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4.2

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 2630 Ratings

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  1. Sep 2, 2014
    6
    The sims 4 isn't necessarily a 'bad' game but compared to previous iterations it's a huge step back. Most of the features from past game are pretty much gone. I mean all those iconic features you remember...GONE. No burglars, repair man, carpools, dishwashers, newspapers, toddlers, pools, etc. If it wasn't for the core gameplay and new features such as multi-tasking and emotions, ItThe sims 4 isn't necessarily a 'bad' game but compared to previous iterations it's a huge step back. Most of the features from past game are pretty much gone. I mean all those iconic features you remember...GONE. No burglars, repair man, carpools, dishwashers, newspapers, toddlers, pools, etc. If it wasn't for the core gameplay and new features such as multi-tasking and emotions, It wouldn't be nearly as good. The worst thing is probably the fact that the game feels so empty. Public places are more like chat rooms there's almost nothing to do besides talk to people, sometimes you can dance or play guitar for tips or tell jokes and play chess, but that's about it. The buy mode is so very limited as well. There's not even a video game console category the closest thing you have is computers, a tablet or your phone. One thing I can't get over is that teens looks nearly identical to young adults, young adults have broader shoulders...that's about it. Sims 4's pros rely on socialization, multi tasking and more realistic socialization, neighbors hang around the district outside your house alot so its very easy to meet people and I like the small touch that friends randomly knock on your door and if you're busy working on your writing skill you can talk to them while doing so. The loading screens may be frequent but theyre not that much longer than a sim driving across town in sims 3. Overall it has its good parts and it bad parts but I can't accept it has a serious successor to sims 3. If youre looking for a new sims game to play my advice would be wait for a bundle like the sims 3 starter pack for sims 4. $60+ is definitely not worth it, just stick to sims 3 for now, sims 3 will probably still be better by the time the sims 4 era ends and sims 5 is announced anyway. I can only hope EA adds alot of features in the first expansions pack. Expand
  2. Sep 2, 2014
    5
    Sims 4 is not a really bad game, but not a good one either. I like the new Create a Sim, it is a little bit easier than Sims 3. Build tool, I like it and hate it at the same time. Firstly, you can enlarge objects like plants. In Sims 3 I always struggle to find a good plant so this is a pretty good feature. Windows can be placed and roof and wall can be dragged more easily now (Sims 3’sSims 4 is not a really bad game, but not a good one either. I like the new Create a Sim, it is a little bit easier than Sims 3. Build tool, I like it and hate it at the same time. Firstly, you can enlarge objects like plants. In Sims 3 I always struggle to find a good plant so this is a pretty good feature. Windows can be placed and roof and wall can be dragged more easily now (Sims 3’s roof is irritatingly hard), But what I don't like is that the house is built based on rooms, at least not for me (I prefer building a house than rooms), and your house always limits on the surface of the lands given. Live mode, your sim can do multiple things at the same time which is good. Interaction between your sim and other NPC is also improved, I sort of like the emotion they added, but I don’t really care about that, but there is no more open world as it was broken up into different neighborhoods, every time you access a neighborhood a loading screen will pop up. The loading time is pathetic, and it is unacceptable. More marks is deducted because of all the missing features from Sims 3 (you know what I am going to mention don’t you), pools and toddlers, car etc. but EA is probably going to flood us with 200 DLCs and put those in again. At last, the graphics, I do not hate the super cartoony graphics, but this feel like a step back from Sims 3 since Sims 3 looks more realistic. Sims 4 is basically a bit easier than Sims 3, but as a sequel, features in previous games should be already featured in the based game. People who already played previous Sims game should probably still enjoy playing this game, since they play like the same and Sims 4 runs smoother than Sims 3, but if you are new to the franchise, I recommend you to buy it after all DLCs is released. 5/10 for the base game and probably 75-80/10 when all the DLCs come. (I hate DLC but it is probably the only way to get a full Sims experience) (Remember EA is a greedy company. DLC is not free-update they are not free add-on. If you don’t have that much money, go back to Sims 3) Expand
  3. Sep 2, 2014
    5
    Good thing the sister bought it and not me. Is it awful? Not terribly; the create a sim is nice, build tools are interesting and the game runs decent. However its not great either, its very bare bones, there isn't alot of choices, the world outside your bubble is tiny and overall it feels like a incomplete game. Just save your money and stick to Sims 3/2....you aren't missing out onGood thing the sister bought it and not me. Is it awful? Not terribly; the create a sim is nice, build tools are interesting and the game runs decent. However its not great either, its very bare bones, there isn't alot of choices, the world outside your bubble is tiny and overall it feels like a incomplete game. Just save your money and stick to Sims 3/2....you aren't missing out on much besides the prettier sims themselves. Though what did really expect? Expand
  4. Sep 2, 2014
    5
    Meh, its alrite. At this point, you know what to expect when you get the Sims. Some stuff has been removed, other stuff added. The better version of creating your Sim and build tool are nice, but then again...is that really worth spending $60 for?
    I mean, if your a fan of The Sims, you already own it and have been playing it since midnight. If you're not, then I'd say wait until it drops
    Meh, its alrite. At this point, you know what to expect when you get the Sims. Some stuff has been removed, other stuff added. The better version of creating your Sim and build tool are nice, but then again...is that really worth spending $60 for?
    I mean, if your a fan of The Sims, you already own it and have been playing it since midnight. If you're not, then I'd say wait until it drops down in price, or gets into another good Humble Bundle
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  5. Pvn
    Sep 13, 2014
    5
    Giving it a 5, may just be too nice.
    But the gameplay wasn't entertaining, it felt more forced on my part.
    I enjoyed going around in a car, sims 3 was where this shined. They just killed off too much of the fun things from the previous games. While there are some neat features, it's just not the same as it used to be. The fact that you have to buy all those DLC's again is just
    Giving it a 5, may just be too nice.
    But the gameplay wasn't entertaining, it felt more forced on my part.
    I enjoyed going around in a car, sims 3 was where this shined.
    They just killed off too much of the fun things from the previous games.
    While there are some neat features, it's just not the same as it used to be. The fact that you have to buy all those DLC's again is just laughable. Just stick to The Sims 3, you'll probably be better off.
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  6. Sep 8, 2014
    6
    I'm very disappointed with The Sims 4. It looked very promising and I've waited a long time for it to be released only for it to be a let down!
    I'm getting extremely frustrated at the fact there is so many loading screens. My sim visited their neighbours house and it came up with a loading screen, unlike the sims 3 you could just walk to your neighbours, in fact you could walk anywhere.
    I'm very disappointed with The Sims 4. It looked very promising and I've waited a long time for it to be released only for it to be a let down!
    I'm getting extremely frustrated at the fact there is so many loading screens. My sim visited their neighbours house and it came up with a loading screen, unlike the sims 3 you could just walk to your neighbours, in fact you could walk anywhere. The Sims 4 doesn't allow you to do that which doesn't give the game that sense of realism.
    Another let down is the lack of building in the worlds, it seems somewhat empty and hardly anything to do. It makes you feel bored even before the journey begins.. Even though you can travel from world to world it doesn't make up for the 'empty' feel and the lack of community buildings and plots.

    I'm very shocked to say that I would much prefer to play The Sims 3. Sims 4 is completely different to the rest of the sims generation but not in a positive way to say the least! I hope that they bring out patches sooner than later because all I've seen is bad review after bad review!
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  7. Sep 8, 2014
    5
    I didn't find this game as bad as many other users are saying, though there are definitely areas where the game feels straight-up incomplete. Essentially if you liked the play style of The Sims 2, you're more likely to enjoy this game — that would be me, since I didn't use the open world of The Sims 3 all that much except as a novelty, and I missed being able to switch back and forthI didn't find this game as bad as many other users are saying, though there are definitely areas where the game feels straight-up incomplete. Essentially if you liked the play style of The Sims 2, you're more likely to enjoy this game — that would be me, since I didn't use the open world of The Sims 3 all that much except as a novelty, and I missed being able to switch back and forth between households just like save files. You just have to consider The Sims 4 as its OWN game (difficult, of course, since the name implies a direct progression), and adjust your expectations accordingly.

    There are things that are really, really good — socializing in a group feels very natural, as does multitasking. I had a delightful moment where a Sim cooked himself food, then carried the plate past the dining table and into the study so he could sit, eat, and talk with another Sim who was playing video games. Build mode is also really fun.

    Then there are things in the game that are very obviously cut corners (besides toddlers and pools). When you go to work, there's no carpool (one of the best parts of getting a promotion was seeing your new ride), you just walk to your mailbox and vanish. There are fires but no fire department, and no burglars or police. I would argue that the burglar has been a defining characteristic of the series, on the covers of boxes and whatnot, but now he's gone. There's no repairman; you have to fix everything yourself.

    Furthermore, I feel as though the emphasis on short term emotions have firebombed attention to long term relationships. For instance, I experimented and had a Sim cheat on his spouse with a neighbor. No indication whatsoever that it was cheating — all the interactions and moodlets made it look like an adorable, budding new romance. There is no family tree, so generational lineage doesn't mean much.

    If you can accept the game for what it is aiming for, you get a game that is pretty fun but that is also just clearly not done. I am really hoping that, like with SimCity, they release some free updates to add missing content before starting up the endless DLC machine.
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  8. Sep 8, 2014
    5
    So I'm a big fan of the Sims when you a little bit of free time. I have The Sims 3 along with a load of expansion packs. I was super excited about The Sims 4 after the create a sim demo even though I knew a lot would be taken out from the other sims games. Create a sim is a better experience than the one in sims 3 although no likes, zodiac signs or life wishes. Then you pick a house, firstSo I'm a big fan of the Sims when you a little bit of free time. I have The Sims 3 along with a load of expansion packs. I was super excited about The Sims 4 after the create a sim demo even though I knew a lot would be taken out from the other sims games. Create a sim is a better experience than the one in sims 3 although no likes, zodiac signs or life wishes. Then you pick a house, first of all, the world is FLAT. No hospitals or schools. You have to load to a different screen every time you decide to go do something which is between a bar, lounge, gym and a museum. Fun, right? NO. I like the new multitask feature, along with the sims seeming more "life-like". But sims 3 wins with all of the creativity, raising a family is actually normal, you have cars, normal jobs and you feel like you're in a real world. I don't completely hate this game, but I didn't keep an interest in me. I'd much prefer The Sims 3 due to having much more things, besides the glitches (just suck it up and delete the custom content). The Sims 4 is way too boring and do not buy the premium version because it comes with party hats (yay?) and a tiki bar (I don't really need that). Because you barely party in the sims 4, including its hard to make friends. Also, you have tons of bars already in the game to select from so why do you need a tiki bar? I have no idea. Stick with The Sims 3, and if you do plan on wanting to play The Sims 4, wait until it gets somewhat cheaper and for EA to hopefully add in more features without paying (HIGHLY DOUBT IT). Expand
  9. Nov 3, 2014
    5
    This game is a shame. An epic fail. There is no fun in the gameplay. to childish this game is. the graphic did not improve at all after all these years. the only good part of the game is creating sims and houses.
  10. Mar 6, 2016
    5
    Where is the open world? Where is the Create A Style tool? This game had a lack in content. Pretty much the worst title in the series. In the other Sims games we had new stuff with every game. But this time they didn't give us anything.
  11. Sep 7, 2014
    6
    It's not the train wreck that many fans were expecting, but it's clear where many corners were cut in rushing this game out. While the actual Sims are more realistic and better animated than in previous games, TS4 lacks many of the little details that made its predecessors so loved. Omitting toddlers - when many players were asking for more life stages - is simply inexcusable. SwitchingIt's not the train wreck that many fans were expecting, but it's clear where many corners were cut in rushing this game out. While the actual Sims are more realistic and better animated than in previous games, TS4 lacks many of the little details that made its predecessors so loved. Omitting toddlers - when many players were asking for more life stages - is simply inexcusable. Switching back to loading screens feels like a big step back. And decorating your Sims' clothes and houses is aggravating when you can't even choose from a decent selection of colours. While there is a lot to do in the game, much of it feels like busywork. You'll be constantly telling your Sims to perform actions to offset their negative emotions or performing repetitive actions to get your Sims skilled up or ready for job promotions. Or you can always collect things... lots of things. In one of the most egregious examples of content padding, TS4 is packed with collectibles.

    Still, it can only get better. Wait until the price drops or they include the first expansion pack for free and you won't be quite as disappointed.
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  12. Sep 5, 2014
    5
    The Sims 4 is not as bad as most people say it is, but there is no doubt that EA and Maxis could have done a better job on the game. The Create-a-Sim demo was amazing, I though EA might be releasing a high-quality game, but really they might have just done it for the hype. When I got into the actual game, I found it okay. It is not the worst out there, but it felt different to the Sims 3The Sims 4 is not as bad as most people say it is, but there is no doubt that EA and Maxis could have done a better job on the game. The Create-a-Sim demo was amazing, I though EA might be releasing a high-quality game, but really they might have just done it for the hype. When I got into the actual game, I found it okay. It is not the worst out there, but it felt different to the Sims 3 in good and bad ways. Expand
  13. Dec 29, 2014
    6
    The Sims 4 isn't the best but still holds potential in ways but still is missing features that I loved in the Sims 3 with it's expansion packs like: How you could send your Sims to the park can would get in his or her car and drive over there and you wouldn't have to wait for a loading screen, oh no you could switch between Sims even though they were in totally different areas. But in TheThe Sims 4 isn't the best but still holds potential in ways but still is missing features that I loved in the Sims 3 with it's expansion packs like: How you could send your Sims to the park can would get in his or her car and drive over there and you wouldn't have to wait for a loading screen, oh no you could switch between Sims even though they were in totally different areas. But in The Sims 4 even though your Sims are in the house next door if you had 4 Sims and you sent two Sims over you could only play as the Sims in the house next door and not switch between the two.........

    NOT COOL EA!
    Alot of features that I love are gone really........ the game can get boring with loading screens and your Sims just doing whatever
    NOT COO..... sorry
    But hopefully next year expansion packs and maybe they will change the game the map and MAKE IT FUNNER TO PLAY AND TAKE AWAY THE BLOODY LOADING SCREENS!. Let's just hope so!
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  14. Nov 19, 2014
    5
    How you like to play the Sims will determine how much you like this game. I've played over 200 hours and just had to give up because I don't like rotational gameplay. In case you don't know, there is now no story progression. There is only 1 active lot at a time, all other lots are inactive. The lack of customization (no color wheel, no CASt - create a style from Sims 3) really frustratesHow you like to play the Sims will determine how much you like this game. I've played over 200 hours and just had to give up because I don't like rotational gameplay. In case you don't know, there is now no story progression. There is only 1 active lot at a time, all other lots are inactive. The lack of customization (no color wheel, no CASt - create a style from Sims 3) really frustrates me as I like to build houses. There is only one style of interior door that is not white! All other interior doors are white (well sort of, it's kind of a grayish white). The hair styles are limited with only a limited range of color options. So if you enjoy rotational gameplay and don't care about generational type play you'll probably enjoy TS4.

    The positives: the new emotions system (not that big of a deal) and the multitasking (which is the only shining part of TS4 to me). Your Sim can eat while watching TV and having a conversation with their friends or family members. Also, when you can bear to go through the loading screen to a community lot, you will see many Sims who are actively interacting with each other which is a big improvement over TS3.

    Supposedly the reason that EA has given for dropping the open world and going back to the single active lot was to have a more stable game that would run smoothly on lower end computers. Which might be acceptable if it worked that way but unfortunately it doesn't. There are bugs and glitches galore. More disturbing are the core problems that will always be with TS4 like Sims walking through each other. I'm not kidding, they walk completely through another Sim. There is also a lot of clipping like hands passing through another Sim or a desk or counter. Just go to the official Sims forums and check out the posts in the technical discussions section and you'll see what kind of issues people are having. My game on a $1600 custom build desktop that exceeds specs for the game crashes to the desktop every few hours of gameplay. The price has dropped and if you look around you can buy it online cheaper than in the stores (I paid $43 for a Limited Edition version the week after it came out). Or if you're not certain about it, buy it through Origin early on a day that you can spend hours playing it and return it in less than 24 hours and get your money back if you don't like it. If you like the open world of TS3 and the customization of TS3 and if you don't like rotational gameplay, stay far, far away from this game as you'll end up like me just removing it from your hard drive and forgetting about it.
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  15. Dec 25, 2014
    5
    I like the sims4 its just that I with it was more like sims3.because sims3 gives more options. Like just installing it without having to log in all the time, open worlds where you can drive around
  16. Mar 14, 2015
    5
    This game is okay. I mean, yes the new features in build mode and create a sim are highly helpful, but it's extremely lacking. No basements? A 3-floor limit? NO OPEN WORLDS!?!?!? No toddlers? Limited interaction with babies? No create-a-style? This game was very rushed and definitely needs some major improvements if the creators want the series to live on.
  17. Oct 6, 2015
    6
    Not the best game from the Sims group. Obviously, for those who have been playing the Sims since day one, this was a necessity to the collection. Sadly, I sometimes find myself playing Sims 3 just to avoid the issues with Sims 4
  18. Jan 8, 2016
    5
    I see a lot of negativity for this game, and truth is I'm also a little bit disappointed. True, there are some good aspects. More emotions. More job opportunity... a more human approach to it, in a way. Now I am an avid user of all things Sims. From Sims 2 all the way to this one. Along with many, many, many expansion packs and stuff packs I have purchased over the course of many years. InI see a lot of negativity for this game, and truth is I'm also a little bit disappointed. True, there are some good aspects. More emotions. More job opportunity... a more human approach to it, in a way. Now I am an avid user of all things Sims. From Sims 2 all the way to this one. Along with many, many, many expansion packs and stuff packs I have purchased over the course of many years. In a lot of ways Sims 4 is akin to Sims 2, normally there'd be nothing wrong with going back to the roots, but in this case I didn't expect them to take away everything from the game that made the Sims 3 so incredible. It disappointed me in the worst way. There was... so much they could have done for the Sims 4 that would have made it far surpass its predecessors. Instead, it chose to ignore all the great things of 3 and simply went back to a new, better version of 2. If the Sims 4 had the flexibility in design, in everything, that the 3 does... they would have had an extreme bestseller on their hands. When 4 was first introduced I was soooo excited. I was excited for the new graphics, for the more humanization of the Sims; I was thrilled. And then I got the game as a gift and couldn't wait to play it. I think the new owners of this game unintentionally set themselves up for failure, and it breaks my heart a little bit because I hold this game so near and dear. If they had combined Sims 3 with 4... well I think this game could have been brought up to #1. Perhaps Sims 5 (if there is one) will hold up to my high standards that I hold for this game, simply because I am and always shall be a Simmer. Maybe an expansion pack would solve all the problems I have. It probably would, if the game-makers ever decided to make one like that. Expand
  19. Jun 22, 2019
    6
    Pros: Worked out multi-tasking very well. Added a good amount of cool skills and social interactions, fixed loading times that the sims 3 was known for. Sims actually go to community events when you are there. Much better create a sim with sliders. First person Camera

    Cons: Got rid of the free-roam world, made the cites much smaller, Butlers are an added feature, No Fire fighters for
    Pros: Worked out multi-tasking very well. Added a good amount of cool skills and social interactions, fixed loading times that the sims 3 was known for. Sims actually go to community events when you are there. Much better create a sim with sliders. First person Camera

    Cons: Got rid of the free-roam world, made the cites much smaller, Butlers are an added feature, No Fire fighters for some weird reason, No Cars or driving.

    Overall it is a big step down from The Sims 3.
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  20. Mar 18, 2022
    6
    too frequent and long loadings, less variability then in previous parts, too much of donation
  21. Jun 22, 2020
    6
    First of all I have to say that i am a big fan of The Sims' saga. I played all of them with all of the dlc and I really play most to create Sims and World (houses, lots), so I'm generally less interested by the "life" part. If I have to judge only the BASE game i cannot say that i wasn't disappointed. We have no pool, no basement, no cars, no open world, no free lots' positioning, noFirst of all I have to say that i am a big fan of The Sims' saga. I played all of them with all of the dlc and I really play most to create Sims and World (houses, lots), so I'm generally less interested by the "life" part. If I have to judge only the BASE game i cannot say that i wasn't disappointed. We have no pool, no basement, no cars, no open world, no free lots' positioning, no TODDLERS and NO COLOR WHEEL. It was a big step back from TS3. Yes, now with all the patch and expansions we have some of that but it's really not enought if we compare it to the 3rd chapter or even the 2nd. I like the CAS, expecially the direct mouse manipulation and there are some big improvement with the build mode. For these reason and also because I like the new graphic I continued play The Sims 4 instead to go back to TS3. But even now with same good packs and dlc I miss these things expecially the color whell because, (I don't know why, maybe just to troll us players), EA can't put colors consistent with each other. For a build/buy enthusiastic like me this is really, really, annoyng. What's the point of put a bed in wood color that doesn't match with the bedside table? It's a mistery. Anyway I resigned myself to play with what we have and I try to see also the improvement and make the most of it. But I cannot say that TH4 was not a big missed opportunity to make a great game (with all the good aspects of TS2 and TS3 combined). Expand
  22. Aug 11, 2020
    5
    Fun game but it’s almost forcing you to buy the dlc that comes out in total as £400
  23. Aug 17, 2020
    5
    Vanilla Sims 4 had nothing. No toddlers, no pools, just nothing. Also no open world and No cars. It was a bad, buggy and boring game.
  24. Jan 14, 2021
    6
    DLC,DLC,DLC,DLC,DLC,DLC,DLC,DLC,DLC,DLC,DLC,DLC,DLC,DLC,DLC,DLC,DLC,DLC,DLC,DLC,DLC,DLC,DLC,DLC,DLC,DLC,DLC,DLC,DLC,DLC,DLC,DLC,DLC,DLC,DLC,DLC,DLC,DLC,DLC,DLC... If you want to change the season - pay. If you want animals - pay. If you want to work - pay. Okay, these additions are the most important. And for clothes, things - PAY, PAY, PAY.
  25. Apr 10, 2022
    6
    Sims 4 is a step backwards in the vaunted Maxis flagship series. I have never understood sequels with less features than their predecessors. In a game with as straight-forward of a sandbox concept as The Sims, the only purpose of releasing sequels is significant expansion of the assets and functionality of the game, like Sims 2 open-world towns, greatly enhancing the now somewhat crampedSims 4 is a step backwards in the vaunted Maxis flagship series. I have never understood sequels with less features than their predecessors. In a game with as straight-forward of a sandbox concept as The Sims, the only purpose of releasing sequels is significant expansion of the assets and functionality of the game, like Sims 2 open-world towns, greatly enhancing the now somewhat cramped single-lot gameplay of the Sims 1. The Sims 4 deprives the player of the metropolitan shenanigans of the open-world town, undoing a full 14 years of game development undertaken by Sims 2 and 3.
    Yet, Sims 1 deftly sidestepped its single-lot limitations with huge expansions such as Makin' Magic. Sims 4 represents an ever-increasing frustration in the gaming industry, locking even basic features behind DLC paywalls. EA continues to drop consumers in a pool with no ladders (except Sims 4 lacks pools, a standard in Sims games since the base game for Sims 1) with its shady monopolizing sales tactics. Gamers are better off buying Sims 3 Complete Edition than reinforcing EA's banditry.
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  26. Feb 10, 2023
    6
    I have spent so many hours playing this game, and the only reason I continue to play is mods and cc. The expansion packs are expensive and lackluster, most of them contain stuff that should have already been in the base game. The character creator is good, better than the previous sims games. There are loading screens literally everywhere, the most annoying ones are the loading screens inI have spent so many hours playing this game, and the only reason I continue to play is mods and cc. The expansion packs are expensive and lackluster, most of them contain stuff that should have already been in the base game. The character creator is good, better than the previous sims games. There are loading screens literally everywhere, the most annoying ones are the loading screens in the apartments. Expand
  27. Sep 6, 2014
    6
    The game is basically Sims 1 HD.

    EA decided to cut half of the features, and realism to make The Sims 4 run well even on the worst PC's, and get as much MONEY as possible. They will be adding bunch of DLC's later to make even more MONEY.

    The experience is the same with a $200 and a $5000 PC.
  28. Sep 14, 2014
    5
    The games biggest problem is that both the Sims 2 and the Sims 3 exist. It feels more like Sims 1.5 with the amount of things missing and dumbed down from both of those base games. The only things that save this are the emotions, the Multitasking, CAS and Build mode. But with no Create a Style, no pools, no todlers, no cars, no terrain tools, no lot placement or overworld map like that ofThe games biggest problem is that both the Sims 2 and the Sims 3 exist. It feels more like Sims 1.5 with the amount of things missing and dumbed down from both of those base games. The only things that save this are the emotions, the Multitasking, CAS and Build mode. But with no Create a Style, no pools, no todlers, no cars, no terrain tools, no lot placement or overworld map like that of Sims 2 or 3, this game is just bare bones and not worth full price and certainly not worth another full priced expansion which will certainly be coming. EA's worst blunder to date and you can certainly see the disregard they have for the consumer with the way they have treated this release along with that review embargo. Now we see why... Expand
  29. Sep 5, 2014
    6
    Sims 4, two steps forward 3 steps back. Just got the sims 4 today from amazon and have played for four hours so far, here are some of my thought on the game so far. The game does a great job with social interactions with the other sims, allowing them to talk to other sims when doing something e.g. On the phone, on the computer etc. This is a great plus for the game as I felt sims 3 lackedSims 4, two steps forward 3 steps back. Just got the sims 4 today from amazon and have played for four hours so far, here are some of my thought on the game so far. The game does a great job with social interactions with the other sims, allowing them to talk to other sims when doing something e.g. On the phone, on the computer etc. This is a great plus for the game as I felt sims 3 lacked in this area. Also the music and build mode have been perfected in the sims 4 allowing for intuitive builds while listening to some inspiring music, again another great addition to the franchise. There are many more great things about the sims 4 but I want to talk about some of the bad so far to. No open world.... its a big let down for fans and one that shouldn't have happened as it is a huge feature in sims 3 and should have been brought forward and improved in the sims 4 but instead we get the neighborhood system that compresses the games potential and is a massive let down for players coming from the sims 3. I know many other reviewers have said this already but taking out pools and toddlers... seriously, again a massive letdown for sims fans and overall a bad move. Overall I think the games shows alot of potential and has the possibility of being a great game but taking out core features and items from game is a big mistake on EA's part and I just hope that its a fixable one. We will have to wait and see what the expansions have to offer but paying 49.99 or 60 dollars is another kick in the teeth and in my opinion making the game not worth the price at this current time. Hope this review helps! -Ben Expand
  30. Sep 11, 2014
    5
    Sims 3 is better in every way. heck even sims 2 is better if u have all the dlc. The game is technically worse with no 3d world map. The game also pauses to load (ssd hd 16g of ram). It's clearly a blanket for dlc and nothing more. When all the dlc is released ill give it another go.
  31. Jul 26, 2016
    5
    Not a horrible game, but the problem with The Sims 4 is that The Sims 3 and 2 came before - and they're better.
    First the pros:
    - The building and Create-a-Sim tools are more intuitive and fluid, and a lot more pleasurable to use. You can move rooms, or the entire house around in the lot anytime you want. - The graphics are beautiful, the sims are more cartoony but they don't have that
    Not a horrible game, but the problem with The Sims 4 is that The Sims 3 and 2 came before - and they're better.
    First the pros:
    - The building and Create-a-Sim tools are more intuitive and fluid, and a lot more pleasurable to use. You can move rooms, or the entire house around in the lot anytime you want.
    - The graphics are beautiful, the sims are more cartoony but they don't have that pudding face they suffered from in TS3. But it is a cartoony art style, keep that in mind
    - Multitasking is fun and allows for more realistic simulation. You can watch TV on the treadmill while talking to your friends.
    - The emotions are a new feature, but I find them a mixed bag. One one side, they make the sims more vivid, but on the other, they make all of them react the same way to everything. It is a neat feature, nonetheless.
    - The game is more stable and easier on computers than TS3.

    The cons:
    - There is no toddler life stage (babies go directly to a child and are confined to the crib), teens, young adults, adults and elders all have the same height
    - The are no Create-a-Style or Create-a-Pattern tools, meaning you cannot customize objects and clothes like before. All you can do is choose from premade options by the developers. No way to customize hair or eye color either, you can only choose from the options they give.
    - The world is closed, there is no open world. The base game comes with two worlds, each containing some neighbourhoods inside, witharound 3-5 lots inside each. Your sim can walk freely inside these neighbourhoods, but cannot freely visit the lots. That means: if you want to visit your neighbour's house, close by your house, you have to go through a loading screen.
    - The worlds are also 100% fixed, meaning they are not editable in any sort of way. In TS2, wqe could add and move lots arounds, add neighbourhood decorations as we pleased. In TS3, the worlds were also almost completely editable, and there are hundreds of custom player-created world to download. In The Sims 4, you can't even move the lots. You can't touch the world. And there is no tool to create a new one. So if you want to create new worlds for your stories, well, you won't.
    - Sims now have only 3 trait slots, ands the selection of traits is pretty limited. Also, traits feel very watered down and sims don't usually behave like their traits say they should. Mostly, the way they behave is overcome by the emotions system, making every sim feel less unique.

    Overall, I think this game is really mediocre. It was a very disappointing experience for me; it isn't horrible, but it isn't good and there are barely any features in it that make it more worth buying than The Sims 3 or 2. As of now, there's been 2 years since the base game launched, and the expansions and stuff packs released didn't do anything to change the cons I've pointed. So, I wouldn't recomend this game. I say, go buy TS3 and skip TS4.
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  32. Sep 2, 2014
    5
    I just bought this and was really hoping for more, but was let down. Don't get me wrong this game has a lot of potential to be awesome, but I still prefer things about The Sims 3 over The Sims 4. I wish when they made the newest Sims, they would take the good stuff from the previous game and improve further.

    I have owned all the Sims games, and every time you play a new Sims game you
    I just bought this and was really hoping for more, but was let down. Don't get me wrong this game has a lot of potential to be awesome, but I still prefer things about The Sims 3 over The Sims 4. I wish when they made the newest Sims, they would take the good stuff from the previous game and improve further.

    I have owned all the Sims games, and every time you play a new Sims game you need to learn how it works.

    I think they spent too much time on how to customize the look of your Sims body, that they didn't keep in mind about all the other things you can customize like clothes, objects, wallpaper, etc. It would be nice if they had more traits for sims, and hair color choices like they had in the sims 3. I hope they do an update or something where they can add all of that and soon.

    Otherwise there are some features that are better than the sims 3 like the roof is much easier to use. You can place windows either low, in the middle, or high on a wall. You can also change the wall heights. Also being able to move a whole room around is a great feature.

    I haven't really had much time to play more with this, but I do wish they would bring back the customization of each item. Also I wished the camera/ screen would move more like the sims 3 where you can navigate it at different angles so you can get different views of the house.
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  33. Sep 5, 2014
    5
    Graphics 2004 shame they are not ashamed to Sell Now (!!!!!!!!!!!!! game is very razrcherovalo expectations !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Added one innovation emotions for the new part is very, very little is more of an addon than a new part for the years razrobotki sdalt only where it spent the money to develop? what did you do Razrobotchik drinking, vacationing in Hawaii, instead of creating a new game?
  34. Sep 6, 2014
    5
    This certainly is not a horrible game. After spending awhile playing it, I think a lot of people are overreacting. However, I only give this game a five because it doesn't feel like it is finished. Having played Sims for the past decade, I have experienced Sims 2 and 3 as base games. The Sims 4 feels like it has less features than both of those BASE games. It's really unfortunate that EAThis certainly is not a horrible game. After spending awhile playing it, I think a lot of people are overreacting. However, I only give this game a five because it doesn't feel like it is finished. Having played Sims for the past decade, I have experienced Sims 2 and 3 as base games. The Sims 4 feels like it has less features than both of those BASE games. It's really unfortunate that EA has taken a series like The Sims that had so much promise and innovation and turned it into a huge cash grab.

    That all being said, the new build mode and create a sim systems are pretty great and definitely push the series forward in those avenues. Although I am a huge Sims fan, I can confidently say that I will not be purchasing any more of The Sims games unless EA and Maxis can demonstrate that they care about the qualities of their games and not just their paychecks.
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  35. Oct 5, 2016
    5
    Sims 4 came as a complete disappointment for me, and avid Sims lover. Where they have advanced in wonderful ways they have taken away what made the franchise so enjoyable. Rudimental items were not included, color mashing and customizing has been minimalized. Learned skills do not pass into adulthood. Sims will stall an hour in between using the toilet and washing hands, making it nearlySims 4 came as a complete disappointment for me, and avid Sims lover. Where they have advanced in wonderful ways they have taken away what made the franchise so enjoyable. Rudimental items were not included, color mashing and customizing has been minimalized. Learned skills do not pass into adulthood. Sims will stall an hour in between using the toilet and washing hands, making it nearly impossible to get things done during parties. Neighborhoods are way to small, no cars for transportation, and anytime you want to do something outside of the 4 house neighborhood you have to wait for a loading time for there to be travel now. With all the advances that were made, these basic tasks causes the game to not be enjoyable, and I have reverted back to Sims3, hopefully Sims 5 will be right again. Expand
  36. Sep 9, 2014
    7
    (Sorry for my bad English, i am from Germany)

    I really wanted to hate this Game, because of all the canceled functions and the typical "We are EA, buy our game or die" company philosophy, but after all, i just can't. Yes, it is true, the game seems smaller, even if you only compare it to the "The Sims 3" base-game without the add ons, it just looks and feels like a mini Sims version,
    (Sorry for my bad English, i am from Germany)

    I really wanted to hate this Game, because of all the canceled functions and the typical "We are EA, buy our game or die" company philosophy, but after all, i just can't.

    Yes, it is true, the game seems smaller, even if you only compare it to the "The Sims 3" base-game without the add ons, it just looks and feels like a mini Sims version, but after all i caught myself playing the game for several hours and actually enjoying it.

    I can understand the people who are angry about the changed graphics (which are really a matter of taste, personally i like them, i think it fits with the typical Sims feeling perfectly well), the omitted features like the swimming pools or the toddler age, and the strongly limited variety of furniture or clothing.

    But seriously folks, even if you include all this negative points it isn't a zero, a one or anything under 4. Maybe i don't get it, but a zero would be: "The game don't start" or "This is just a picture of a tree".

    All in all i think it's a nice game, not a really good game, not a bad game and certainly not a great game, but it's okay, it's fun, it has potential and maybe they "patch things up" - We will see.

    Pro:
    + (In my opinion) graphics that really match to "The Sims"
    + Multitasking (it makes thing a lot easier)
    + Better Performance (it feels faster, saves/loads faster, runs smoother, etc...)
    + Great "Create-a-Sim" mode (but could use more clothing)
    + Massively improved building mode (it's just fun)

    Contra
    - Far too few furniture (and some of them look just odd)
    - No open world (which, on the other hand, improve game stability and vitality)
    - For my taste, too small worlds (but you can switch between them with just a click)
    - No "Create a Style" (which means no customizations of the colors of furniture, hair, clothing, etc. - which annoys the hell out of me)
    - too expensive (at the moment it doesn't feel like a AAA-title, but it cost as much as one)

    Hope my opinion could help, and again sorry for my English, but i just wanted to share my opinion on this game :)
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  37. Sep 14, 2014
    5
    I feel the game deserves a solid 5. I just don't understand why they would shrink the world, throw load screen all over the place, and cut beloved features in a sequel for a game that was doing things right. Sims 3 was not a perfect game, but it was a lot of fun. I guess they are planning DLC to improve a lot of the complaints, but I have to rate the game at launch and it's aI feel the game deserves a solid 5. I just don't understand why they would shrink the world, throw load screen all over the place, and cut beloved features in a sequel for a game that was doing things right. Sims 3 was not a perfect game, but it was a lot of fun. I guess they are planning DLC to improve a lot of the complaints, but I have to rate the game at launch and it's a disappointment. You will have fun playing if you are new to the series, but to veterans of the franchise, there isn't enough to warrant purchase. Expand
  38. Sep 5, 2014
    7
    First off I just want to say that this is my first review ever! Also gamers/people now a days feel too entitled about what should or shouldn't be in a video game. Most of these 1's and 0's should be ignored, the game is not that bad. I played about 4-5 hours and never got bored with it so far. Granted it's doesn't have as much content as The Sims 3 with all the expansions, but there isFirst off I just want to say that this is my first review ever! Also gamers/people now a days feel too entitled about what should or shouldn't be in a video game. Most of these 1's and 0's should be ignored, the game is not that bad. I played about 4-5 hours and never got bored with it so far. Granted it's doesn't have as much content as The Sims 3 with all the expansions, but there is plenty to do. The "zones" bummed me out at first but the performance of the game is great, no choppiness or stuttering or long load times like in The Sims 3. Being able to multitask is the greatest improvement overall, it makes it feel like you have plenty of time in a day and you can get a lot of stuff done. It doesn't feel like you have to save time to make sure you get to work on time or do whatever like in the previous Sims games. The camera control and interface is a little awkward because im used to the previous Sims interfaces. I haven't tried "The Sims 3" style camera yet to see if that helps at all. It'll take some time to get used to where certain buttons are im not used to the Build/Buy button on the top yet. Overall it's fun, enjoyable and im having a blast so far. Create-A-Style that was missing didn't bother me much I didn't really use it and found it to be a pain sometimes. Although I don't really use pools and didn't like the toddler phase, I agree it should be a base game feature and hope EA does right by the customers and adds it as a free update in the future. This has to be the only time I honestly say go by the critic reviews not the user reviews, most of the user reviews are people flaming. This game is a solid 7 Expand
  39. Sep 3, 2014
    5
    This is actually a really good game, but it's a little hard to *enjoy* playing it. Why? Its most innovative new features are subtle and largely overshadowed by the sense of loss from conspicuously absent content from earlier (base) games in the series. The streamlined interface creates the illusion that it has even less content, and the smarter AI... isn't.

    **** Others are describing
    This is actually a really good game, but it's a little hard to *enjoy* playing it. Why? Its most innovative new features are subtle and largely overshadowed by the sense of loss from conspicuously absent content from earlier (base) games in the series. The streamlined interface creates the illusion that it has even less content, and the smarter AI... isn't.

    **** Others are describing what's missing and broken, so I'll tell you why you should buy it when there's a sale or the price comes down. (-1-) Multitasking is HUGE, and even though it's quirky, it's such a step up from the previous Sims that I wouldn't want to go back. But when you see them watching tv, eating, and talking with multiple people at the same time, you'll get it. (-2-) The building tools are insanely more powerful than they were before. Being able to pick up your entire house and shift it over a tile or rotate the whole thing is awesome. (-3-) Moodlets were my favorite thing from the Sims 3, and "emotions" are a nice extension of them. Basically, it gives you a *variety* of "good moods" and "bad moods" that have special effects. (-4-) The character models and animations are a big step up - especially given that the animations for many activities (subtly) change in response to the Sim's mood.
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  40. Dec 16, 2015
    7
    Waited a year so the game could iron out issues, got it on sale from Origin.

    The Short story, not worth retail price, pick it up on sale instead. It is a good game, not a great game. Longer more in-depth: Positives: - Create-A-Sim is by far the best ever, hands down. - The game runs like a dream, no frame drops or slowdowns from the 20 hours I've put in so far unlike Sims 3
    Waited a year so the game could iron out issues, got it on sale from Origin.

    The Short story, not worth retail price, pick it up on sale instead. It is a good game, not a great game.

    Longer more in-depth:

    Positives:

    - Create-A-Sim is by far the best ever, hands down.

    - The game runs like a dream, no frame drops or slowdowns from the 20 hours I've put in so far unlike Sims 3 which would start to slog. I don't have an impressive machine, a 3 and a half year old laptop with i7 2.3ghz processor, 8gb of ram and 2gb GT630m gaphics chip, good but outdated now, and this game runs smooth with near max visuals.

    - Managing multiple households is back from Sims 2, and its very nice to switch between families and keep control when you're really getting into the personal storytelling.

    - Sim interactions are extremely well done, Emotions are interesting, sims can finally multitask, idle animations feel more authentic.

    - The gallery is awesome and convenient, so adding lots and/or households is very efficient, no more quitting the game and relaunching.

    - Babies aren't as annoying and have more interactions, and sims don't just leave them on the floor now that they're attached to the crib thing.

    -The multiple worlds being able to interact with each other, fluidly feels amazing.

    - Load times are not bad.

    Negatives:

    - Load times are annoying, end up staying at home more often then leaving.

    - Lack of open world makes you lose visibility and continuity feel of Sims 3. The neighbourhood system is a good idea, as it strains your PC less as the game world matures compared to Sims 3, but the neighbourhoods should have been open world within themselves, its odd to be able to walk down your street, only to have to go through a loading screen if you want to visit a neighbour.

    - Career choices feels lackluster so far.

    - Toddlers not being included is awkward, not missed too much, but very awkward...

    - Babies are just objects in all honesty, they have always been, but now its super obvious.

    - Navigating build/buy mode is a little odd to adapt to.

    - No Create-A-Style is annoying.

    - My biggest issue has been the lack of Story Progression. Non-controlled Sims age and interact. But don't marry, have kids or so on. Hell, of the 15 kids I've seen, 11 are from my Sim knocking up everyone, 4 are from the Gallery! There is a mod to correct this, much like NRASS mods for Sims 3, so I remedied that situation.

    - The sheer number of expansions, game packs and stuff packs within 1 year and 3 months is absurd, there are 9 in total!!!! At least they're priced a bit better than before (still not worth the cost though)

    So overall, the game is solid, but has WAY too much to improve. I have been enjoying it thoroughly, but I'd say not to buy it unless its on sale, I picked it up for 60% off, that pricing is much better than retail and I'd say equals its value more or less.
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  41. Jan 19, 2018
    7
    This game is not bad, it's just gutted. It is exactly what you'd expect from the company behind Battlefront 2 - EA is looking to sell you every past feature of the Sims games bit by bit, via expansion and stuff packs. If you only played the base game, of course you'll hate it. There is nothing to do in it. Build up the whole collection, and you'll see how charming and entertaining thisThis game is not bad, it's just gutted. It is exactly what you'd expect from the company behind Battlefront 2 - EA is looking to sell you every past feature of the Sims games bit by bit, via expansion and stuff packs. If you only played the base game, of course you'll hate it. There is nothing to do in it. Build up the whole collection, and you'll see how charming and entertaining this game could have been, had they not broken it up across a hundred expansions that make the game experience you wanted cost a fortune. There are a few unforgivable features as well, no doubt, such as the loading screens replacing open worlds, as well as the complete inability to edit or create your own maps, which limits those of us who buy this game to build worlds. It also forgets that its target audience was pretty diverse - those who build, for example, were cut right out of the game. City Living brought apartments, but you can't build your own. There isn't even an option to place your own lot size on a map, as you have to work within the confined plots they give you, which are at a minimum as is. And even if you do buy expansion packs, many don't exceed what we already had in past iterations of the series. I really like Sims 4, but it is held down by its limited vision and won't have the longevity Sims 3 had. Expand
  42. Nov 26, 2014
    6
    I'm a big fan of The Sims series, but unfortunately I have to say-TS4 is boring! EA cut a lot of content for the expansions. Where are the animals? Events on the town? Newborns? Cars ...? Well, they have added at least pools and ghosts ... But nevermind, let's talk about the present state of the game. The graphics are "plastic", but the sound is quite pleasant. Say what you want, butI'm a big fan of The Sims series, but unfortunately I have to say-TS4 is boring! EA cut a lot of content for the expansions. Where are the animals? Events on the town? Newborns? Cars ...? Well, they have added at least pools and ghosts ... But nevermind, let's talk about the present state of the game. The graphics are "plastic", but the sound is quite pleasant. Say what you want, but building houses and create a sim has been done very well. The same can be said about emotions Sims. The biggest problems of the game are predictable, boredom, loading screens, future DLC .... Ohhh EA. You destroyed a game that had a chance to be a good thing. To summarize- TS4 made one step forward and two steps back. Expand
  43. Sep 7, 2014
    5
    look at all those little scores..angry gamers and journalist fools...reminds me of a time back when..my Sims games used to have POOOOOLLLLS.

    Fun..fun lost long ago! It was special then..it's over now! WHERE will all of my cars go? There's no garage..W0W W0W W0W..
  44. Sep 6, 2014
    6
    Hi all and thank you for taking time to read my review :-3. As this is my very first ever review please excuse any non constructive sentences etc, I am a hard to impress guy who believes that no perfect game / movie / tv show exists and through a modding community can we make games better for all!! (e.g Rome total war 2.)

    On to the the game, The SIMS 4............. I was excited to
    Hi all and thank you for taking time to read my review :-3. As this is my very first ever review please excuse any non constructive sentences etc, I am a hard to impress guy who believes that no perfect game / movie / tv show exists and through a modding community can we make games better for all!! (e.g Rome total war 2.)

    On to the the game, The SIMS 4.............
    I was excited to experience the newest edition of The Sims as I have spent countless hours on all previous Sim games since I was a teen, drowning, burning and woohooing into the early dawn of next day.

    From the first load up and initial screens there is a sense of polished and refined flow to to the menu's, clicking start took me straight to Create A Sim "CAS" I spent about 25 mins creating myself and my partner from scratch and found the multiple options of clothing, sliders and traits can be easily flicked through to find the most appropriate.

    Next stage was to buy a lot / home or build from scratch to house my new sims, I chose to purchase a lot fully furnished with upgrading furniture / appliances in the future. I was now eager to see how the gameplay mechanics functioned,

    My first reaction to the overall look of the game was a small smile eclipsing my face as I moved around the lot to view it and take in the warm vibrant picture. I vaguely glanced at any tutorial message bubbles that popped up but truthfully I just kept hitting the next button as they tend to get in the way of what your sims next action, want or need, it is a slight annoyance but vital for any one who really has never played any sims game before.

    My sims interactions were flowing and occurring faster than previous sims games as they can now multi task but this led me to miss certain info bubbles that popped up on the right side of the screen for example "YOURSIM" has gained the following trait / skill I had to view the sims actual profile to remind myself of what had just happened.

    When visiting different lots the loading screen was approximately 3 to 5 seconds long, just enough time to stretch, adjust your sitting position before exploring said lot. When encountering and interacting with new sims again the actions flow smoothly and fluently. I was about 2 hours in and still felt excited about the overall game experience however it is very clear that the game is stripped down to allow new content and community modding to enhance in the future.

    My Pros & Cons are

    PROS
    - warm and vibrant graphics with a smooth running of lots with little to no shading issues
    - easy to use user interface and quick loading when changing appearance / clothing on sims
    - sims are true to there given traits and some sims just wont get along with one another
    - public / modding community will be promising given time

    CONS
    - game is lacking previous items pools / cars / careers
    - spotted some minor glitches but not enough to impact my gameplay
    - some pop up bubbles can be easily missed as they stick to the right side of the screen while you are watching the sim do its thing.

    My overall opinion on this game is that it will only get better over time and E.A / Maxis would be wise to offer some free content to mend bridges that all the negative reviews have burned with the people that matter the most, the players ME and YOU.

    Regardless of any biased stance that people will have against E.A they have given a game with a lot of potential and I personally feel that it is a game that will improve over the coming years. I am glad it is a rainy, cold and gloomy Saturday evening here in Sydney, Australia so now I can spend the evening playing more Sims 4
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  45. Sep 7, 2014
    6
    I owned The Sims 2 + Expansions, but only TS3 & 1 expansion pack, but there were 11 main ones in total. A lot of fans have said TS4 is a step backwards. I can understand why they're saying it, but I don't think it's true. I think if you bought all of TS3 expansions, going back to a base game is going to seem incredibly limited. They're obviously not going to have EVERYTHING in a base gameI owned The Sims 2 + Expansions, but only TS3 & 1 expansion pack, but there were 11 main ones in total. A lot of fans have said TS4 is a step backwards. I can understand why they're saying it, but I don't think it's true. I think if you bought all of TS3 expansions, going back to a base game is going to seem incredibly limited. They're obviously not going to have EVERYTHING in a base game because they want to expand and make money off the whole franchise. I think they have pushed it a little too far however by removing swimming pools, dishwashers, garbage disposals and toddlers. I don't miss them personally, but to remove certain items from a base game that were in previous base games seems a bit ridiculous and milking it for all it's worth. Someone has called it The Sims 1 HD, and that seems relatively accurate.

    I think you have to compare base game to base game, to get a feel for the development of the franchise and to give a fair comparison, and to be fair, there are some good developments. Create a Sim is incredibly easy and user friendly. There's a decent amount of choice for hair styles etc. and you can adjust body parts by clicking on them and dragging them to get it to your desired proportion. The only thing that TS3 had was a colour wheel which allowed so much variety, which has been removed. That's a shame, but it may have been a lot for the game to handle. Similarly, build mode has never been easier. In the bottom left corner if you search by room it gives you a little diagram of a standard room that you've clicked, and you click on the items in it to get the options up. If you're searching for something in-particular, there's a search bar for you to type it in so it crops up. Such a simple yet effective feature. You can also see pre styled set up rooms. If you like that style in its entirety, you can drop the whole room design in, buying everything in it. If you only like certain things, you click them and drop them in. I'd say there's enough choice to create different styles in different houses. I love the new 'clutter' category to drop in knick knacks that you do have in homes.

    The sims moods and interactions are much more advanced. They can multi task, eating while watching TV and chatting on the sofa etc. Their mood changes frequently during the day and they want to do tasks based on that mood, and certain interactions will appear with people based on the mood they have. You can even 'take an angry poop' if you're mad or 'pee like a champion' if you're confident, which I thought was hilarious. The energy and development seems to be in the sims interactions/movements which takes time to recognise, but the overwhelming negativity is stemming from what people notice is visibly missing straight away.

    The camera is slightly difficult to navigate, but there is a feature that specifically says if you liked TS3's camera, you can change it to that. But it seems to chop and change with its controls but I think it's a question of getting used to it.

    The neighbourhood is where a lot of TS3 users are finding it difficult to adjust. The Sims 3 was one big, open world. You could go anywhere in that world and watch your sim drive there. The sims 4 has segregated neighbourhoods (like Sims 2 I think?). You have to pick one for your sims to move to. Once you're there, you can see that neighbourhood beyond your house and visit neighbours, but it comes with a loading screen if you're leaving your current lot. It's a bit annoying, but it only lasts a few seconds and I don't see it a huge thing to grumble about. I think it has more loading screens (little waiting time, more often) than TS3. When that loaded, it did take a very long time. Currently as well, there are very little community lots. There's a museum, a gym, a bar and a nightclub. I would have liked to have seen more, but again this is probably going to be in future expansion packs. At least there's something, but at the moment I'm disappointed you can't go shopping for clothes etc. Your sim can 'change appearance' at the mirror using any of the clothing you have in the game, where before it was fun to have your sim earn money and buy clothes from the shops, so not everyone had the same outfit choices.

    All in all, it's still enjoyable and I think it has huge potential but I think personally you have to consider purchasing it based on what previous games you liked. If you loved TS3 and it's expansions, this will seem very limited. If you liked TS2, it's an upgraded version of that. I think the graphics are good (not that cartoony as some have said) and it does run very smoothly, if you have a PC that can handle the required specs. I just hope EA don't be very specific with it's expansions. I want a lot more features to come in 1 pack, and not leave us waiting for specific things for a long time. Considering the backlash from hardcore fans, they may need to reconsider what they're going to offer in the future TS4 games and for what price.
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  46. Sep 7, 2014
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. As an avid Sims fan from its humble beginnings way back in 2000, I've decided, rather than judging it just as a sequel to Sims 3, I'm just going to give my thoughts on Sims 4 for what it is at this time, and in a nutshell.

    Pros:
    - Stunning Music (for once. Sims 2,3's music were unbearable at times)
    - New improved and easy peasy designing and building. (You will love it!)
    - Good looking if slightly cartoony graphics.
    - Multi-tasking! (Finally, your sim can watch tv, have a cup of coffee and have a chat with a nearby sim, all at once)
    - Streamlined performance.
    - Interesting new take on emotions and how they affect your Sims and other Sims.
    - Awesome new Create-a-Sim.
    - Lots and lots of individual skills to be learned.

    So far so good right?

    Cons:
    - Insanely priced for what it offers! ($60 for the standard edition? that is a little greedy EA..)
    - No Open World (Sims 1-2 style loading screens and travel options are back...)
    - No "Normal" Jobs (No police, medicine, business or military careers are available or even present in the game..why!?)
    - Only 2 services available (Maids and Pizza delivery...repair or replace yourself it seems)
    - No Create a Style (If you liked this feature of the Sims 3, sorry to disappoint you.)
    - Limited places to visit (park, nightclub, gym etc.)
    - No Toddlers or pools (but I suppose you knew this already)

    In Summary - It feels like this Sims game has become less creative and yet not so...Building and designing has been improved, yet not in a very in-depth kinda way. If you loved Create-A-Style, Open Worlds and a much more in-depth experience, Stick to Sims 3. If you want to experience an HD "Sims 2" version of the game with a few new gameplay features and design capabilities, try Sims 4, if you have the money for it...Maybe when all those inevitable expansion packs come out, the game would improve...but that would have to be seen to be believed.

    6/10
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  47. Sep 7, 2014
    5
    First off, Why are there no toddlers? It goes baby then child. The towns are really small and lacking options. I mean its a good start but they need to finish the game.
  48. Feb 12, 2016
    5
    When I tried it in my cousin's Pc, I was impressed with the graphic, especially for the sim characters. However, I also disappointed because the game is no longer an "Open World" game. I must re-consider to buy this game since I still prefer the Sims 3 over this one.
  49. Mar 17, 2023
    7
    It's awesome. You can modify your character's face and have way too many ways to interact with your avatars. As much as I've seen ,people wish certain things from the past games to come back to this one (car)
  50. Sep 2, 2014
    5
    Here is a clear-cut unbiased review by Mattaust:

    Ok to start with, when reading up on reviews, don't jump on the bandwagon and just read all all the 0's and 1 reviews, they are protest reviews in disgust comparing it to The Sims 3. In comparison to the base game of Sims 3 and Sims 4, Sims 4 is more robust, it is a much neater engine, and we will be thanking the devs for this effort
    Here is a clear-cut unbiased review by Mattaust:

    Ok to start with, when reading up on reviews, don't jump on the bandwagon and just read all all the 0's and 1 reviews, they are protest reviews in disgust comparing it to The Sims 3.

    In comparison to the base game of Sims 3 and Sims 4, Sims 4 is more robust, it is a much neater engine, and we will be thanking the devs for this effort come to the time when we have 10 expansions. packs installed.

    DO NOT compare this new title with the sims 3 with all expansions. I personally feel they have brought the game back to it's roots for what it's really about. For what made the Sims 1 so successful, as well as no. 2.

    The emotions in the characters are a nice touch, but you can see that they fell short by marketing this as the main feature, that was a big no-no. That's where this title falls flat on its face. We needed more content, a bit more depth, not to the simulation part, but towards the story. I.E. Sims Progression etc.

    People need to realize that they removed the open world map view (no loading screens) as this is what made The Sims 3 laggy, even on high performance computers. There was no solution to fix the lag, but I'm glad they made this decision as I'd rather a quick loading screen over lag anyday of the week.

    So for a simple Pro and Con List:

    + Greatly Built Game Engine
    + Nicer art style
    + Good simulation mechanics
    + Lag Free

    - Needs more content
    - Missing key features that we successful in The Sims 3, I.E. Story progression.
    - No CAS

    +- No open world, lag free (take it as a positive or negative as you wish)

    Is it worth $60? Not yet. Let's wait to see how EA responds.
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  51. Sep 4, 2014
    7
    The Sims 4 looks and feels good, but there's definitely not enough stuff to do. I don't like that
    the rest of the game is coming soon with the expansion packs... Camera is also very bad.
  52. Sep 8, 2014
    6
    This game is not the best sim game out there... I still believe The Sims 2 is the best one but I things could change should the first few expansions add some things like university , pools , vacation and the ability to start your own business...
  53. Sep 7, 2014
    6
    Far from the blindly positive 9's and far from the blindly raged 0's, The Sims 4 isn't the game the fans deserved or the game the best sold PC series deserved, I can't help to feel frustrated with this missing opportunity EA had. For me The Sims 3 are now the top of pyramid of this series, but lets through parts:

    --> (++) For most people the biggest change is in the graphics, first you
    Far from the blindly positive 9's and far from the blindly raged 0's, The Sims 4 isn't the game the fans deserved or the game the best sold PC series deserved, I can't help to feel frustrated with this missing opportunity EA had. For me The Sims 3 are now the top of pyramid of this series, but lets through parts:

    --> (++) For most people the biggest change is in the graphics, first you strange but then you accept. With a more "cartoonish" look, the game never ran better. The greatest flaw in the third Sims was bad optimization, even in my gaming PC textures were awful and took ages to load, the lag rotating the camera and when you saw the all town from above... that's all gone. The Sims 4 run as smooth as you could want. But at what cost?
    The Sims are a bit more "real", they can multi-task, have emotions according to the situation and surroundings. Basically, the social features are a lot better, fast and responsive with always the results you would expect, but most important, it is a lot more fun to have a group talk or any kind of chat being that for me the highlight of this game. Which is not surprising since EA kinda admitted the social focus in their marketing campaigns. But at what cost?
    The Create a Sim and Building mode are also better, with more options and accessibility, even though it could use a few touches there and there, I'm not going to extend in this matter cuz my guess is you already know the features.
    The Aspirations... well that's subjective, either you love it or you hate it. They took the professional or epic focus out of it, instead they made some sort of social (and professional) accomplishments, but with a lighter feeling, they're easier and more accessible, and once you achieve it you can move on to another.
    That's about it for the positive things in the game...
    --> (--) What a shame EA, what a shame... let me just bring out all my thoughts before getting to the game.
    Money, money, money, you just don't care anymore EA, Maxis could have done here the GREATEST Sims ever, but you cut them down didn't you...? Cuz you have a schedule to keep, you have to keep making money, money, money. But yeah, we the consumers are the stupid ones right? Sure, we keep buying your **** after all... And that's where it hurts, you have no values no moral to realize that you created great series that hooked us up and have no problems exploiting who love them. You'll dry out EA, some day you will...
    Now for the game. This is how you describe The Sims 4 in one word: miss-opportunity. You had it EA if you had just put down that greedy feeling... If you had granted Maxis a few more months... You could had right here the greatest social simulator ever. And it would have been easy actually, you just had to take The Sims 3, implant the new graphics/engine and the creation features... THAT WAS IT!
    But no, you took down the open city, the shopping features, the workplace... hell, the pools, the new born babies! It's ridiculous, to me this is more like Sims 2 than 3!!! This is The Sims 2.7!
    Seriously, I wanted a new Sims, I wanted to play this game again in a new way... I guess I'll just stick to The Sims 3. You took that amazing feeling of innovation and revolution when The Sims 3 came out. I wanted that... I was expecting that, goddammit, YOU HAD IT ALL! WHAT YOU NEED MOOOREEE MONEY EA?!!!
    It's just... **** I would have given an 8 score, if the ****ing city was free to explore! Cuz thats what I loved about Sims 3, getting out of the house in the morning for a run to the park with the sunshine! Looking back... damn, it has optimization problems, but it's gorgeous. The city feels empty, it's no fun, no where to go without a ****ing loading screen, they put random people in your neighborhood when you're home just to give you the illusion that the city is alive! When it's dead!
    And I'm not even going to talk about personalization option (clothes, hair, objects...) it screams expansions... DISGUSTING.
    Such a shame... My god this game pisses me off, I just can't believe that NO ONE, NO ONE from the developer team said this is step back to you suits of EA. You that forward is the way to go right? No. I guess not.
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  54. Jul 13, 2015
    7
    Although the game has impressive smooth graphics and has a lot of customization options in Build-A-Sim and Build-A-Lot modes, The Sims 4 feels more like The Sims 2.5 as the game play barely offers something new in its gameplay with its lack of open-world from its predecessor.

    Rating: 7/10 Pros: +Graphics are smooth and impressive. +Lots of customization options in Build-A-Sim and
    Although the game has impressive smooth graphics and has a lot of customization options in Build-A-Sim and Build-A-Lot modes, The Sims 4 feels more like The Sims 2.5 as the game play barely offers something new in its gameplay with its lack of open-world from its predecessor.

    Rating: 7/10

    Pros:
    +Graphics are smooth and impressive.
    +Lots of customization options in Build-A-Sim and Build-A-Lot modes.

    Cons:
    -The gameplay barely offers something new to the game. The “emotions” feature does not even dramatically change the gameplay.
    -Lack of open-world from its predecessor is a huge downgrade.
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  55. Sep 3, 2014
    6
    Simply put, this game isn't as good as it's predecessor. Here is my list of what Maxis fixed until it was broken:

    The UI is too minimal. The Sims aren't as smart on their own. You can't use custom color on... ANYTHING! Not characters, not objects. No more "open-world". Everything is instanced to individual buildings. No more walking next door. Personality and Aspirations got a huge
    Simply put, this game isn't as good as it's predecessor. Here is my list of what Maxis fixed until it was broken:

    The UI is too minimal.
    The Sims aren't as smart on their own.
    You can't use custom color on... ANYTHING! Not characters, not objects.
    No more "open-world". Everything is instanced to individual buildings. No more walking next door.
    Personality and Aspirations got a huge cut/minimization in character creation.
    Graphics on objects and structures got a HUGE cut. Grass and textures look BAD! Cut polygon count HARD!
    Everything has BLOOM!
    Graphics in general have taken a dive. Everything is instanced and computers are faster, but it took a dive.

    This ENTIRE game is based around character animation. It is the SINGLE and ONLY improvement over TheSims3. EVERYTHING else and I do mean EVERY SINGLE THING other than that has gotten a "cut" or "downgrade". It's obvious they're going to add TONS of DLC and micro-purchases. The question is, then, how much will one have to pay in total to get a game that is good as the vanilla TS3. What you purchase for this game will not make it "better", it will only bring it a small step closer to what you were playing BEFORE you spent AAA title money on THIS title.

    Just like everything else Maxis has come out with in the last decade, it's a huge disappointment. I don't know what happened to my favorite childhood computer game brand, but it's not the Maxis I once knew. Not even close.
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  56. Sep 8, 2014
    7
    The game is fun, I like a lot of the new additions. However I ran out of things to do, quickly. Sims 4 has potential to be a very good game. However its looking like you're going to have to pay a lot for it to get there. (expansion packs.)
  57. Sep 11, 2014
    7
    not bad :( Sims3 is better than sims 4 it don"t have new thing besides it lost something EA its a good company but I want to better scores 71 is a good score for this game
  58. Sep 3, 2014
    6
    Compared to the Sims 3, there isn't much improvements. On the opposite, there are many aspects of the game that feel inferior to the Sims 3. Two things in particular disappointed me: the "worlds" are much, much smaller in the Sims 4 and there are loading screens between differents terrains. What I had loved in the Sims 3 was that the neighborhood was quite big and lively, and could beCompared to the Sims 3, there isn't much improvements. On the opposite, there are many aspects of the game that feel inferior to the Sims 3. Two things in particular disappointed me: the "worlds" are much, much smaller in the Sims 4 and there are loading screens between differents terrains. What I had loved in the Sims 3 was that the neighborhood was quite big and lively, and could be navigated freely. On the good side, emotional states and interactions between Sims are more complex than in the previous games, but it would have been better if the Sims 4 had expanded from the features in the Sims 3 rather than cutting them short to add other stuff..... Expand
  59. Sep 4, 2014
    5
    I guess in 4-5 years it will be a complete and good game. However, right now, you can smell those 20-30 expansion packs ahead of us, each one for 30$.

    Make yourself a favor and do not buy this game. Get it in several years when all the features (that are probably already created and good to go) are implemented.
  60. Sep 3, 2014
    5
    As someone who played the original Sims when it came out, I am a big fan of the franchise. I didn't expect Sims 4 to offer everything Sims 3 did (how would it, Sims 3 was massive), but for every "oh wow" moment I had an "oh no" moment follow. The emotion system is very intriguing and the sims feel much more...alive. However, the downside is a huge step backward in flexibility. The gameAs someone who played the original Sims when it came out, I am a big fan of the franchise. I didn't expect Sims 4 to offer everything Sims 3 did (how would it, Sims 3 was massive), but for every "oh wow" moment I had an "oh no" moment follow. The emotion system is very intriguing and the sims feel much more...alive. However, the downside is a huge step backward in flexibility. The game tends to box you in. You can't edit colors, you don't call a babysitter, the baby just "disappears" and goes to daycare until an adult arrives home. Worst of all, you are confined to small areas of the town and not only have to go through a loading screen to visit, for example, the "rich" part of town or the part of town that has shops, you have to go through a loading screen to visit your next door neighbor!

    I do love the multitasking aspect that has been brought into the game. Sims are much more social and do lots of little thing that make them feel more interesting to watch. The addition of a pregnancy test, the stand up comedian career track, and the much nicer interface are definite pluses.

    Final assessment? The developers had a target in mind and I think they achieved it with the emotions and multitasking; however, they completely missed the boat on the "community" feel that the Sims 3 had from launch. Customization is what made the sims unique and that seems to be gone (hopefully not for good). In general,
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  61. Sep 9, 2014
    5
    I read all the reviews before I decided to purchase my own copy. Like most I have been a huge Sims fan since the very beginning. I went into the idea of playing Sims 4 for the first time that I was going to be very disappointed. After playing for a few hours I can see both sides of the spectrum on where the game improves and where it is definitely lacking. I was so sad when I could notI read all the reviews before I decided to purchase my own copy. Like most I have been a huge Sims fan since the very beginning. I went into the idea of playing Sims 4 for the first time that I was going to be very disappointed. After playing for a few hours I can see both sides of the spectrum on where the game improves and where it is definitely lacking. I was so sad when I could not fully roam the world with my Sims and had to load between each time I wanted to go to the lounge or library. Another thing that completely annoyed me was each time one of my sims had a dish they had to go to a sink to wash it. When you have a family of six sims this can get pretty ridiculous. I do miss the toddlers and feel like there is a lot of room for improvement on the Sim Family side of things. Another thing I think I miss most from Sims 3 was the control we had over the exact color of pretty much any item from eyeliner all the way up to the design on the wall paper. I hope that they can come up even with a basic color wheel to change colors of items. What I was excited for was the vast variety of clothing that actually seemed plausible. No longer is there horrible clothing that would just clutter the categories. I like the idea of having more flexibility towards the shaping of each Sims body whether your adjusting the chest or even the just the bridge of the nose. The building option I think has improved in the right direction. I personally like the by room feature. Another thing I like is how I can open the gallery right there and then and just drop a random Sim into my families home. Overall I think they made a mediocre attempt to do what they could in the time span they were given. I'm hoping they can salvage up some more options in expansion packs. I rated this a 5 because I do feel like they could have done a stellar job but just fell short. Would I recommend buying the game? I think that with the expansion packs and custom content to follow I feel like this could potentially turn out to be a great game. Expand
  62. Apr 18, 2015
    7
    Okay, I don't think, what game is so bad(3.7!)
    I can say some pluses and minuses:
    +
    Sim-creator, create your sim from plasticine,
    Sim's emoji.
    -
    No open world.
    Many things is disappeared.
    Sometimes it boooring.
    7/10
    65/100
  63. Dec 8, 2015
    7
    I really like how the sims look. But there are so many annoying features about the game. For example, the recent update means that if you want your sim to take a shower and you have it in a queue with other things (e.g. shower, then go to the toilet, then cook breakfast) the game cancels out the shower. It seems to be specifically showers. Another thing is that when you want to cancel aI really like how the sims look. But there are so many annoying features about the game. For example, the recent update means that if you want your sim to take a shower and you have it in a queue with other things (e.g. shower, then go to the toilet, then cook breakfast) the game cancels out the shower. It seems to be specifically showers. Another thing is that when you want to cancel a conversation with other sims to talk to someone else, it takes up to an hour (sims time) to leave the conversation, which is extremely annoying. Also when I want my sim to do something (e.g. gardening), they often just decide to do something completely different, which is time wasting and especially annoying when you have a large family and are trying to make several sims build skills at once. It's a fun game, but without the (very expensive) expansion packs there isn't much to do. Expand
  64. Sep 2, 2014
    7
    I don't like the UI, its too fragmented, the camera controls are horrible. Love the music. Im basing my score on what is in the game not whats not in. I actually don't mind the loading screens they are fast enough, the game runs well, it has potential. It has a better balanced economy, I like the careers, I like the gardening aspect. I feel that there is a lot to discover. Its not perfectI don't like the UI, its too fragmented, the camera controls are horrible. Love the music. Im basing my score on what is in the game not whats not in. I actually don't mind the loading screens they are fast enough, the game runs well, it has potential. It has a better balanced economy, I like the careers, I like the gardening aspect. I feel that there is a lot to discover. Its not perfect but what base game is. Expand
  65. Sep 3, 2014
    7
    This is the way I see The Sims 4:

    It is not bad, in fact, for a base game, it's actually really well done. It's solid and hasn't got many game-breaking bugs at launch. The only problem is that they cut off features to sell them later in expansion packs, but EA is business, they want to make money, and I don't blame them for that. I just hope they don't overprice them like previous
    This is the way I see The Sims 4:

    It is not bad, in fact, for a base game, it's actually really well done. It's solid and hasn't got many game-breaking bugs at launch. The only problem is that they cut off features to sell them later in expansion packs, but EA is business, they want to make money, and I don't blame them for that. I just hope they don't overprice them like previous years. (Katy Perry Sweet Treats EP, I'm talking to you!)

    My experience with this game started yesterday, 2nd September. I downloaded the game and played it. I started a household with only one Sim to try and engage with other families in the neighborhood. The game seems that it's focused on only your lot, if you want to travel to a community lot or another household lot, you really have to make an effort... The loading screen is short, sure, but it gives the game another feel, a bad feel. Not to mention that when you decide to travel your sim magically fades and the loading screen pops (I mean, come on!?). With these loadscreens, I hardly ever want to travel, they make you lazy.

    Smarter Sims? I believe not. They are just like in the Sims 3, but with some improvements like multitasking, which is nice, and stuff like that. Emotions aren't as interesting as they told us in the trailer or livestreams. It's just a feature that I would trade in for all the content cut out.

    The SimGurus really overrated the game, they said it was fantastic, and no, it isn't. There's a long way to go. I do have faith though, that thanks to the expansion packs that might come, the game will get better.

    Do I think I've been fooled? I paid 70$ for a Sims base game, it probably should've been less, but hey, I liked the game. It looks amazing and I'm sure that with future EP the game will be great. The only thing is that I've got bored because the gameplay is repetitive due to the lack of features.

    To everyone saying that it looks worse than the Sims 3 (graphics), what are you thinking? It looks far more better, and it's beautiful.

    I'm going to continue playing now, see what I can discover and gain motivation, because right now, I'm bored as frick.

    Thank you for reading. Good luck EA, I know you can do it.
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  66. Sep 6, 2014
    7
    Feels unfinished.

    I know EA has a penchant for releasing tons of DLC - and the Sims 3 was no exemption, which I hope highlights the state of the sims 4. Currently, there's not much to do outside of go to work and come home. My sims are content to act on auto-pilot for their daily living and there's not much to do outside of train skills. Interactions feel clunky. Sims mostly do
    Feels unfinished.

    I know EA has a penchant for releasing tons of DLC - and the Sims 3 was no exemption, which I hope highlights the state of the sims 4.

    Currently, there's not much to do outside of go to work and come home. My sims are content to act on auto-pilot for their daily living and there's not much to do outside of train skills.

    Interactions feel clunky. Sims mostly do what you expect them to otherwise just chat. Previous versions of the game felt like a soap opera - the people in the neighborhood could invite your characters into their lives and drama. Now it feels like a doll house, a doll house which lacks imagination.

    The easiest way to describe it is a lack of emotional connection to anything which happens.

    The game has a solid understanding of the dynamics of life - I like how the choices at work can affect your potential. The career oriented things I saw seemed plausible and fun to achieve.

    Felt like sims aged a bit quick by default but there's the normal option to turn it off, as well as an option to turn off the auto-birthday and make you instead have to blow out candles to age.

    The graphics are more inviting than the sims 3, but not so far out there that it makes you think, "Wow!". I miss being able to go places on vacation and explore and a variety of interactive towns.

    It's much less in your face, and has less staged actions than the sims 3 did at it's height, but the sims 4 feels very unpolished and lacking that energy that made the game an alternative to watching TV opposed to what it is now: a computerized doll house.
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  67. Sep 2, 2014
    7
    Its funny....when Sims 3 was released...people did not like the open world, felt lost....and complained about the lack of items. Sims 4 removes the above (Minus the items) and people hate it. It is just like any other Sims release....everything is reset to vanilla Sims. Sims 4 tries to be Sims 2....with a bit of 3. (A lil bit).

    It's not a bad game....Sims 2 is still the best. My only
    Its funny....when Sims 3 was released...people did not like the open world, felt lost....and complained about the lack of items. Sims 4 removes the above (Minus the items) and people hate it. It is just like any other Sims release....everything is reset to vanilla Sims. Sims 4 tries to be Sims 2....with a bit of 3. (A lil bit).

    It's not a bad game....Sims 2 is still the best. My only major issue with 4 is the lack of items and it just being EA in general.....EA have always been terrible with DLC...time and again, and i really hope they do not add past stuff this time with a charge that should have been in before. Toddlers/Weather etc.

    Another note is the load screens etc are nowhere near as bad as you think and being locked to a specific area, you honestly do have more to do then you would have in other Sims.

    I think the Sims community is strong enough to change Sims 4 to how they want eventually... as always. + Mods always keep it fresh.

    Is it worth full price ? No...it really is not...not even Sims 3 was imo, but when it does go on sale + dlc + patches then yes....it would be worth picking up. Honestly if you are a Sims fan , you will be playing it still right now, and not even reading this.
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  68. Sep 3, 2014
    5
    Looks great, but take thousand steps back in the series. The purpose of The Sims is to recreate our lives in a amusing way, but in The Sims 4, the sims are stuck in their homes with a lot less to do than in the other base games. In order to make it more appealing and make it seem more realistic, developers sacrificed most of the things that make The Sims a great game. Not a bad game, butLooks great, but take thousand steps back in the series. The purpose of The Sims is to recreate our lives in a amusing way, but in The Sims 4, the sims are stuck in their homes with a lot less to do than in the other base games. In order to make it more appealing and make it seem more realistic, developers sacrificed most of the things that make The Sims a great game. Not a bad game, but games aren't supposed to improve in every new edition? Expand
  69. Sep 3, 2014
    7
    I think a lot of people are way to harsh with this game or are not typical Sims players. I did not go into the game comparing it to Sims 3 and was open minded. I knew what to expect and that it is a game that goes back to the roots of the franchise. The game has a lot of focus on the social interactions of the Sims and it is all about the Sims themselves. The Sims 4 focuses on smallerI think a lot of people are way to harsh with this game or are not typical Sims players. I did not go into the game comparing it to Sims 3 and was open minded. I knew what to expect and that it is a game that goes back to the roots of the franchise. The game has a lot of focus on the social interactions of the Sims and it is all about the Sims themselves. The Sims 4 focuses on smaller tight knit communities that allow your Sims to have a thriving social life. There are some downsides to the game such as no toddlers, pools, and terrain tools. However the game runs smooth unlike Sims 3, and I found it to have very addicting gameplay. I don't mind the smaller worlds or the fact there is a loading screen(which is only a few seconds). I think this game is great for what it is and has a good foundation for future updates and expansions. Expand
  70. Sep 3, 2014
    6
    Eh. I've been playing the Sims since the original and the best I can say about this release is, 'eh'. On the one hand, the graphics and high performance are lovely. On the other, it seems EA has left out several features that made previous games so enjoyable - create a style being the most notable in my eyes. Some of the new skills/aspirations are interesting and I do like the new buildEh. I've been playing the Sims since the original and the best I can say about this release is, 'eh'. On the one hand, the graphics and high performance are lovely. On the other, it seems EA has left out several features that made previous games so enjoyable - create a style being the most notable in my eyes. Some of the new skills/aspirations are interesting and I do like the new build mode. However, it's painfully obvious that EA plans to cash in on DLCs to make the game complete. The gameplay is only barely above what you'd get with the Sims 3 so I suggest you don't waste your money on it until it's on sale or there's an interesting DLC. Expand
  71. Sep 3, 2014
    6
    The game is fun and addictive, like its predecessors. However, it has several things that make it less fun than Sims 3. The first is that you can no longer walk around the town without loading screens. Gone are the days of jogging to the town square. Of wandering around and taking photos of landmarks from choice vantage points. Of sending one sim off to fish or collect rocks, whileThe game is fun and addictive, like its predecessors. However, it has several things that make it less fun than Sims 3. The first is that you can no longer walk around the town without loading screens. Gone are the days of jogging to the town square. Of wandering around and taking photos of landmarks from choice vantage points. Of sending one sim off to fish or collect rocks, while another sim works from home. You hit M to load the map, you pick a lot, the lot loads for several seconds, and you are suddenly, instantly there.

    I am sure this was done for performance reasons, but this makes the game feel way more claustrophobic. Now when I leave the house I have to weigh that decision against the cons: Do I want the loading screen? Do I want to take both my sims, or do I leave one behind to do nothing while the other one visits the lot?

    Likewise, Sims 4 adds a lot of click-bloat to the game. You simply have to click more to do the same things. Need to repair (way more often than in Sims 3)? Well first you repair. Then you have to clean up the mess afterwards, and if you want the salvage to upgrade plumbing/appliances later, you have to click for that too. What was previously a single action you queued up now becomes a multi-step hassle you have to handle one step at a time.

    Other actions (such as eating) follow suit.

    This combined with several other changes makes the game feel a lot less streamlined than its predecessor.

    Now for the good news: The game loads a lot faster, and runs better than Sims 3 (it would be all but impossible not to). Sims 4 also looks better and character animations are much improved. The emotions add additional depth. A lot of objects (computer, shower, work out equipment, etc) have more options, and some of those options are specific to your emotion. This adds a lot of layers.

    The real question is whether or not the annoyances (e.g. loading screens, extra clicks) are worth the new features. Currently, I am on the fence. It is fun, and aggrivating at the same time. The game could be better. If this was a stand alone title I would rank it much higher (closer to 8), but when you compare it to Sims 3 I think it is fair to say this game is currently a 6.
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  72. Sep 2, 2014
    7
    Sims 4 is a slight step forward from Sims 3 in my opinion but its definitely not worth seventy dollars. If I didn't pre-order the game I would of waited for the price to go down to around thirty bucks.
  73. Sep 10, 2014
    7
    I have played this game for 87 hours already. I can say I have had a lot of fun playing this game. The game is additive like the other Sims version I played in the past. I think the key to having fun with this game is make quite a few Sims so that you have more of a variety of Sims to interact with. I would recommend this game if you haven't played the other versions in a while.
  74. Sep 3, 2014
    7
    I feel the Sims 4 is an upgrade from the Sims 3. But the question is, how much of an upgrade? The best part of the game is Sim creation. You can do ever little nook and cranny when creating your Sim. I felt the Sims 3 had weird looking Sims. In the Sims 4 the Sims look great. The visuals are an upgrade from the Sims 3, but not by much. Build a mode will take sometime to get used too, butI feel the Sims 4 is an upgrade from the Sims 3. But the question is, how much of an upgrade? The best part of the game is Sim creation. You can do ever little nook and cranny when creating your Sim. I felt the Sims 3 had weird looking Sims. In the Sims 4 the Sims look great. The visuals are an upgrade from the Sims 3, but not by much. Build a mode will take sometime to get used too, but it is good overall. I feel the game deserves an 8/10. I also feel the game will get better as expansion packs are released. Expand
  75. Sep 2, 2014
    7
    Sims 4 is kind of a disappointment(IMo)but not without its own set of new giddy features, Sims series fans will feel just as home. Initially The intuitive UI and seamless gameplay are only things that standout for me but hopefully the mods change that infact since this time EA is actually fully supportin mods and seeing the potential of improvements which might make the seriesSims 4 is kind of a disappointment(IMo)but not without its own set of new giddy features, Sims series fans will feel just as home. Initially The intuitive UI and seamless gameplay are only things that standout for me but hopefully the mods change that infact since this time EA is actually fully supportin mods and seeing the potential of improvements which might make the series glorious comeback and recover its popularity i'm giving it a 7 if not 3 to 4.20302032 ...its a downgrade from sims 3 but we'll have to wait in time to have a unbiased "critique" of the game since Sims 3 had all the expansions. Expand
  76. Sep 8, 2014
    7
    I understand the hate towards this game and whilst I agree in some ways its a step backwards sometimes you have to go backwards in order to take something forwards. The graphics are now so much clearer and the animations so much smoother everyone surely has to agree that they are an improvement. I suppose Sims 4 can depend a lot on your style of play if I'm honest. I tend to spend a lot ofI understand the hate towards this game and whilst I agree in some ways its a step backwards sometimes you have to go backwards in order to take something forwards. The graphics are now so much clearer and the animations so much smoother everyone surely has to agree that they are an improvement. I suppose Sims 4 can depend a lot on your style of play if I'm honest. I tend to spend a lot of time around the house so the loading times dont bother me as I dont move around so much. I've heard people complaining that they couldnt follow their Sims to work but in honesty who used to ? Just to watch an overview of a building !. Dont get me wrong can see that EA are going to milk this dry with DLC and totally agree that on price for what it is on comparison to its previous version its a complete rip off. In a strange way though I understand why they have simplified the game the way they have and although in my opinion not a vast improvement for me personally it's a welcome re-hash Expand
  77. Sep 7, 2014
    7
    In some ways, it's quite an improvement but in others not so much and still in others it leaves me wondering "Why?!" but all in all, I am enjoying the game. I've played around 20 or so hours and still enjoying it. I dislike the loading times but being only 10 seconds at each one, I don't really find myself growing agitated when I see them. There's no toddlers but I've never really beenIn some ways, it's quite an improvement but in others not so much and still in others it leaves me wondering "Why?!" but all in all, I am enjoying the game. I've played around 20 or so hours and still enjoying it. I dislike the loading times but being only 10 seconds at each one, I don't really find myself growing agitated when I see them. There's no toddlers but I've never really been that kind of player that makes use of the toddler age group in the game. There's no pools but I've never had a pool in my own backyard and only ever used the public pools in Sims 3 as another location, of many, to meet people.

    My pet hates right now are the fact that only a single building at a time is "active" in the game and that all other buildings need to be loaded if you want to interact with them, even if they are within walking distance. Another thing I dislike the most is the feeling that just about everything can be done from the start of the game and there's no feeling of progression. Lastly, there's a feeling that everything can be done from your own lot and you never have to leave. This is highlighted especially by the fact that your friends are constantly coming over without being invited. It actually gets quite tiresome to see the friends coming over all the time, to the point where I ignore them a lot now.

    I can't say it's the worst "on release" Sims game.. and thinking about it objectively, weighing up the pros and cons of the new things in 4 compared to 3.. they're roughly on the same level. Of course 3 had many years of expansions and mods to go with it by now, so if you are to compare 4 against the "current" 3, then 4 sucks of course!

    It's certainly not a horrible game and I think that if all the people giving bad reviews rated it more honestly, we'd see an average of around 5 or 6.. I gave it 7 because it's not yet a "wonderful" game but neither is it a terrible game. It's above average at this point.
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  78. Nov 16, 2014
    5
    its better than sims 3 but fans have expected more
    it looks better and more charming everything buildings, objects in houses, including little sims
    peronally i didnt like sims 3 on how emotions of sims changes and affects their lives now more simpler and straight forward. yes, a lot of features are removed and it angered people who have loved the franchise overall decent game .. still
    its better than sims 3 but fans have expected more
    it looks better and more charming everything buildings, objects in houses, including little sims
    peronally i didnt like sims 3 on how emotions of sims changes and affects their lives
    now more simpler and straight forward. yes, a lot of features are removed and it angered people who have loved the franchise
    overall decent game .. still i think the series needs more refreshing formulas that will sims gamers get excited once more
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  79. Sep 6, 2014
    7
    This game is nowhere near as bad as the idiots posting fake reviews have posted. Yes it takes some steps back but it makes it clear that this is a better version of the Sims all the same. If you're a fan already, you'll get your money's worth. If you're new to the series, you can get more for less from the previous iterations but once getting hooked you will want to make the jump to SimsThis game is nowhere near as bad as the idiots posting fake reviews have posted. Yes it takes some steps back but it makes it clear that this is a better version of the Sims all the same. If you're a fan already, you'll get your money's worth. If you're new to the series, you can get more for less from the previous iterations but once getting hooked you will want to make the jump to Sims 4. Internet haters are going to hate..... Losers. Expand
  80. Sep 8, 2014
    7
    Lets tell the truth here:

    50% of the users meta critics are totally **** The one half hypes the game totally without giving a real 10 out of 10 verdict, that would make this score legit, the other ones either have never played Sims before Sims 3 or just troll because it is an EA game! Lets face a true User score here and read WHY this game earns it! The Sims 4 to me earns a 7 out
    Lets tell the truth here:

    50% of the users meta critics are totally **** The one half hypes the game totally without giving a real 10 out of 10 verdict, that would make this score legit, the other ones either have never played Sims before Sims 3 or just troll because it is an EA game!

    Lets face a true User score here and read WHY this game earns it!

    The Sims 4 to me earns a 7 out of 10 points to make the base of discussion here directly.

    But why should Sims 4 be a 7 out of 10?

    Well it is very easy to start with, because The Sims 4 is a standalone product. So it does not continue at a certain part of Sims 3 or tries to over-feature the 3rd part of it. It just is a new designed version, where adjustments (even bad ones) are done to change the experience.

    I played Sims ever since the first Game approached the marked. And with every new Number of Sims the same thing happened:

    New features were added, old features were deleted and content was built up again and filled with AddOns.
    When you buy a game like Sims, you know the main content will be delivered in AddOns. It was the same in Sims 2 and 3 and it again is in Part 4. So complaining about the fact, that a fully customized Sims 3 due to addons and usercontent, has more features and content then Sims 4 is totally brainless. But okay, everyone has to judge from his own point of view. I see the Sims 4 as a typical release of a Sims title.

    86 Features were cut, that they have promised or at least used in the earlier part.
    One of these features is a instanciated world instead of an open world like in Sims 3. Which is technically for most people a step back, which it actually is for me too.
    On the other hand, when I remember myself back 5 years ... at the release of Sims 3 ... I never used this feature. I still traveled via Map and not via walking there directly ... And I am very sure, that most people did as well.

    Same to things like the swimming pool, many functional assets for the house etc.
    Of course it sucks, that I have to make my character wash all dishes instead of having a dishwasher ... but I am sure that there will be more granular features with the addons in future ... even though I also hate the thoughts to by myself lots of old features with new AddOns ... but I really do not judge the overall fun of the gameplay.

    Actually with all these negative points I started playing a Sim in Sims 4 without knowing about all of this ... and my experience differs a lot from the Meta average!!!

    The gameplay is fluid. Sims are behaving more realistic then ever before.
    Without cheating, you will be needing several days to get all assets etc. that come with the game.
    But the interactions between the Sims is the point were EA did a great job this time. Spending them feelings, that really feel like they are alive in most cases makes the actual Gameplay so much fun now.

    With the decision to give the Sims a multitasking ability, the whole way of the Sims life becomes more relatable then ever before. Of course you would not see anything of it, when you just cheat your characters with much money and big houses! But usually ... thats not the meaning of the Sims! If it was, they would create more of a Sanbox House Simulator then giving Sims behaviors to relate to them better. So the focus on The Sims is and has always bin on the SIMS and not the housing!

    If you want to kill your Sims in a swimming pool ... well then play Sims 3 or wait till Sims 4 gets a "Garden AddOn" or whatever. But dont start pointing out 1 of 100 scores because your specific gamestyle is not currently supported in here anymore. Sims made its way to a more serious (not totally serious) Life Simulation and I am looking forward what EA brings with the AddOns and if they can completely create that new Sim feeling when they add some older features in a redesgned way to the game!

    So my final verdict:

    For players of Sims 3 who own maybe several AddOns as well, this is not a must have Sims game!
    The game tries to go to a little more optimized Life Sim way and misses lots of content by now that has been added in 5 years to Sims 3.

    For Sims player who just want a fun Sandbox you will definitively have more fun at Sims 3 currently. Even though this fun will also cost you more then 200 Euros.

    For players that either never owned a Sims game, or prefer to play Sims as a life simulation, I would definitively recommend Sims 4 as a nice game that will provide many fun!
    I own all Sims parts (not AddOns) and I had great fun until now with the game. It has some little bugs, but compared to many other titles this version even comes technically solid to its release!
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  81. Sep 6, 2014
    5
    Could be worse. I'd by it if its your first Sims game, but if you played Sims three or two don't pick up. As a big Sims fan its disappointing and a huge down grade form three.
  82. May 29, 2017
    6
    The games is alright. Most of the UI is an improvement and things like dating have been dramatically improved, even interactive. The AI is much better, my sim's date actually shows up on his own fairly often. At the moment the neighborhoods are just too small and without more content the game is just mediocre. There isn't really anywhere to go or anything to do.
  83. PHJ
    Sep 10, 2014
    5
    Innovate, innovate and innovate, that's what we've been wanting for a long time from Electronic Arts, the most surprising part is that it's clear that EA really tried to innovate the game, to imrpove the franchise, but they need to learn something with The Sims 4, you never change what is working, you only improve, that's what they didn't do and that's why Sims 4 may be weird, confusing,Innovate, innovate and innovate, that's what we've been wanting for a long time from Electronic Arts, the most surprising part is that it's clear that EA really tried to innovate the game, to imrpove the franchise, but they need to learn something with The Sims 4, you never change what is working, you only improve, that's what they didn't do and that's why Sims 4 may be weird, confusing, annoying and frustating for most of the players.

    The AI in Sims 3 was pretty good, the Sims answered nice your commands, they act like real people, so you never get tired of playing it, otherwise in The Sims 4 the IA is trully bad, the Sims took too much time to do simple things like eat, cook, take a piss and principally, they took a lot of time to change from an action to other, for an example, your Sim was playing on the computer, than you command him to go to the bath, he took almost 30 min (in the game) just to go to the f*cking bath, I mean, what?

    The game just stills with 50 out 100 by some nice improvements, like the Sim creation and the House Bulding, which are pretty improved and pretty good, the graphics are lighter, brigther and more friendly, ah, and the Sims emotions are better expressed.

    Conclusion, well, EA trully needs to learn how to improve in something.
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  84. Sep 6, 2014
    6
    I'll be honest this game is not worth the £49.99 that origin is asking for the standard edition. It is quite frankly a bare bones offering that is missing several features that have been popular in past games. Despite this I feel that this game has potential the new emotion system is a step forward, the UI and build mode have seen vast improvements since 3 and the loading times are muchI'll be honest this game is not worth the £49.99 that origin is asking for the standard edition. It is quite frankly a bare bones offering that is missing several features that have been popular in past games. Despite this I feel that this game has potential the new emotion system is a step forward, the UI and build mode have seen vast improvements since 3 and the loading times are much better.

    As this game stands I would recommend it to those new to the series (The sims 3 bundled with some expansions would be better though) however those that have played 3 and its expansions should wait till the inevitable expansions are released and wait till they are bundled together and put on sale. This is however what I felt about 3 when I initially bought it the base games are always lacklustre and really need the expansions to really improve things.

    All in all this is not a bad game it is nowhere near perfect though and EA and Maxis need to reintroduce features fast and not rip its customers off too much in doing so.

    Given that I only spent £25 on the game I'm not too let down and look forward to the (inevitable onslaught of) expansions which I hope will be more reasonably priced than the base game.
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  85. Feb 16, 2015
    7
    PLEASE READ BEFORE YOU 'LISTEN' TO THE WHINING ONES. Oh, and also ignore the 10 score review, clearly written by EA.
    Yes, this game lacks some content available in previous edition. Yes, EA will try to sell us DLCs and empty our wallets. Yes, this game isn't what it could've been.
    But it's so damn good and entertaining! It starts with caracter creation - superb! You can create anything
    PLEASE READ BEFORE YOU 'LISTEN' TO THE WHINING ONES. Oh, and also ignore the 10 score review, clearly written by EA.
    Yes, this game lacks some content available in previous edition. Yes, EA will try to sell us DLCs and empty our wallets. Yes, this game isn't what it could've been.
    But it's so damn good and entertaining!
    It starts with caracter creation - superb! You can create anything brom fat melon-like ameba to triangular lean beefcake. The clothing options aren't THAT great but they're satisfying.
    Interaction between characters has been taken to the next level. Multitasking works really good. You can play a game, listen to the music and talk to a friend at the same time. Only this makes this game brilliant.
    Loading screens everywhere? Ok, I've got SSD drive and loading takes about 5 seconds. Not a big deal. This isn't Skyrim with open world. Sims 3 wasn't super attractive just because of that.
    The improved careen system works very good.
    I would recommend two mods for this game - slower timescale and superfast speed. Works as should be.
    I've been lost for two solid days now. I highly recommend this game even though I myself see EA as evil money grabbing gits. The price, potential costly DLCs and no-Steam policy is at least -2 to the final score.
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  86. Feb 16, 2015
    5
    It hasn't expansion packs, so is normal that it's uncompleted like The Sims 3. It's a good game, it has boring times, but the soundtrack was excellent, and I'll add that they are working on toddlers. Is a good game, and the updates were so cool, they really work hard for this game, but, another time, my expectation was other. It is a good game, but they said that the hair will move withIt hasn't expansion packs, so is normal that it's uncompleted like The Sims 3. It's a good game, it has boring times, but the soundtrack was excellent, and I'll add that they are working on toddlers. Is a good game, and the updates were so cool, they really work hard for this game, but, another time, my expectation was other. It is a good game, but they said that the hair will move with the wind, and would grow. Now, it's like The Sims 3 with emotions, multitask, new and best CAS ever, new build mode, new lifestyle, etc. Very good, I wll change my mark for all this I said. Expand
  87. Sep 4, 2014
    5
    While the Create-A-Sim tool is amazing, the rest of the game falls short. The build/buy mode tools are clunky, and the camera is difficult to work with. In live mode, there isn't much for your sim to do; no restaurants, too many bars, a museum, a library, and a couple parks. While EA has proven their addiction to add-ons later, that does not excuse the lacking nature of the Sims 4 baseWhile the Create-A-Sim tool is amazing, the rest of the game falls short. The build/buy mode tools are clunky, and the camera is difficult to work with. In live mode, there isn't much for your sim to do; no restaurants, too many bars, a museum, a library, and a couple parks. While EA has proven their addiction to add-ons later, that does not excuse the lacking nature of the Sims 4 base game. I want to enjoy this game. I love the sims I've created, but the world I've put them into is simply lackluster. I am extremely disappointed.

    Also, no firefighters or police? That's just lazy!
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  88. Sep 4, 2014
    7
    I thought I was going to loathe this, I wanted to give it a try because I have been with the sims franchise from the beginning. The sims 4 reminds me a lot more of the sims 2, in some ways it does feel like a step backwards in others it feels like an improvement.

    I played a fair bit last night and my impressions so far: Pro: The UI is smooth and seamless. The interface is simple,
    I thought I was going to loathe this, I wanted to give it a try because I have been with the sims franchise from the beginning. The sims 4 reminds me a lot more of the sims 2, in some ways it does feel like a step backwards in others it feels like an improvement.

    I played a fair bit last night and my impressions so far:

    Pro:
    The UI is smooth and seamless. The interface is simple, clean and fresh.
    No lag, no freezing, no crashes.
    You can add community creations from in-game without crashing.
    Build mode is a definite improvement, with so many adjustable things, if you make a mistake you don't have to start from scratch.
    You have so much more, control and options for face & body shapes in CAS.
    All clothing for pregnancy!
    The multitasking is excellent.
    Bars & Mixology in base game is great.
    Time slower than TS3, so you have more time in the day. Also sleeping and at work can go faster on the fastest speed so you aren't waiting around forever (like it felt in ts3 for you sim to wake up.)

    Cons:
    I don't feel as connected to the neighbours and townies as I did in the sims 3, they just feel like background decoration, even with 'emotions.'
    So let down that they didn't just add weather and pets to base game, these things should just be in it by now, expansion packs should add new things, give you a difference not take out things that can already be in there to sell back to us.
    I really do miss the toddler stage, not so much the pools but I understand why a lot of people want the pools.
    I miss the colour wheel, I can do without the texture wheel, but the colour wheel really makes you feel as though you have made it your own.
    Ohhh god, I hope they add some kind of story progression, this is what made the sims 3 for me. The neighbours and townies felt more real, because they would live their lives, even without you their, they felt more real and you connected to them more.
    No npc, fireman, burglar is a let down.
    It does feel like the careers were a bit rushed, but I love you get rewards other than just money. I hope they add a doctor and all the others to it. I loved being a doctor in the sims 3.
    It feels like it doesn't even matter if I make friends because I don't feel anything for those sims. They don't seem to have the same life and appeal as the sims 3.

    All in all this isn't a terrible game, it doesn't feel worth 80 dollars, but it isn't horrible. There is room for improvement and I hope that EA listen to us simmers about the improvement that can be made. I am enjoying it, I love how my sims personal act in the sims 4 , I really like the emotions, multitasking is really handy for when you woke up late and have to rush to get ready for work.

    If you want this game, but worried. Wait for it to be a reasonable price, because while I do think this game has a lot of good things, with many things that can be implemented later, right now as it is without any expansion it is lacking.
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  89. Sep 5, 2014
    7
    The reason there are so many low scores is because people are comparing it to Sims 3. No, it's not an open world and it doesn't have as many customization options but the Sims 4 still offers a lot. Here are some good and bad points:

    +The graphics are much better. + Loading times are much faster. Realistically in Sims 3 when your sim traveled from point A to point B it took time anyway.
    The reason there are so many low scores is because people are comparing it to Sims 3. No, it's not an open world and it doesn't have as many customization options but the Sims 4 still offers a lot. Here are some good and bad points:

    +The graphics are much better.
    + Loading times are much faster. Realistically in Sims 3 when your sim traveled from point A to point B it took time anyway.
    + There are loads of skills.
    + It's easier to be sociable as you can talk to more than one sim easily and there are always plenty of people walking about the areas.
    + So many new things to cook!!!
    + Although they have got rid of create-a-style, which I personally didn't use much anyway, the clothing, hairstyles, flooring, wallpapers etc all look much better.

    - I miss having the Sims face pop up when I click on an object. Don't know why they took that out.
    - Where are the medicine, police & business careers?
    - There's not a huge amount of things to do / places to go... however it is the base game. My gameplay is usually centered around building a family so I don't leave the home lot much anyway, maybe once every other sim day. They could've thought of a place much better than a museum to visit, seems a waste.
    - No story progression. Who wants to change to each household and make them have kids etc??? Not me.

    So far I am having fun and think that all the negative views are unwarranted. It's still a good fun game, it's just very different to the Sims 3.
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  90. Sep 5, 2014
    7
    Nice game. Has some flaws but overall its entertaining.

    The emotion system is great. Having a character coming from work and see he is angry about something which happened there and have to option to vent on someone is great. On the not so great side is the user interface. Per default it hides to many information. Everytime you have to click on a button to see something. Further to
    Nice game. Has some flaws but overall its entertaining.

    The emotion system is great. Having a character coming from work and see he is angry about something which happened there and have to option to vent on someone is great.

    On the not so great side is the user interface. Per default it hides to many information. Everytime you have to click on a button to see something. Further to make room for the game they've removed most of the interface resulting in not having a buy-menu button. The buy menu is now a sub section of the build menu which is confusing and ends in a search marathon on first play.

    Further to rotate the bought object you have to either use the keyboard to be able to rotate clock- and counterclockwise or click the right button to rotate it clockwise. I've preferred the old system where I was able to click and hold the mousebutton and the drag the mouse around.
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  91. Sep 5, 2014
    7
    I like it, when playing the game and comparing it to sims 3, remind yourselves how many expansion packs the game you were playing last week had. I think it has promise and I'm looking forward to see where EA take it.
  92. Sep 6, 2014
    6
    This game is a step backward but also a step forward.
    The loading screens are a step backward and the graphics and building engine are a step forward.

    The game has a lack of content you can see EA wants to sale expansions. There are not much cloths right now.

    But if you can ignore lack of content. Much loading screens.
    Less improvements then tje game is fine.
  93. Sep 6, 2014
    6
    I've been a Sims player from the beginning, Sims 1, Sims 2 (still my favorite despite it's age) didn't really care for 3 (although it had some great features, I just didn't like it as much for reasons I won't go into here.) As far as Sims 4 goes, overall I like the game, it seems promising. Sure some things are missing, and in general when I pay $60 for a game I expect it not to crash asI've been a Sims player from the beginning, Sims 1, Sims 2 (still my favorite despite it's age) didn't really care for 3 (although it had some great features, I just didn't like it as much for reasons I won't go into here.) As far as Sims 4 goes, overall I like the game, it seems promising. Sure some things are missing, and in general when I pay $60 for a game I expect it not to crash as often as this game so far has. Out of everything this is my #1 complaint so far for this game. I think it's crashed more often than I've played it. I've managed to get play time up to about an hour so far before it crashes (losing everything.) Once it even crashed upon trying to save the game. I'm truly wanting to give it a chance and be able to play and give it time to grow on me but so far it's leaving me feeling disappointing because it's crashing far, far too often and that's no fun. Perhaps when the bugs are all smoothed out and there are one or two expansion packs available this will be a truly fun game. Right now it feels like a beta release and a day one patch I think confirms that (and it's still crashing...) A lot of people are sayings it's a fail, I don't think so entirely, but I do think it could have been and should have been better when your shelling out $60. Expand
  94. Sep 7, 2014
    7
    Okay, So this game has received a really low user score, but it just isn't as bad as people are making out. Sure, its lacking in content, not much to do and the world, I agree, has been squashed for dummies but it is still playable. Its been five years since The Sims 3 came out, and during those years there have been a substantial amount of Expansion/Stuff packs and user created Mods andOkay, So this game has received a really low user score, but it just isn't as bad as people are making out. Sure, its lacking in content, not much to do and the world, I agree, has been squashed for dummies but it is still playable. Its been five years since The Sims 3 came out, and during those years there have been a substantial amount of Expansion/Stuff packs and user created Mods and Custom Content which enhanced gameplay and added content, It's very difficult now to compare a brand new base game to what the sims 3 was five years ago. I give the Sims 4 a 7, It's playable but It seems as though EA were targeting a some-what stupider audience. Hopefully five years down the line, the sims 4 will be as expansive as Sims 3. Expand
  95. Sep 8, 2014
    7
    this game inst a huge improvement from the sims 3, but i is still fun.lets go to the good things ,the build mode is one of the best build mode on the sims series, but there isnt too many furniture has the sism 3 with all expansions, so possibly ea will launch a new dlc with new furnitureas happen with the sism 3.the second good thing about sism is the moodlets now sism loook more likethis game inst a huge improvement from the sims 3, but i is still fun.lets go to the good things ,the build mode is one of the best build mode on the sims series, but there isnt too many furniture has the sism 3 with all expansions, so possibly ea will launch a new dlc with new furnitureas happen with the sism 3.the second good thing about sism is the moodlets now sism loook more like people.the bad things in teh sism 4 is there i no polls, todllers,and a bunch of other feature,but the truth is thath i dont miss it,and lets talks about there is no open world,sims 4 loooks like sims 2 now and i love it,people dont make wars play the sims 4 Expand
  96. Sep 9, 2014
    6
    This game isn't nearly as bad as some people on here are making it out to be. The main issue right now is the fact that it has considerably less content than the Sims 3 if you own multiple expansions. Despite this I still find myself playing for hours and thoroughly enjoying myself. Build mode is much easier to use, house building is actually a lot of fun for those aren't asThis game isn't nearly as bad as some people on here are making it out to be. The main issue right now is the fact that it has considerably less content than the Sims 3 if you own multiple expansions. Despite this I still find myself playing for hours and thoroughly enjoying myself. Build mode is much easier to use, house building is actually a lot of fun for those aren't as architecturally inclined, and the Create A Sim, while not quite as amazing as EA is trying to claim it is, is still objectively better than the Sims 3. I think this game would be absolutely amazing if it had the amount of content as the Sims 3, but the problem is, that won't be for 3-4 years, and you'll be paying another $160-200 dollars. If you're a genuine sims fan you'll enjoy it well enough, otherwise I'd recommend waiting for 2-3 expansions to release. Expand
  97. Sep 10, 2014
    5
    I liked the graphics, they were ok and it seems they focused more on the Sims and their emotions and left out everything else.

    Create-a-Sim is great even though the color limitations for the items surprises me. The build mode is by far the best out of their make overs. It appears the NPC Sims do not evolve and everything else seem so easy. Basically it improved some of the Sims aspect
    I liked the graphics, they were ok and it seems they focused more on the Sims and their emotions and left out everything else.

    Create-a-Sim is great even though the color limitations for the items surprises me. The build mode is by far the best out of their make overs. It appears the NPC Sims do not evolve and everything else seem so easy. Basically it improved some of the Sims aspect of The Sims 3 but fell short, excluding many good aspects of The Sims 3.

    With the exception of the emotions and multitasking everything else seems to have gone backwards.
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  98. Sep 10, 2014
    7
    Not sure why the score for this game is so low, I think it's fun and engaging on many levels. I know a lot of people are upset about some of the things that are "missing" from Sims 3 I guess I just don't miss them very much. I had no use for pools and the toddlers were annoying anyway. Though I do miss create a style, my score would be higher were it not for that missing.

    It's a Sim
    Not sure why the score for this game is so low, I think it's fun and engaging on many levels. I know a lot of people are upset about some of the things that are "missing" from Sims 3 I guess I just don't miss them very much. I had no use for pools and the toddlers were annoying anyway. Though I do miss create a style, my score would be higher were it not for that missing.

    It's a Sim game, if you liked the previous installments you'll probably like this one too.
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  99. Sep 10, 2014
    7
    Before I get into the review I was to start by saying did not pre order and watched plenty of reviews, which were mostly mixed but being a fan I thought Id give it a go..Managed to grab it for £25 so not too bad! So I have had this game a couple of days and have already put 20 hours into it...If that doesn't say addictive I don't know what does! The new UI along with emotions multitaskingBefore I get into the review I was to start by saying did not pre order and watched plenty of reviews, which were mostly mixed but being a fan I thought Id give it a go..Managed to grab it for £25 so not too bad! So I have had this game a couple of days and have already put 20 hours into it...If that doesn't say addictive I don't know what does! The new UI along with emotions multitasking etc makes the game such breeze to play and feels so much more "real". The CAS is pretty good with many features available but I must say I'm disappointed at the lack of clothing choices but I'm sure knowing EA we will get more in 100 DLC packs...The Building is also really enjoyable as it offers new things for both new and old sims players; can be simple for new and advanced for old. I'm loving how the game is keeping up with the times with a great focus on tech even a TECH CAREER! :-) Sadly careers are quite limited and there isn't much choice...Once again more in DLC...The graphic style is another talking point and personally I really like it..I think of it as Marmite you're gonna love it or hate it. Most of the negativity I'm seeing is from people saying it's a step back..I personally see tons of potential in this game and look forward to the future. What am I not looking forward to is the fact a lot of things we hope to see will probably come in future expansions and DLC..I'm just hoping we get some free as EA is starting to take the P**s..I know Sims has always been about expansions but EA is terrible.. Worse company 3rd year running ? We shall see. Expand
  100. Sep 14, 2014
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Despite some of the pretty bad reviews this had gotten, I still couldn't resist getting this game. I've been a Sims lover since Sims 1, which then carried on to Sims 2 and 3. First of all, I really did enjoy how much detail they put into creating Sims. You can detail everything - their cheek bones, nose, legs, stomach, every thing. I thought the clothes they had added into the game were nicer than the previous Sims games (more "fashionable", along with the hair.

    In live mode, the Sims emotions and the new interactions are awesome! This I really liked - they can multi-task and do tons more with other Sims than they ever have before. They can have conversations with more than one Sim, they can make food and talk to Sims at the same time. They get embarrassed, they get flirty, happy, playful, sad, angry, etc. This was a huge plus.

    What I wasn't pleased with, was that they took out patterns. You can't customize the looks of clothes and furniture, and the colors that they give you to choose from aren't that much. There also is not an open world to roam around, so you do indeed go back to a loading screen, but I think they did that due to Sims 3 crashing on so many computers. It was just a lot to handle for some. The careers are not very in depth either. When you go to work, your Sim is gone and does not come back until after work. They don't give you very many places to roam around in your town. There's a bar, a gym, and a library (I think that's all?).

    It does seem like they had rushed the Sims 4, and although they did take a few steps back in some areas, in others they did succeed. Sadly, the game seems boring as of right now, just because it is the base game. It was 70 dollars, so I'm interested to see what kind of expansions they come out with to spice it up.
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Metascore
70

Mixed or average reviews - based on 75 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 31 out of 75
  2. Negative: 2 out of 75
  1. Jul 23, 2020
    60
    While an enjoyable title that has been polished up and seems generally very modern, it cannot be expected that The Sims 4 is not going to be compared to The Sims 3. In this respect, it seems that while the game took a few steps forwards, it also took a few steps backwards by abandoning features that were very helpful and appreciated in the previous versions. It does have new features that people have been waiting for, such as emotions and more personality for the Sims. As for now, for some players it may not quite be worth to abandon The Sims 3 for it, but for new players looking for a first experience with the franchise, they may have an easier time navigating than former The Sims 3 players. People that have previously enjoyed the latter may be disappointed by the menus (Sim creation, building, or navigating town), as they have been so massively oversimplified that they are now actually confusing.
  2. Pelit (Finland)
    Oct 25, 2014
    80
    The Sims 4 is once again a new beginning. Needs more content and soon, please. [Oct 2014]
  3. CD-Action
    Oct 24, 2014
    40
    The Sims 4 is just a foundation of a game. How would you react if you bought a new Elder Scrolls game and realized that half of the cities are unavailable (because TES6: World Adventures is around the corner), there are only 4 weapons (TES6: Accessories), you can’t ride horses (TES6: Pets), there are only 12 quests (TES6: Careers), 2 guilds (TES6: Friends) and 3 spells (TES6: Supernatural)? [Nov 2014, p.50]