My Life (我的人生) is an unusual and imaginative life simulation game developed by ZZ Games and published by Gamirror Games that approaches the concept of “living a life” through the lens of a roguelite deck-building system. Instead of directly controlling a character through traditional stats, schedules, or open-ended simulation systems, the game abstracts life itself into cards, events, and combinations, turning every playthrough into an unpredictable narrative shaped by chance, planning, and experimentation. The result is a game that feels less like a realistic life simulator and more like an interactive thought experiment about how small choices, luck, and circumstance can spiral into wildly different outcomes.
At the heart of the experience is a simple but deceptively deep loop. Each turn presents the player with cards representing actions, traits, opportunities, or events, and selecting one pushes the character’s life forward. These cards interact with one another in complex ways, triggering chained effects, unexpected consequences, or rare outcomes that can drastically alter the direction of a run. With hundreds of cards and a large pool of events, the game thrives on emergent storytelling, where a seemingly harmless decision can lead to sudden success, catastrophic failure, or something absurdly unexpected. This system captures the uncertainty of life in a playful, exaggerated manner, emphasizing that control is never absolute.
Strategically, the game rewards players who learn how its systems interlock. While randomness plays a major role, long-term success often comes from understanding card synergies, managing risk, and recognizing which paths are worth pursuing. Some runs may focus on wealth, others on knowledge, ambition, or strange experimental outcomes that defy logic altogether. Because cards often unlock new cards or events, each playthrough subtly expands the player’s understanding of the game’s possibilities, making failure feel like a form of discovery rather than punishment.
The presentation reinforces this tone with a hand-drawn, cartoon-like art style that feels lighthearted even when depicting dramatic or disastrous moments. Characters, icons, and events are illustrated with a whimsical touch that softens the impact of failure and highlights the game’s sense of humor. Visually, it avoids realism in favor of clarity and charm, which suits a system-driven game where readability and quick recognition are essential. This approachable aesthetic helps maintain engagement even during runs where luck turns against the player.
Narratively, My Life does not tell a single fixed story. Instead, it generates countless small stories shaped by the player’s decisions and the cards drawn. One life might be short and chaotic, ending in misfortune or irony, while another might unfold into a long, bizarre success filled with unlikely achievements. The lack of a predefined narrative allows players to project their own meaning onto events, interpreting each run as a metaphor, joke, or reflection depending on how seriously they choose to engage with it. This flexibility is one of the game’s most distinctive strengths.
Replayability is central to the design. Because outcomes vary so dramatically and new combinations are constantly revealed, repeated playthroughs rarely feel redundant. Badges, unlocks, and meta-progression elements gradually expand the available card pool, encouraging experimentation and giving players new tools to influence future runs. This progression system strikes a balance between long-term growth and short-term uncertainty, ensuring that each attempt feels both familiar and fresh.
That said, the heavy reliance on randomness can be divisive. Some players may feel that outcomes occasionally hinge too much on luck, particularly when a run collapses due to an unlucky chain of events despite careful planning. Others may find this unpredictability to be the core appeal, reflecting the game’s philosophical stance that life itself is often unfair, chaotic, and outside one’s control. Enjoyment largely depends on whether the player views randomness as frustration or as part of the narrative experiment.
Overall, My Life (我的人生) stands out as a creative and unconventional blend of life simulation and deck-building roguelite design. It does not aim to provide realistic control over a virtual existence, but instead explores the idea of life as a system of interdependent choices, chance events, and unexpected consequences. For players who enjoy emergent storytelling, strategic experimentation, and games that embrace unpredictability with humor and creativity, it offers a distinctive and replayable experience that feels thoughtful, strange, and often surprisingly insightful.
Rating: 6/10
