Luanda life simulator

Luanda sits on the northern Atlantic coast of Angola around the bay of Mussulo and Ilha do Cabo. Glass high-rises by the port stand near dense inland neighborhoods called musseques, where street vendors called zungueiras sell goods. A life here can be an engineer at Sonangol, a student at Universidade Agostinho Neto, or a musician.

The local currency is the kwanza, and locals call money kumbu in everyday slang. For daily purchases, people use cash, Multicaixa debit cards, and the Multicaixa Express app. Mobile money wallets like Unitel Money are also common. In upscale areas, landlords often benchmark high rents to US dollars or Euros.

Living costs vary widely across the city. Coastal Ilha do Cabo, hillside Miramar, downtown Ingombota, and gated compounds in Talatona are the most expensive areas. Buildings there often need private generators, water tanks, and security. Planned districts like Centralidade do Kilamba sit in the middle, while outer neighborhoods like Viana and Cazenga are cheaper.

LifeSim does not charge rent or pay a regular salary. Instead, your cash changes directly through the activities you do and the chats you have.

Most residents in Luanda ride blue-and-white Toyota Hiace minibuses called candongueiros along fixed main roads. Public TCUL buses also run on major avenues, and commuter trains connect the downtown Bungo station with Viana and Catete. Drivers face heavy traffic on Estrada de Catete, so many people use ride-hailing apps or motorcycle taxis called kupapatas.

Walking is common along the Marginal de Luanda waterfront and on Ilha do Cabo. In LifeSim, you do not drive cars or ride trains. You search for a real place on the 3D map, like a bakery in Maianga or a market, and go there.

Mateus, 21, studies at Universidade Católica de Angola and lives in an apartment block in Maianga. He sets two life goals: make close friends, and visit every museum near the bay.

In his first week, Mateus walks to a neighborhood bakery each morning and greets the baker with Bom dia. They talk in their own words, and the baker remembers Mateus and calls him kamba. On Friday, a classmate texts Mateus to plan an outing to the Museu Nacional de Antropologia in Coqueiros.

On Sunday, a house party happening appears on the map in Maculusso. Mateus goes with his friends, and they talk about music and weekend meals of mufete. Each person keeps a memory of the afternoon in their journal.

You start as a 29-year-old bank clerk at BAI living in Ingombota. In the morning, you check your daily to-do list and walk along Avenida 4 de Fevereiro before work. At lunch, you search for an open-air eatery in Maianga and meet a senior coworker, whom you respectfully call kota.

In the afternoon, a friend adds you to a group text thread about birthday drinks on Ilha do Cabo. You walk to a restaurant on Avenida Murtala Mohamed together and talk as a group by the water. The day ends with a recap of your moments, and your friends remember what you said.