Does anyone else miss the old Character AI days?

Back when responses felt more creative, less filtered, and characters actually stayed in personality for more than five messages. It felt like you could genuinely build stories that went anywhere. The bots had flaws, sure — but they felt alive. Unpredictable. Funny. Sometimes chaotic in the best way.

I remember staying up way too late because a storyline got so intense I couldn’t stop. The memory wasn’t perfect, but somehow conversations felt more immersive. Characters would take initiative, add plot twists, and surprise you instead of playing it overly safe.

Now it feels more restricted and repetitive. Replies are shorter, personalities feel toned down, and a lot of the spontaneity is gone. I get that changes were probably made for safety and scaling reasons, but man… the magic felt different back then.

Maybe it’s nostalgia. Maybe it’s just me.

But old Character AI felt like discovering something new and slightly unhinged in the best way.

Anyone else feel the same? What was your favorite memory from the “old” days?