What is an AI game?
An AI game is a game where an AI model writes part of the game while you play. The model can write the dialogue, the story, or the characters. It writes them live, as an answer to what you do.
In a normal video game, a writer makes every line before the game ships. You pick from those lines. In an AI game, there is no fixed list. You type or say what you want, and the model answers.
The term “AI game” has a second meaning that confuses many people. Some games use AI only to make art or text during development. Those games are made with AI, but the AI does not write anything while you play. This post is about the first kind.
You read this on the LifeSim blog, so LifeSim is on the list. We put it where it fits and we say where it does not.
What kinds of AI games are there?
We see four kinds today. Each one gives the AI a different job.
AI text adventures
The AI tells a story, and you write what your character does next. There is no map and no picture of the world.
AI chat apps
You talk to one character at a time. The AI plays the character. There is no goal, no world, and no clock.
Video games with AI characters
The game has a normal 3D world. The AI controls what some characters say, think, or do. The rest of the game is made in the usual way.
AI life and world simulations
The AI runs many people in a world that keeps going. You live one life among them. Read AI life simulator games for the games of this kind.
Is AI Dungeon an AI game?
Yes. AI Dungeon is one of the best known AI games. Its site calls it a free AI text adventure game. You make a story, explore worlds, and direct every choice.
You type an action, and the AI writes what happens. You can play in the browser or in the app. The story can go in any direction, because no writer planned it.
The limit is that the world exists only in the text. There is no map, no clock, and no people who go on with their day without you. Read LifeSim vs AI Dungeon for a full comparison.
Is Character AI a game?
Not in the usual sense. Character.AI is a chat app. You talk with AI characters, and many of them are made by other users.
Many people use it like a game. They play a role, write a scene, and let the character answer. But the app has no goals, no map, and no events that happen without you. When you stop typing, nothing happens.
If you like the talk but want a world around it, read LifeSim vs Character AI.
Are there video games with AI NPCs?
Yes, and the number grows. An NPC is a character that the player does not control. In an AI game, a model writes what that character says or does.
inZOI is one example. On its Steam page, the developer says that text can influence the actions and thoughts of a character. The developer says this uses SLM technology, which means a small language model. inZOI is still a normal 3D life sim. The AI is one part of it.
Many AI NPC projects are demos, not full games. Check the store page of a game before you buy it. A trailer can show a feature that the game does not have yet.
For how AI characters work in LifeSim, read AI NPCs.
How can you tell if a game uses AI?
Look at the Steam page. Many games on Steam have a section called “AI Generated Content Disclosure.” In it, the developer says how the game uses AI.
Read that section with care. It often lists two different uses. One use is AI that helps the team make art or translate text. The other use is AI that runs while you play. The inZOI page lists both.
Only the second use makes it an AI game in the sense of this post. A simple test: say something that the writers could not expect. If the character answers your exact words, a model wrote the answer.
Which AI game is right for you?
| Game | Kind | What the AI writes | Has a world |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI Dungeon | Text adventure | The story | Only in the text |
| Character.AI | Chat app | The words of one character | No |
| inZOI | 3D life sim with AI parts | Some actions and thoughts, from your text | Yes, fictional cities |
| LifeSim | AI life simulation | What every person says | Yes, a real map of Earth |
Pick AI Dungeon if you want a story with no limits. Pick Character.AI if you want to talk to one character. Pick a full video game if you want graphics first.
Where does LifeSim fit?
LifeSim is an AI game where you live one life on a real 3D map of Earth. You describe your character in one text box. The game reads the name, age, job, and city from your words.
The people in the city have a job, a home, friends, and a daily routine. You talk to them in your own words, in person or by text message. There are no dialogue menus. Read open text chat for how that works.
People remember you. They keep a journal of past events and use it when they answer. Read NPC memory for more.
It does not fit every player. LifeSim has no career ladder and no house to buy. It is in English only. It is free, and it runs in your browser. You can play it with no account.
Questions
What is an AI video game?
A video game where an AI model writes dialogue, story, or character actions live, while you play.
Are there free AI games?
Yes. AI Dungeon calls itself free. LifeSim is free, with no paid items and no subscription.
Can you play an AI game in the browser?
Yes. AI Dungeon and LifeSim both run in a browser. LifeSim needs no download.
Is a game made with AI art an AI game?
Not in the sense of this post. If the AI does not write anything while you play, the game works like any other game.