The Sims 4, in a way, is a professional dress up game. Essentially playing the role of God, players can create their characters, also known as Sims, give them a personality, and build houses for Sims to live in. It allows for a serious creative workspace for the players; the sky is their only limit. Well, maybe in this case, Electronic Arts (EA), the company behind the Sims 4, is also a limit. 

The Sims franchise has sustained itself for more than two decades now, but players can’t help but continue to compare the Sims 4 to its predecessor, the Sims 3. Despite the fact that the Sims 4 has been out for more than 6 years, fans are nowhere near satisfied with the game and EA. I will be looking into the good of the Sims 4 (what they have to offer that its predecessors don’t), the bad (what players deem to be an obstacle in their gameplay), and the expectations and improvements that players wish to see. 

Let’s get something straight: the Sims 4 is an intricate and well-built game. With more than 40 game packs to count and the whole Tumblr worth of custom-content, virtually no one’s Sims 4 is the same as others. Alongside updated textures and graphics from Sims 3, the video game and its characters are one step closer to mirroring real life. Players also now have an easier time building houses with a more straightforward interface and wide-range of options. They no longer have to tear down the whole house just to add a wall! 

No doubt, the Sims 4 was worth almost $50 when it first came out in 2014. But as EA released more and more packs throughout the years, it became as if the base game was nothing without the packs. With the packs costing as much as the base game itself, it’s rather a disservice to players who don’t have the financial freedom. Because after all, base game contents aren’t as interesting and playable as themed packs. Furthermore, the worlds aren’t open-worlds or customizable. In the Sims 4, it takes a loading screen to switch between lots, even if they are in the same world. Lucky for Sims 3 players, they were spared the misery of loading screens. And for those who have been playing since Sims 2, the lack of customization for the worlds is also a hassle. Players can’t design their own world tailored to their Sims and their needs. 

Senior Nicole Zamani commented on her frustration, “It’s a world that I should be able to control. The Sims 3 had patterns that we could customize our furniture with, but the Sims 4 doesn’t.” 

Additionally, it has come to many fan’s attention about how two-dimensional Sims are. Their emotions and needs barely correlate with each other, and the traits players choose for Sims’ personality hardly affects the gameplay. Sims are confined to a handful of emotions that, at best, go on for two days, and they reset back to “Fine.” 

Obviously, no video game is perfect. With the recent release of the new expansion pack, Journey to Batuu, players couldn’t help but sigh in frustration. The new pack offers mostly Star-Wars themed content and a set story to follow, both of which were not in the player’s wishlist.  EA can barely keep up with the player’s demands and expectations, but to be honest, they can’t be blamed. Players expect open-worlds, farms, cars, and color wheels in future updates and packs; there’s a never ending list. EA has been responsive to the players’ desires as they explain, from time to time, how long it takes to plan and develop packs and updates, and how the players’ voices aren’t going unheard. The Sims 4 still has quite a legacy to complete before it moves onto the Sims 5, so hopefully, before then, TS4 can set a new precedent for the Sims 5. 

Graphic courtesy of EA.COM