Why All ‘Sims’ Games Pale In Comparison To ‘Sims 4’
Like most Sims fans, I was less than blown away by the initial release of the Sims 4 game. The lack of pools, toddlers, ghosts, and other popular items was disappointing. My love of playing the Sims prevailed, however, and I decided to give Electronic Arts the chance to change my mind.
I have played the Sims since shortly after the Sims 2 was released. I have the majority of the expansions for that game as well as Sims 3. I can honestly say I feel the creators have infused all the good from the older installments into the Sims 4 and added exciting new features as well. Yes, it may have started off a bit slow, but that is a small price to pay for the benefits we are now experiencing with the release of the new expansion “Get To Work” and free upgrades fed directly into the game from time to time.
The Sims residing in the Sims 2 franchise were basically home bound, able to venture out with expansions that provided loading screens that could be quite lengthy. While the load time was annoying, the graphics of even the smallest items, such as food, were quite good. Baby Sims could be bathed in the kitchen or bathroom sink, and actually had complete bodies that moved in a natural manner. As one who enjoys family game play, the interaction with children is important to me.
Moving on to the Sims 3, I was impressed with the outdoor graphics, which were outstanding. Trees swayed in the breeze, flowers bloomed, and stars moved across the night sky. However, all the food looked like a bowl of oatmeal, and I felt all the children looked the same until becoming an adult. Baby Sims were simply a face with arms wrapped in a blanket with very few options for interaction.
I suppose no game is perfect; there will always be parts that are terrific and those that are not. I still love playing both the Sims 2 and the Sims 3, but the Sims 4 is by far my favorite. I love the beauty of the neighborhoods. They are smaller, but this apparently allows for excellent graphics outdoors without losing quality of smaller items. The sun glistens on the stream as fish flop in and out of the water as if performing an acrobatic routine. Trees sway in the breeze, and flowers bloom along the sidewalks. There are always Sims jogging, chatting, gardening, or otherwise enjoying the fresh air. Babies once again have complete bodies and a larger list of interactions, plus they come with lovely bassinets. Unfortunately, toddlers have yet to join the Sims 4 world, but the quality of babyhood and childhood options are so great they are barely missed. I must note, however, that I am still awaiting the addition of toddlers. EA, don’t leave me hanging here, I believe you will come through eventually.
Each world in the Sims 4 has smaller neighborhoods that require a load screen to access, but the time is so swift it is insignificant. Perhaps the most unexpected feature is the super fast entry into the game and quick save times, which are a mere fraction of those from previous Sims games.
Most recently, the Sims 4 has added the expansion “Get To Work,” which includes playable jobs such as doctor, detective, and retail business owner. A free upgrade has added basements and bunny eggs. Since the Sims 4 expansion “Get To Work” was just released a few days ago, I haven’t gotten involved enough to review it, but I can already tell it’s going to be fabulous.
Which Sims do you like best? Have you stayed away from the Sims 4 due to bad reviews?
[Images via Robinson Family/Kiss My Knits/Pic 2 Fly/Remaking June]
