What makes an ImSim and ImSim is how you interact with it. They’re usually systems-first games. Most of your interactions are not dictated by the game designer, rather they’re emergent from the systems. The typical line of ImSim vs regular FPS is if you can stack boxes to do something the designers didn’t intend. HL2 has boxes, but they’re essentially exclusively placed to be used in a certain way. An ImSim might have a locked door, but you can stack boxes to get into a vent, as an example. It’s all about options, and having the player figure things out for themselves.
I don’t think this is technically an ImSim, but a good example of this is BG3. You can place objects in your inventory, so the designers can’t really prevent you from bringing a hundred crates to climb over a wall, or bringing explosives to instantly kill a boss. They give you tools, and there are many ways they can be used.
What makes an ImSim and ImSim is how you interact with it. They’re usually systems-first games. Most of your interactions are not dictated by the game designer, rather they’re emergent from the systems. The typical line of ImSim vs regular FPS is if you can stack boxes to do something the designers didn’t intend. HL2 has boxes, but they’re essentially exclusively placed to be used in a certain way. An ImSim might have a locked door, but you can stack boxes to get into a vent, as an example. It’s all about options, and having the player figure things out for themselves.
I don’t think this is technically an ImSim, but a good example of this is BG3. You can place objects in your inventory, so the designers can’t really prevent you from bringing a hundred crates to climb over a wall, or bringing explosives to instantly kill a boss. They give you tools, and there are many ways they can be used.