Welcome to the world of THE SIMS™ 4, where the game's creators invite you to craft a geeky tech guru named Jess with swaying hips and a mischievous smirk. This has proved an engaging challenge, with the game’s virtual universe allowing my Sim to master programming skills, jovially socialize, raise two children, and, yes - even fall in love.
Journey of Jess - Nailing the Sim Creation
Jess came into the world with customization tools that were immediately noticed and appreciated. The game’s creators have allowed Sim creation to take a unique path, offering a variety of walk styles, ranging from "tough" to "feminine", and other such customizable personality traits. Joys can be found in the simplest of areas, such as watching your Sim swap to the “I have to pee” walk as their bladder fills up. The Sims body modification is both intuitive and progressive, supporting body positivity by facilitating the representation of diverse body types. However, a step back is seen in the total traits a Sim can have, which is four, lesser than what THE SIMS™ 3 offered, considering one of these is assigned to the lifetime aspiration.
Playing the Game of Emotions
Soon, you’ll discover that your Sim possesses an emotional compass as a replacement for the simplified traits system. For instance, Jess, given the “romantic” trait, unexpectedly experiences a swing into “flirty” feelings, a novel feature that makes playing the dating game an intriguing experience. With this new layer of emotional dynamics, the Sims experience actions contextually instead of keeping them confined within the predetermined personality traits.
Exploring the World - Or Not
Sadly, the Sims' world is disappointingly small and proving stifling for Jess's aspirations. The loading screen appearing even for a trip to the house next door feels like a step back. This surprisingly feels like an upgraded version of The Sims 2 and is a quite jarring contrast to the expansive town exploration found in The Sims 3.
Interaction and Multitasking
Despite the world's limitations, Jess's life isn't too confined. Thanks to smart multitasking features, Jess can simultaneously manage tasks and communicate with her virtual friends. The conversations are quite engaging, streamlined, and humorously realistic, leading to unexpected moments and impromptu emotions arising from chats gone wrong or right.
Building Mode - A Major Plus
Ensuring the game’s not all about emotions, THE SIMS™ 4 provides an impressive Build Mode, significantly improved from its predecessor's version. Features such as customizing cabinets and counters, moving entire rooms without razing them, and resizing wall lengths can be exciting. However, there are certain limitations, like the lack of split-level foundations and garages, but these are minor inconveniences in comparison.
Conclusion
THE SIMS™ 4 provides a complex, fast-paced simulation of life that has ties to emotional reality. Although there are areas where the game needs improvements, the pros significantly outweigh the cons, offering hours of fun and amusing moments.
Pros:
- Detailed Sim customization options;
- Smart multitasking system;
- Improved Build Mode features;
- Grounded within emotional realism;
Cons:
- Fewer traits than preceding versions;
- Limitations in the world's size;
- Absence of split-level foundations and garages;