Anlife: Motion-learning Life Evolution, a peculiar PC game now available on Steam, has drawn attention not just for its content but for its backstory involving legendary animator Hayao Miyazaki. The software, which blends life simulation, science project, and virtual aquarium, was created by developers who were famously criticized by Miyazaki in 2016 for their AI animation technology.
During a 2016 demonstration, Miyazaki was shown an AI-generated zombie that moved by dragging its head and wriggling like a fish. He called the technology 'an insult to life itself.' The developers, visibly shaken at the time, have now released their work to the public, and some players are downloading it to gauge the current state of AI in video games.
Anlife promises an evolution simulator where 'AI-driven block creatures move in unexpected ways.' Players place creatures in a small environment and watch them learn to navigate. The game features a Frutiger Aero visual style with green valleys and sparkling water, accompanied by soothing sounds reminiscent of 00s day spas.
Gameplay involves placing creatures, feeding them to encourage breeding or mutation, expanding territory, and luring creatures to water or air to create variations. A shadow tech tree allows for annihilation of creatures. The appeal lies in watching how creatures evolve to crawl toward food, using AI to develop new joints and body arrangements.
However, the game has been criticized for feeling like a mindless clicker due to its focus on unlocking skill trees. It also suffers from what writer Kate Compton calls 'the oatmeal problem,' where each creature is unique but not in an interesting way. Despite this, Anlife offers a glimpse into AI's role in gaming, even if its impact remains cheerfully inconsequential.
