Explore new social interactions and multitasking in this streamlined life simulation game
Explore new social interactions and multitasking in this streamlined life simulation game
Pros
- Beautiful graphics and character animations
- Constant internet connection is not required to play
- You'll come back to this game again and again, and the pick-up-and-play game style means you'll never be confused on a return trip
- Custom content and challenges mean gameplay never gets stale
Cons
- The base game lacks popular features from previous versions
- It's very expensive to purchase all of the expansion content
- You must use the Origin launcher to install and play the game
The latest version of the life simulation series The Sims offers new gameplay, new graphics and the same hefty price tag as previous versions. The game looks better than ever, with crisp character models and lovely background scenery, and long-time players will love the new interactions and multitasking between Sims. While the game shipped with a number of bugs and missing features, now you can enjoy a more-stable base game and seemingly endless content packs.
Create a Sim has gone through an extensive redesign in the Sims 4. Say goodbye to clunky sliders and hello to detailed manipulation of body shape and facial features, letting you customize every detail of your Sim's appearance. Built a freakish monster or the most beautiful Sim in your neighborhood. With the level of fine control offered by Create a Sim, you can bring your Sims to life like never before.
Your Sims seem more lifelike than ever with the increased focus on personality and emotion. Everything your Sims do creates a moodlet with a positive or negative emotion. Help them be happy and they'll perform better at work; keep them miserable, and you'll see temper tantrums, poor performance and emotional meltdowns. The Sims 4 features dozens of mood-altering objects like bubble baths, tea kettles and artwork, so you can finetune your Sims' environment to keep them happy -- or embrace your inner Evil Overlord and drive your Sims to the brink of madness.
You will never run out of things to do with The Sims 4. EA has already released nine expansion packs, including updates versions of popular early expansions. Send your Sims to university, explore the four seasons or raise your very own cats and dogs. If you manage to work your way through the expansion packs, you can add on game packs, which are like mini-expansions. With these lower-priced packs, you can bring vampires, parenthood or magic into your game. Finally, you can even add small, low-priced stuff packs, which offer small updates like patio furniture or luxury party decorations. EA offers regular bundles, which combine multiple packs at a discounted rate.
Gender is no longer a limiting factor with The Sims 4. Any Sim can wear any hairstyle or clothing options, and male Sims can even get pregnant. As with any feature of Sims gameplay, you can easily avoid these options and stick to more traditional roles for your Sims if you prefer.
As with previous versions of The Sims, you can heavily mod your game. Players have created thousands of new clothing items, hairstyles and makeup palettes so you can customize your Sims even more. You can even download furnished homes or Sims made to look like your favorite celebrities. While EA offered substantial support for player-created content in The Sims 3, you'll have to work a little harder to download custom content into your Sims 4 game. Don't worry, though; most player-hosted sites include screenshots and guides to help you get that fabulous hairstyle into your game and onto your Sim's head.
For players hungry to add more structure to this sandbox game, hundreds of unofficial challenges are available. Follow your Sims through ten generations in the popular Legacy Challenge or start with nothing and climb your way out of the Poverty Challenge. You can force your sims to run an insane asylum, raise seven toddlers at the same time or become the neighborhood heartbreaker. One day, you might even write your own popular challenge for other players to enjoy.
Genetics continue to play a role in shaping your Sims' appearances. As with The Sims 3, dominant and recessive genes are not part of the game, meaning a child with one brunette and one blonde parent is equally likely to end up with brown or blonde hair. EA has continued the randomness of genetics, so children occasionally look nothing like their family. Unlike previous games, though, The Sims 4 offers much more variety. Instead of children looking like copies of one parent, The Sims 4 can easily blend hair color, skin color and facial features, creating a more realistic experience. No longer will your Ugly Legacy challenge be over in one generation because your ugly Sim's children take after the other parent.
At its initial release, The Sims 4 faced a number of criticisms. Long-time players were unhappy that popular features from earlier games, like hot tubs, Create-a-Style decorating options and the toddler life stage, were missing from the newest version of The Sims. However, EA has released numerous free and paid updates to the game, bringing back many of the missing features and satisfying long-time players of the franchise.
Fans also criticized many of the bugs that shipped with the initial product. For example, early versions of the game somehow allowed incestuous relationships between characters. Unless you were re-enacting Game of Thrones, this bug was a major issue. Of course, software issues are common with all new games, so it wasn't a surprise that The Sims 4 had a rough patches to smooth away, but many fans kept playing The Sims 3 until the major bugs were fixed.
Pros
- Beautiful graphics and character animations
- Constant internet connection is not required to play
- You'll come back to this game again and again, and the pick-up-and-play game style means you'll never be confused on a return trip
- Custom content and challenges mean gameplay never gets stale
Cons
- The base game lacks popular features from previous versions
- It's very expensive to purchase all of the expansion content
- You must use the Origin launcher to install and play the game
Pros
- Enhanced visuals and audio make watching the sims interact more exciting
- Lots of build a buy tools to choose from
- Multitasking and moods make sim actions very funny
- Sims act more naturally
- Sims feature entertaining character traits
Cons
- Many of the popular series features have been removed
- Multi-sim control is restrained by the personal stories and structure limits
- Worlds feel rather small and limited
- Separate worlds can take a long time to load
Step into the Virtual World of Sims
When The Sims was first introduced in the year 2000 it quickly became one of the most popular single player simulation games around. Players were invited to create their own unique characters complete with skills and intricate moods and guide them through life to meet people, create their own home and start a family. Men, women and children of all ages were attracted to this virtual world where they were free to make mistakes and play at life from the comfort of their own home. So does The Sims 4 measure up to the other versions? Read on to find out more.
In many ways, The Sims 4 is the most streamlined and accessible version of The Sims and comes with a whole host of polished and revamped tools. While players of the original game may have found using the tools a bit tricky to get to grips with at first, all of the rough edges have been smoothed over and controlling the sims is also very easy. Players will have a lot of fun building and decorating their dream sim home and they are nw given the option to share their creations online and get feedback. In addition to using stock buildings, players can now design the entire building from scratch if they want, which should be very satisfying for budding architects.
However, once the creation process is complete, the fun of playing The Sims 4 is almost at an end as well. Actually playing with the characters in the newly created dream world can be rather limiting and frustrating. Gone are the myriad of options that players who purchased the extensions for The Sims 3 were treated to. Although the graphics very much three dimensional works of art, the game play itself is very two dimensional and gamers could easily find themselves losing interest after an hour or two. This is a far cry from the addictive aspect of other variations of The Sims.
It isn’t all doom and gloom though. The new types of social interactions that have been added to the mix with The Sims 4 makes watching the characters interact funny and often charming. Sims can now multitask, which allows them to cook diner, eat or study while greeting other sims at the same time. Keeping the moods of your sims in check can be a full-time task. When they are angry they may well lose their job or start a fight, while amorous sims could try to start an affair with one of the neighbours or put their spouse in a compromising position.
Giving your sims quirky personality traits is fairly simple and these can be developed in imaginative ways. Sims now act in weird and wonderful ways and can turn into a joker or a devious prankster when you least expect it. However, the fun of watching these character traits tends to wear thin fairly quickly and cannot replace the storylines that are for the most part missing in The Sims 4.
People who enjoyed cycling from various areas of the sim world will be disappointed to discover that all transportation options have now been removed. It is no longer possible to cycle down hills, and in fact the hills themselves have been removed as well. The world of The Sims 4 is now completely flat, which is a sad echo of the storyline itself.
Sims are giving a lot of specific tasks to perform in this game such as throwing a birthday party and hosting a dinner party. Each task comes with a long series of items that have to be taken care of in the right order. There are lots of attractive rewards and bonuses for completing these tasks that can help players to stay focused. However, because players are so focused on completing their tasks they may well miss many of the subtle interactions between the characters and the element of spontaneity can be reduced.
People who have never played The Sims before are sure to be attracted by this world and its quirky characters. Unfortunately, fans of The Sims 3 are sure to find that there is something missing with this game. Much of the versatility and options that the predecessor offered are no longer present and many popular options have been removed completely. Of course, as with the other instalments of The Sims, a series of add-ons and expansions are set to be released for The Sims 4 later this year. It would seem like it might be better to simply wait for these extensions and continue the fun of Sims 3 until they arrive.
Pros
- Enhanced visuals and audio make watching the sims interact more exciting
- Lots of build a buy tools to choose from
- Multitasking and moods make sim actions very funny
- Sims act more naturally
- Sims feature entertaining character traits
Cons
- Many of the popular series features have been removed
- Multi-sim control is restrained by the personal stories and structure limits
- Worlds feel rather small and limited
- Separate worlds can take a long time to load
Pros
- Highly detailed
- New locations to visit
- Faster achievements
Cons
- Can become repetitive
- Still can't understand the language
- Tends to become slow if there are several homes created
In The Sims 4, you create the world where your characters live, designing their homes and finding their jobs.
With The Sims 4, you have several more options when it comes to homes that your characters can live in and the jobs that are available for them. There are also more accessories, furniture and clothing options, making it easier to keep your family happy. The details of the characters are stunning. Characters can be randomly created, or you can use your imagination when it comes to what each person looks like.
One of the positive aspects of the game is that the Sims seem to have a little more intelligence than they have in other versions. They will learn skills faster, which can get them promoted in their jobs in a shorter time. More options make playing the game fun. Details on the furniture, appliances and decorations are realistic. Even the flooring, plants and wallpaper options have more detail and look like they could fit inside a real home instead of being used in a game.
While playing The Sims 4, you take charge when it comes to how much money your characters make and how they will treat family and friends. There are several neighborhoods to explore in this game so that you can meet new people and take part in various activities. You can leave your home to travel to stores and venues to keep your characters busy. A new addition for this version is that you can download some of the creations from other players online, using these creations in your own home.
Pros
- Highly detailed
- New locations to visit
- Faster achievements
Cons
- Can become repetitive
- Still can't understand the language
- Tends to become slow if there are several homes created
