Immersive sim

An immersive sim (simulation) is a video game genre that emphasizes player choice. Its core defining trait is the use of simulated systems that respond to a variety of player actions, which combined with a comparatively broad array of player abilities allow the game to support varied and creative solutions to problems as well as emergent gameplay beyond what has been explicitly designed by the developer. This definition is not to be confused with game systems which allow player choice in a confined sense or systems which allow players to easily escape consequences of their choices.

Immersive sims by definition allow for multiple approaches and typically incorporate elements of multiple genres including role-playing games, stealth, first-person shooters, platform games, survival horror and adventure games. Although they typically have smaller worlds than open world games, they also generally allow for open-ended gameplay, allowing the player to progress in any order and pursue side missions alongside any main story missions. Immersive sims are generally compared to games developed by Looking Glass Studios. The first such game generally considered an immersive sim is Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss, and other early examples include Thief: The Dark Project and Thief II: The Metal Age, System Shock and System Shock 2, as well as the first Deus Ex.

The term "immersive sim" emerged in the 2000s and began to be used regularly in the second half of the 2010s, often applied retroactively to the earlier entries in the genre. It may also be used to describe the set of game design principles behind the immersive sim genre, which uses interacting, reactive and consistent game systems to create emergent gameplay and a sense of player agency.

Concept

Immersive sims typically task the player to make their way through levels and complete missions, but do not enforce the means by which the player does this.