hours. YouTube bloggers began to massively publish videos with gameplay, builds, and scenes of the “life” of their heroes.

A separate community appeared on Reddit for sharing house templates, memes, and bug reports. More than 18,000 people registered in the developers’ Discord channel in the first week. The inZOI demo included powerful viral mechanics through the editor’s spectacle, as well as convenient integration with OBS and Nvidia Broadcast, which allowed authors to live stream without delays and loss of quality.

New Standards in the Genre: A Comparison with The Sims

The comparison of inZOI with The Sims has become inevitable. The gaming industry has long defined The Sims as the standard for life simulators, but the test version of the new game has changed the rules. The demo version of inZOI has abandoned scripted reactions. Characters react to situations in a contextual manner. If a character is in a brightly lit room and hears a loud sound, they will instinctively turn their head and squint. If the temperature drops, the character will shiver, adjust their clothing, and speed up their steps. These details are not present in The Sims, where each emotion is triggered manually by the player.

The emotion expression system in the demo version of inZOI is based on synthesis rather than selection. There is no need to choose between “smile 3” and “angry 2” – characters react to their environment, weather, light, sounds, and other players. The house editor also demonstrates a significant difference. While in The Sims, rooms are designed according to a predefined grid, in inZOI, each object can be freely rotated, scaled, and deformed. Users can create slanted walls, asymmetrical ceilings, and precise lighting fixtures.

Procedural generation of behavior is another key difference. A character with an introverted personality and an artistic profile will avoid crowds, preferring solitary activities such as drawing, listening to music, and meditating. On the other hand, a sociable character is more likely to engage in dialogue, make jokes, and express emotions.

Project prospects

A full-fledged release will appear in the middle of 2025 with multiplayer, economy, career mode and quest system.

The inZOI demo took the life simulation genre to a qualitatively new level. A high visual bar, an accurate character editor, a flexible architectural system and advanced interaction mechanics formed a new standard in the genre. The project demonstrated a focus not only on gamers, but also on those who create — designers, visualizers, content makers. The launch was a success, and interest in the full-length release continues to grow.

The Korean life simulator inZOI has caused a noticeable stir even before the official release date was announced. The project promises to become a new milestone in the life modulator genre, combining modern graphics technologies and deep gameplay. The developers recently revealed the system requirements for inZOI, providing detailed information about the PC specifications that gamers will need to comfortably immerse themselves in the virtual world.

Minimum system requirements inZOI: what do you need to run it comfortably?

Players will need an Intel Core i5-10400 processor or an AMD Ryzen 5 3600 processor with similar power. As for RAM (Random Access Memory), the minimum requirement is 16 GB of DDR4 RAM. For graphics processing, the developers recommend an NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super or AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT graphics card, each with at least 6 GB of video memory.

Additionally, an SSD with a minimum capacity of 100 GB is required. It is not recommended to use traditional HDD disks for installing the simulator, as the minimum requirements include fast loading times and smooth operation without delays when switching between locations.

Recommended System Requirements inZOI: The Ultimate Gaming Experience

Those who want to experience all the visual features of the project will need more powerful components. The recommended settings include an Intel Core i7-12700K or AMD Ryzen 7 7700X processor. The ideal configuration for RAM is 32 GB of DDR5, which will ensure the best smoothness and speed of the modulator.

For ultra-high graphics settings, you will need an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 or an equivalent AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT graphics card. These graphics cards have the necessary amount of video memory (at least 10-12 GB) to work with 4K resolution and ray tracing enabled.

It is also necessary to have an SSD drive with at least 150 GB of storage space and a high-speed internet connection for stable content updates and synchronization with the game servers. With these configurations, the game will run smoothly at maximum graphics settings in 4K resolution, maintaining a stable 60 FPS.

inZOI Life Simulator Graphics: Are the High System Requirements Justified?

The game’s graphical performance has become a key factor that has immediately caught the attention of the gaming community worldwide. Since its initial demonstration at the G-Star 2024 conference, the Korean life simulator has received dozens of positive reviews for its detailed graphics and realistic visual effects. The developers have taken great care in implementing every aspect of the game, which has resulted in the final PC requirements.

The level of detail of the characters

Each character is drawn with an accuracy that was previously unavailable in similar projects. For example, the characters were created using 3D scanning technology from Artec Eva. The characters’ appearance is based on real people, and the textures are up to 8K in resolution, which requires a graphics card like the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 or higher.

The developers have put a lot of effort into the facial details:

1. Realistic facial expressions: Characters’ emotions naturally change depending on what is happening in the game, conveying the mood and state of the character without words.

2. Hair and skin rendering: NVIDIA HairWorks technology provides dynamic hair movement based on wind or character movements. At close range, even minor skin imperfections, fatigue marks, and wrinkles are visible.

Effects and lighting

One of the reasons why inZOI’s system requirements are so high is its realistic lighting and weather effects system. The developers have applied Ray Tracing technology, so that the backlight and shadows repeat the behavior of natural light. For example, the time of day in the game changes gradually: the sun is soft and muted in the morning, it becomes sharper in the afternoon, and in the evening it acquires a warm, golden hue. The weather also has a similar effect — during rain or snow, reflections become blurred.

inZOI game graphics modes: customization for every taste and hardware capability

The Korean life simulator inZOI allows the player to choose from several preset graphics levels, each with its own minimum and recommended system requirements:

1. Ultra (4K, 60+ FPS): Intel Core i7-13700K processor, 32 GB of RAM, RTX 4080 graphics card (16 GB), and at least 1 TB of NVMe SSD.

2. “High” (1440p, 60 FPS): Intel Core i5-12600K processor, 32 GB of RAM, RTX 3080 or equivalent AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT graphics card.

3. “Average” (1080p, 60 FPS): Intel Core i5-12600K processor, NVIDIA RTX 3060 graphics card, 16 GB of RAM.

How to Prepare for a Release: Practical Tips

Realizing that the system requirements for inZOI are quite serious, the developers recommend upgrading your components in advance if you want to experience the game at its best. For example, purchasing an RTX 3080-level graphics card or a next-generation processor like the Intel Core i7-12700K can help you avoid performance issues on release day. It’s also important to consider the speed of your storage device and the quality of your internet connection. Using a high-speed NVMe SSD can reduce the game’s loading time from 20-30 seconds to just 3-5 seconds.

inZOI Release Date and Expected Price

The game’s release date is set for November 2025. The developers plan to release the project simultaneously in all regions. The pricing policy will follow the standards of AAA concepts. The base version of inZOI is estimated to cost 3,990 rubles at the start of sales, while the extended edition with additional content is expected to cost around 4,990 rubles.

Conclusion

Despite the high system requirements for PCs, inZOI can already be considered one of the most anticipated new releases of 2025 in the life simulation genre. The graphics, gameplay, and realism of the characters are expected to exceed the expectations of even the most discerning players. It is important to prepare for the release of the project in advance, taking into account the minimum and recommended system requirements stated by the developers of inZOI.

Games in the genre of urban planning simulators have always attracted the attention of fans of strategy and architectural planning. The developers from Colossal Order and the publisher Paradox Interactive continue to develop this concept, creating Cities: Skylines 3 – the most ambitious and technologically advanced part of the series.

The continuation of the popular project offers advanced construction mechanics, improved simulation of urban infrastructure and new management tools. Unlike previous parts, the third release focuses on environmental issues, a deeper economic system and advanced customization options. How Cities: Skylines 3 develops the ideas of its predecessors, what innovations have been introduced, and whether we can expect a breakthrough in the genre — a detailed analysis will reveal all the important aspects.

The main innovations of the Cities: Skylines 3 simulator

The developers of Colossal Order promise global changes that affect gameplay and the depth of simulation. Key features include:

1. A realistic economy. The city’s budget now depends not only on taxes but also on investments, trade, infrastructure development, and external economic factors.
2. Advanced transport management. The new traffic system takes into account traffic density, accidents, public transport, and even pedestrian behavior.
3. Weather conditions and their impact. Rain, snowfall, heat, and storms are now having a real impact on the city’s life.
4. In-depth study of zoning. Unlike previous parts, each zone (residential, commercial, industrial, and business districts) now has more detailed parameters, including pollution levels, transportation accessibility, and population standards of living.
5. Social policy and ecology. Citizens are now more actively responding to the mayor’s decisions, participating in city elections, and demanding sustainable development of the metropolis.

Gameplay: How much more difficult and interesting it is to manage a city

The gameplay structure is based on the gradual development of a settlement, from a small village to a huge metropolis. Cities: Skylines now requires players to consider various factors that affect the growth and stability of a city. The developers have redesigned the interface and control mechanics, making the gameplay more user-friendly.

Key controls:

1. Infrastructure development involves the proper design of roads, transportation hubs, pedestrian zones, and parks.
2. Energy and utilities are a balance between traditional energy sources and renewable resources.
3. Housing and commercial real estate are aimed at creating a comfortable environment for citizens and developing the business sector.
4. The transportation network includes public transportation, bike lanes, highways, and railway lines.

Comparing Cities: Skylines 3 and SimCity: What are the key differences?

Urban planning simulators have always been of great interest to players who enjoy strategic planning and economic management. The development of the genre has led to the creation of numerous projects, but Cities: Skylines and SimCity remain the two most significant series that have set the standards for the entire industry. Cities: Skylines 3 continues the concept, while projects under the second brand have gradually faded into the background since the controversial release in 2013.

SimCity initially offered a city-building system based on clearly defined rules, zoning restrictions, and rigid resource management mechanics. The gameplay revolved around simple algorithms that simulated urban development, focusing on visual appeal and user-friendliness. In contrast, Cities: Skylines 3 offers unlimited customization options, a more flexible economic system, and enhanced control over transportation hubs. The developers at Colossal Order have implemented an advanced technology where each resident has an individual route, work schedule, needs, and reactions to changes in the infrastructure.

The development of transport logistics has become one of the main factors that distinguish Cities: Skylines 3 from older parts of the SimCity simulator. In Electronic Arts’ projects, the movement routes of citizens were rigidly scripted, which often led to unnatural behavior of the population. For example, residents could move endlessly on the same roads, creating artificial traffic jams and leading to illogical collapses of the road network. In CS 3, the transportation system uses a realistic flow calculation algorithm, where each vehicle, pedestrian, or bus passenger takes into account the actual road conditions, chooses the optimal routes, and reacts to changes in traffic.

Another key difference between the two concepts is the feedback from the residents. In SimCity, the interaction with the population was limited to simple complaint or request windows, which provided only a superficial understanding of the city’s needs. However, in the new version of Cities: Skylines 3, the behavior of citizens dynamically changes based on the decisions made, the standard of living, tax policies, and the quality of the city’s infrastructure.

The financial model of the game has also undergone significant changes. While SimCity was based on a rigid tax management system, where basic parameters were adjusted through simple rate settings, Cities: Skylines 3 features a complex revenue and expenditure system that includes a city budget, investment projects, subsidies, taxation of individual districts, and commercial rentals.

Another important difference is the freedom of urban planning. In Electronic Arts projects, zoning has always been the primary tool for development, which limited the creativity of players. However, CS 3 introduces a detailed construction system that allows players to manually create roads, place buildings in unconventional locations, combine territories into unique zones, and even design individual neighborhoods with their own economies.

Player reviews and prospects of the series

Since the release of the first materials about the Cities: Skylines 3 simulator, interest in the project has increased significantly. Players who have followed the series have noted the depth of the innovations, the improved graphics, and the expanded mechanics that make the game the most realistic in the history of the genre.

Based on the reactions of the community, the concept has the potential to become a benchmark for urban planning simulations. The improved economic system, detailed city life simulation, and new management mechanics make the project unique in the industry. Thanks to these innovations, Cities: Skylines 3 is firmly established on the list of the most anticipated strategy games of 2025.

System Requirements and Availability of the Cities: Skylines 3 Simulator

A powerful PC is required for full-fledged gameplay at high settings. Paradox Interactive developers have confirmed that the game will support an updated graphics engine, providing more realistic textures and complex object physics.

Minimum requirements:

1. Processor: 6th generation Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 3.
2. RAM: 8 GB.
3. Video card: NVIDIA GTX 970 / AMD Radeon RX 570.
4. Storage: 50 GB.

Recommended requirements:

1. Processor: Intel Core i7 / AMD Ryzen 5.
2. RAM: 16 GB.
3. Graphics card: NVIDIA RTX 3060 / AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT.
4. Storage: SSD, 50 GB.

Cities: Skylines 3 will be available on Steam, the Epic Games Store, and the Microsoft Store.

Conclusion

The Cities: Skylines 3 city-building simulator offers deep gameplay, realistic city life projection, and an improved economic system. The game is an ideal choice for those who enjoy comprehensive city management and complex strategies.

The visually ambitious inZOI simulator has set new standards in the genre of sandbox games. Unlike the classical representatives of the trend, the platform integrates elements of procedural animation, personalized AI and a photorealistic environment. The behavior model of the characters no longer depends on the set patterns — emotions, reactions and gestures are subject to an individual scenario. This approach has created increased technical demands, and before launching, it is important to understand what system requirements inZOI imposes on PCs, how engine features affect performance, and what has changed compared to the usual life simulators.

inZOI minimum and Recommended system requirements

The inZOI graphics engine is based on Unreal Engine 5, with a focus on Nanite and Lumen technologies. Both platforms require significant resources, especially for light and shadow rendering, which affects ray tracing, global illumination, and material simulation.

Minimum configuration (for running on medium-low settings):

1. OS: Windows 10 64-bit (version 20H2 and above).
2. Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 or Intel Core i5-9600K.
3. RAM: 16 GB DDR4.
4. Video card: NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super / AMD RX 590 (6 GB or higher).
5. Data storage: SSD with a minimum of 80 GB.
6. DirectX: version 12.
7. Internet: constant connection (online synchronization of quests and NPC behavior).

Recommended configuration (for stable gameplay at 60+ FPS):

1. OS: Windows 11 64-bit.
2. Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 5800X or Intel Core i7-12700K.
3. RAM: 32 GB DDR5.
4. Graphics card: NVIDIA RTX 4070 / AMD RX 7800 XT.
5. Data storage: 1 TB NVMe SSD (for fast reading of locations and character caches).
6. Screen resolution: 1440p/4K (supports HDR and DLSS 3.5).

Maximum settings (cinematic quality + RTX ON):

1. OS: Windows 11 Pro.
2. Processor: Intel Core i9-13900KS.
3. RAM: 64 GB DDR5 6000 MHz.
4. Video card: NVIDIA RTX 4090 24 GB.
5. Monitor: 4K HDR OLED with G-Sync support.
6. Network: Gigabit channel (real-time asset updates).

Simulation architecture and system load

The title uses a local renderer with constant updates of NPC behavior based on emotions, history, and the current environment. AI conducts up to 2500 parallel parameters of interactions in real time. This amount of calculations puts a strain on RAM and processor, especially when multitasking. The game does not cache behavior in the background — each event is simulated on the fly, taking into account previously made decisions.

Background simulation of the outside world (weather, economic dynamics, NPC training) creates a secondary load. Even in single-player mode, the game requires a connection to the developer’s servers to update logic patches. inZOI’s system requirements do not allow for HDD startup, as delayed data access disrupts animation scripts and leads to critical failures.

Why inZOI requires modern GPUs

The main burden is created by the object behavior tracing technology in Lumen. All light sources cast physically accurate shadows in real time, including when the character is moving. Even reflections on windows and puddles are calculated on the fly, and the materials of objects (glass, fabric, leather) use an individual lighting model.

Each time the player interacts with the environment, the engine runs a space warp script, adapting the lighting to the current camera position. This increases the load on the video memory and requires at least 12 GB from the GPU. DLSS 3 support allows you to partially compensate for the load, but only if you have NVIDIA RTX 30 series and higher graphics cards.

Features of network architecture and its impact on performance

The platform uses a hybrid model — the client side visualizes what is happening, and the server side manages the life of NPCs, updating quests and generating new scenarios. Connecting to servers is mandatory even in offline mode, as the behavior modules are stored in the database. Failure to synchronize disables some of the mechanics, including working with professions, route editor, and advanced dialogues.

inZOI’s system requirements depend not only on hardware, but also on network stability. With high latency, behavioral out-of-sync and emotional rollbacks of characters occur. The developer recommends connecting via a wired channel with a ping of no more than 30 ms.

Construction Mode: Loading when creating locations

When working in the editor of houses and public buildings, the load on the system increases many times. The mechanics of construction use GPU acceleration in real time. Each movement of an object causes a recalculation of NPC routes, lighting, soundscape, and visibility through walls. Even the choice of texture affects the cost of resources — soft materials banish the simulation of contact with the character’s body, while glass requires visual transparency with physical distortion.

Modification support and impact on optimization

The developers have implemented a built-in behavior logic editor that allows the community to create custom scenarios, professions, and even custom neighborhoods. Extensions are loaded in the background, which requires RAM reserves. When working with mods, the configuration should include at least 32 GB of RAM and an NVMe SSD to avoid crashes.

What affects performance the most?

The greatest load is created by:

• global illumination and reflection tracing (Lumen);

• immersive AI with 1000+ behavior parameters;

• animation scripts and object collisions;

• online NPC synchronization in the shared world;

• real-time rendering of emotions and facial microexpressions;

• behavior-based audio generation.

Conclusion

inZOI has formed a new category within the genre of life-sim — emotional interactive architecture. The technological base turned out to be comparable to AAA games and professional behavior simulators. Each element, from the texture of the floor to the phrase in the dialog, starts a chain of processes that depend on the system’s power and connection stability. Before launching inZOI, it is important to study the system requirements, check the compliance with the video card, processor and memory size. The prepared software will provide a comfortable immersion into the complex and unpredictable reality of a virtual city.