It’s been a little over two months since Sims 4 debuted. For some, the game was a bit of a let-down because it was missing a lot of features that were in the Sims 3. After a couple of patches of free content from EA, there have been some improvements. However, these patches really haven’t improved the game that much.
In October, ghosts and some Star Wars costumes were added. This month, swimming pools and swimwear came back. In December, new career paths will be added. Although it was a nice gesture, the game play still doesn’t live up to many of the elements that were in Sims 3.
I spent some time with Sims 4 this week to see if I would like it any better with the newest features. Those ghosts and costumes I could take or leave (I felt the same way for Sims 3). Being able to have pools felt a bit better while playing. I found that building lots felt a bit “off” when trying to create a house without a pool, especially since I like to build huge mansions for my Sims. Players can certainly get more creative with pools by adding angles and depths, but this felt like a feature that should have been in the game at launch, not two months later.
The real gem of the game is the Gallery, which is an easy way to add player-created content into your game. With two months of avid Sim fans building intricate lots and unique Sims, there is a lot to choose from if you are not in the mood to build your own home or are looking for something different. It is absolutely amazing to see the hard work of other Sims fans, most of whom are much more talented than I am when constructing houses.
So, with two patches out, Sims 4 is still not what the Sims 3 base game was, especially when the base game had a Create-a-Style system that allowed for greater customization, hilly terrain, and career system that didn’t force your Sim to completely disappear from the map. At the rate EA and Maxis are going, it’s going to take a few years before it really gets up to par with what many Sims fans were expecting.
Don’t forget to take a look at my full Sims 4 review.